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Published: June 29th 2017
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Geo: -42.77, -65.04
They say male elephant seals can reach 6000 pounds. Theyre huge animals and hardly able to move once theyre on the beach. They often try to establish their dominance by waving their heads in the air. I was excited at the prospect of seeing these creatures today for our tour of Valdes Penninsula in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. We saw a few, but mostly juveniles, yet to grow their notable floppy elephant like snouts. In lieu, the cruise passenger behind us on the bus for todays shore excursion was likely heavier, less mobile, ruder, louder (snored most of the trip) and a reminder of the downside and restrictions of travelling off a cruise ship. Theres more pros than cons but there ARE cons. Our tour today picked us up at Peurto Madryn. The itinerary would take us by bus from the port to Penninsula Valdes, a UNESCO World Heritage National Park in Northern Patagonia. The landscape here was unremarkably beautiful in a different way. Flat desolate plains as far as the eye could see. Dry, small shrubs, no tall trees, rolling on and on. No towns, no hills, no valleys, just quiet, untouched plains and short thorny shrubs with yellow
flowers.
There would be a lot of distance to cover today, 100s of kilometres and hours on the bus. That part wasnt great, the rest was. We made a few stops, by the Vistors Centre first, a small deserted (out of season) beach side town, and then at several viewpoints along the coast. We saw several animals roaming free throughout the park. Firstly and most commonly, herds of Guachos, akin to llamas, with a light red fur. Next, there were lesser Rheas. Osterich/Emu like flightless birds, just a little smaller. There were some horses and cows, but two animals were the main attractions here and each had their own stop.
We got so close to the Magellans Penguins. Within metres. They were pretty cute, about a couple feet tall, standing solo and in pairs along the coast against a backdrop of contrasting water, the ice blue in the protected waters and deep blue of the ocean beyond. Elephant seals werent far away. Only a dozen or so of the younger ones remained, as they were due to return to sea in March. We enjoyed a bit of a walk around here taking some photos. We also saw some sea
lions and giant sea birds floating among the waves.Now for the long drive back, deafening snoring in our ears all the way.
First impressions of Patagonia, it wasnt exactly what I expected. It was barren, desolate, dry, cold (15-20C) lonely, incredibly windy and dusty. The landscapes were still so beautiful in a different way. Endless cliff edges, quiet isolation. That feeling of freedom, untouched, untarnished, unpolluted space. No crowds, no noise. A great day exploring and absorbing it all.
Back on the ship, Nat and I decided to pay $30 each for speciality dining dinner at Chops Grill, a steak restaurant. We took along the complementary bottle of wine we got as a honeymoon gift from the cruise line. It was very worth it and we rolled into bed with full happy bellies.
Yesterday was a largely unnotable sailing day out at sea. We scored a free glass of wine at lunch, went to the gym, played scrabble, swam in the indoor pool and then relaxed in the outdoor spa. That is relaxed until we saw an ominous black cloud sweeping towards us like a tidal wave. We jumped out and grabbed our things just as it hit. 60knot winds belted
into the ship putting us on a 30degree angle. People screamed and panicked, deckchairs went flying and most of the pool emptied all over the deck. We huddled at the outdoor bar with another couple and before we knew it were sealed outside as all outdoor decks were closed. We were soon let in and watched the storm rage a while before the ship balanced out. A bit of fun 😊
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Keith
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Cute birds and animals. Barren landscape, spectacular storms, big and delicious steaks. Enjoy sights, enjoyment, taste buds