Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

We caught an early morning flight to Trelew, where we rented a car and drove about 3 hours over gravel roads and sandy washes to Estancia Rincon Chico.  It is a working estancia where there are loads of sheep.  The owner (Augustino) and his wife rent rooms and prepare food for you.

Rincon Chico Estancia (Ranch)

Map of Peninsula Valdez

We took bikes down a dirt road to see Elephant Seals.  We sat about 30 feet away and watched them.  They can dive 4000 feet and their heart rate goes to about 4 beats per minute.  Their blood is very rich in oxygen They come to the beach only to mate or to molt.  When they molt, they stay about 45 days not eating.  They lose 20 kilos a day.  They weigh 9000 lbs. (4 1/2 tons) and are about 10 feet long. 

Elephant Seal yawning

 
We drove up the coast of the peninsula.  There are no towns along the way.  Went to Punta Norte to see young sea lions with their mothers.  This is the place where Orca Whales storm the beach to eat the young sea lions.  We waited but didn't see them come in.  They did the day before though.

This is a photo that someone else took.  This is how the Orcas storm the beach to get the baby sea lions!

 We saw lots of penguins.  We actually went to a penguin colony were there are hundreds of thousands in the colony.

This penguin is molting

Lots of elephant seals along the beach

Friendly Fox

Lesser Rhea

Oh yeah!  My dad's bigger than your dad!

Animals we saw in Peninsula Valdez.....

     Elephant Seal
     Sea Lion
     Maru (between guinea pig, rabbit and kangaroo)
     Burrowing Owl
     Magellan  Penguins
     Guanaco (Llama family, but a lot like camel)
     Lesser Rhea (Ostrich family)
     Sheep  (lots)
     Birds.....Albatross, flightless ducks, sea birds

(Stayed at Rincon Chico)