Peninsula Valdes, Day 88

The weather is much calmer today and the whale watching trips are good to go. To this end several tour buses descend on the tiny hamlet of Puerto Piramides on the isthmus of Peninsula Valdes, which separates Golfo Neuvo (to the south) and Golfo San Jose (to the north). The southern right whales come to the sheltered haven of Golfo Nuevo each spring to give birth and raise their young. And because the weather is calm today, the mothers can spend more time having fun with their calves – and us – and less time worrying that their vulnerable kids might drown (which they are prone to do until they have built up sufficient blubber stores to float).

Incidentally, the whales got their name during yet another sad chapter in man’s destructive history with the natural world. At the height of the whaling era these friendly creatures swam right up to the whalers’ boats making them easy (i.e. the right whales) to harpoon. Needless to say their numbers were decimated, but recent protective measures have saved these endearing creatures from extinction – at least for now. And since the southern right whales remain very friendly and curious, they still swim right up to, beside, and even under the boat. Many of the mothers are swimming on their backs today with their flippers exposed. Our guide explains that the mothers maybe resting after the exertion of keeping their young alive over the last few stormy days. This may also signal to the young to leave mum alone – if so, the calves seem to ignore this particular plea. Interestingly, the mothers have unique calcification patterns on their heads which researchers can use to identify more than 1,000 individuals. This is the best whale-watching experience – ever.

And the fun doesn’t end there. Further along Peninsula Valdes at Punta Delgada we see about 30 southern elephant seals lazing on the beach and finally we get up close and personal with a small colony of magellanic penguins that have started nesting on the peninsula. A fantastic day.