WALKING WITH ELEPHANT (SEALS), WHALES AND PENGUINS!

Peninsula Valdez is one of South Americas finest wildlife viewing destinations. It was strange arriving here as our old friends the Andes were nowhere in sight. They have been our travelling companions these last 4 months. Peninsula Valdez juts out into the Southern Atlantic Ocean creating sheltered gulf where many animals come to have give birth and raise their young until they are strong enough to cope with the wilds of the open ocean.

The elephant seals come and deliver their young, nurse them for 19 - 23 days then leave them on the beach to fend for themselves learning to dive and swim in the shallows of the coast.



Four tonnes of alpha male!

Alice making like a baby elephant seal.

Magellanic penguins come to the beaches of Peninsula Valdez to lay their eggs and raise their young. We were lucky enough to see some eggs hatching and some penguin chicks.

Southern Wright whales deliver their young and nurse them in the calm waters of the Gulf. Curious by nature they come right up to the boats and swim around and under them enabling tourists to get a good look at these magnificent creatures.

This area only receives 250 mm of rain per year and is very windy. These huge sand dunes are a result of constant winds and dry conditions, making it a wonderful playground for adults and kids alike. On an unusually calm day we spent a couple of hours lazing in the warm sand and just watching the children leaping through the sand.