This morning we woke up to a beautiful sunrise. We sailed into Puerto Madryn around 7:00 am. This port was settled by the Welsh and named in honor of Sir Love Jones Parry, a key figure in the colonization of Patagonia. Parry's eastate in Whales was named Madryn, a word that means great or magnificant in Welsh.
Our excursion today was to Punta Tombo Reserve where we hoped to see Magellanic penguins. On the way we made a rest stop in Trelew, an important commercial and industrial center for the region and a main hub for wool processing. It is also the site of a large find of dinosaur fossils. A replica of one dinosaur stands outside the city. The fossil is possibly the largest dinosaur skeleton ever found.
At that stop was a statute tribute to a lady found by the roadside. Her husband was take by the police and she walked down the road with her child looking for where they took him. She died of thirst but the child was found alive. Now people bring gifts and bottles of water to the site. The water and food is left for anyone in need.
On the way to the reserve we saw Lesser Rhea, a large flightless bird that looks like an ostrich. We also saw many Guanacos. They look a lot like Llamas.
Once we made it to the preserve we knew we hit a penguin jackpot. The breeding ground was filled with Magellanic penguins, several with chicks. These penguins make nests in the ground where they lay their eggs. Both parents raise the young by taking turns going out to sea and returning with food for the chicks. They mate for life and often return to the same nest year after year. However, some females are know to stray to another male with a better nest. The penguins were not afraid of us but we were warned to keep our distance as it is against the law to touch or feed the wildlife.
We were back in plenty of time for dinner and to attend a movie in the planetarium dome about the aurora borealis. After the movie we listened to a band in the pool area which played rock songs from the 70s. Tomorrow we have another day at sea.
1 comment:
Wow...interesting to see penguins on arid, brown land...and that chocolate dessert. Seems an ease & enjoyment to your travels with wonderful, informative, full experiences. Full Moon must be beautiful on the water.
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