In search of America...

After a short trip to Camarones and the beautiful Reserva Cabo Dos Bahias, we reached Puerto Deseado on the 8th of November, meeting with Seb, Claire and the kids at the bus station. They had been taking the bus from Puerto Madryn while we traveled with the motorhome. Here is a link to their blog to follow their part of the trip: http://jjenpatagonia.blogspot.com.ar (in french only!)

Being 9 persons to fit on a 12 persons boat, we rushed to the boat company as soon as we got to town, and secured ourselves some seats for the excursion to the "Isla de los Pinguinos", a wonderful island full of penguins and sea lions.

6 November: A windy day in Cabo Dos Bahias...after Punta Tombo the kids are not too interested in the penguins anymore, but quite happy to play in the wind!

First encounter with the Great Skua

Beautiful landscapes and a sheltered bay for a nice picnic.

On the road to Puerto Deseado...a grey fox spotted by Theotime and kind enough to let us observe him for a while.

9 November: Two birthdays to celebrate (Emile, 9 years and Geraldine, 40 years) and a wonderful day on the Penguin Island!

On the way to the island, the tiny and very social Commerson's dolphins

A sea lion colony, also on the way to the island...

A view of the island, with its lighthouse built by prisoners in 1906

The Magellanic penguins, here nesting on the rocks as the island has very little vegetation

The first chicks are born! Sooooo cute

The stars of the island: the rockhopper penguins, and 5 little explorers to admire them.

 
They actually jump up and down the rocky slopes...we tried it for fun, and realized it was far from easy!!

Plenty of great skuas, preying on the penguins eggs.

Red-legged cormorants and their incredible eyes.

Some more dolphins on the way back! What a day!!! Those are the Peale's dolphins, quite bigger and faster than the Commerson's dolphins but as much fun to observe.

 To finish the day...two birthdays with some good friends and a BBQ!