Photo Upload: Whale Watching on Peninsula Valdes (and Orcas!)

Many people have been anticipating my Peninsula Valdes photos, here they are.

First Whales H and I saw there were this Albino calf and its mum.

Me, watching the Mum and calf swim away after having been about 15metres from us.

There were 2 dead whales on the beach. They stunk but the seagulls loved it.

This whale wasn't as long decayed. According to the dog the tongues the best bit. (another dog brought some to us as we sat on our chairs. H was ungrateful and kicked the smelly rotting meat away.)

See the whale and the people watching... the water is immediately deep so the whales can come in close.

Jump! If you get one jumping or tail flipping they usually did it again and again.

Even when there weren't whales it was spectacular, especially at sunrise.

Beach camped.

Orcas! (or, in English, Killer Whales)... I wasn't sure if they were but even the people at the Puerto Madryn Eco centre say they are, and everybody else does too. So that settles it? I was the only person on the beach when I saw them and snapped this picture. 

Cliff climbing at Punta Ninfas

Last night we stopped at a place called Punta Ninfas. Around here we are still on the coast of Argentina, and about as far south as Hobart is in Tasmania (Australia). Punta Ninfas looks directly across at Penisula Valdes, where we had been whale watching last week. 

But, although it's possible, we didn't see Whales from Punta Ninfas, just Elephant Seals, sea lions, and sea birds. The Elephant Seals make great photographic material (I'll upload some in a few weeks), and when they are active (ie not just lying on the beach), they are interesting to watch. 

I was sitting at the top of the tall cliff where we'd free parked for the night, looking down and watching the Elephant seals below, when I realized there were foot prints on the pebbled beach below. It seemed impossible to get down, so I was debating what else might leave such marks or whether I should go looking for a possible path, when a tour guide and 4 clients arrived. 

The tour guide chatted to me then said he was taking the tourists below. "Oh good", I said "I'll watch where you go so I'll know." 

"Why don't you come too?", he offered. 

I jumped to my feet... Never offer me something if you don't want to give it!

I'm glad I went too, the path down was difficult, the one up, which involved pulling up on a cord, was even more tricky. It was great to get closer to the seals and to have a guide to point things out. 

I was gone a few hours. Meanwhile H was reading a book in the car and completely missed out. He's been book distracted a lot lately- the day before I went walking in Puerto Madryn and went to the Ecocentre without him. (I definitely recommend the Ecocentre if you ever pass the area).