Let's See Some Whales!

By this time next week I plan on having a bounty of live-action whales pictures for your enjoyment.  I'm thinking that pictures like that on the left may be a bit ambitious, but a girl can dream.  We are taking advantage of the National Census Holiday here in Argentina tomorrow to head out to Puerto Madryn for a long weekend of Southern Right Whale watching.

Puerto Madryn is located 851 miles south of Buenos Aires on the eastern side of the country facing the Gulfo Nuevo.  Every year between June and November, the Southern Right Whales make an abundant appearance to mate and migrate right through the gulf.  The whale watching excursions leave from Peninsula Valdes, which is over an hour's drive from Puerto Madryn, so we've elected to stay right on the peninsula.  According to everyone that I've spoken to, the whales are everywhere, so we have our fingers crossed to see some right from the hotel.

During this holiday we have the following plans:

• Two whale watching boats, on two different days hoping for optimum whale exposure.
• An excursion to Estancia San Lorenzo, which has an extensive Magellanic penguin colony.  It is also located one of the only coastlines where Orca whales have been seen intentionally beaching themselves to hunt penguins and sea lions.  I hope to see this phenomenon in person, but plan on staying far away from the coastline just in case.  
• Lots of hanging out at the hotel looking for whales from our balcony.  

The only potential hitch to our plans is the weather, rain is predicated for at least 2 of the 3 full days that we're there.

Wish us luck!