Strait of Magellan (Is.Tucker) and Seno Almirantazgo ( Ba. Ainsworth)
After leaving the rather choppy waters of the Western Entrance of the Strait of Magellan, National Geographic Endeavour passed Isla Carlos III during the night to anchor near Isla Tucker. Immediately after breakfast, we began an unforgettable Zodiac exploration, which exceeded every expectation. We experienced the fascinating Spring season of Patagonia. During a beautiful sunny morning, we followed the contours of several small islands to experience the widest range of environment and wildlife.
First a lush rain primary forest dominated by Lenga (Nothophagus pumilio) extending right down to the shore, limited by a wide belt of reddish lichen, rocky or pebble beaches and coves. They harbored numerous black-white couples of Kelp geese (Chloephaga hybrida) accompanied at times by 3 to 9 goslings. Macrocystis pyrifera kelpbeds were quite robust and most extended around these islands.
A couple of isolated small rocky islands were inhabited by adult males, females and pups of Southern sea lions (Otaria flavescens), and several Blackish Oyster Catchers (Haemotopus ater) near them. We had plenty of time and opportunities to take pictures with the perfect light and background. Numerous Black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris), Kelp gulls , Chilean skuas (Catharacta skua), South American terns (Sterna hirunidinacea) cruising above us.
Table-shaped Isla Santa Cruz, to the North of Tucker Island, was a nesting site of several species. Rock cormorants (Phalacrocorax magellanicus) were found nesting in well enclosed or protected caves and hollows on the steep cliffs of the Southern site, and Imperial shags (P. atriceps) on the more open and less steep cliffs of the western side. Magellan penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) crowned the top of the cliffs but mostly concentrated on the pebble cove of the northern side of the island. While penguins and cormorants did not seem to mind our presence, Chilean skuas were continuously flying over the grassy top of the Island and the Zodiacs as well.
A wonderful sunny spring morning in Patagonia ended at lunch time. Our ship rapidly steamed to Bahia Ainsworth in Seno Almirantazgo, where another full afternoon of Zodiac and kayak exploration completed a most exuberant display of Patagonia in Spring time.
Here the focus of our attention was a group of Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina)displaying their unique behavior on a wide pebble beach surrounded by a chain of magical mountains with glaciers and primary rain forest, dominated by Lengas (N. pumilio) and Magellan Coihues (Nothofagus betuloides). A wonderful opportunity to observe, photograph and also discuss the behavior of these enormous animals living in one of the most productive fjords of the Patagonian region.
We will not soon forget this place for its unique diversity and wealth of environments and wildlife. Meanwhile our ship continues her way to Beagle Channel on the South side of Darwin Mountain Range.
After leaving the rather choppy waters of the Western Entrance of the Strait of Magellan, National Geographic Endeavour passed Isla Carlos III during the night to anchor near Isla Tucker. Immediately after breakfast, we began an unforgettable Zodiac exploration, which exceeded every expectation. We experienced the fascinating Spring season of Patagonia. During a beautiful sunny morning, we followed the contours of several small islands to experience the widest range of environment and wildlife.
First a lush rain primary forest dominated by Lenga (Nothophagus pumilio) extending right down to the shore, limited by a wide belt of reddish lichen, rocky or pebble beaches and coves. They harbored numerous black-white couples of Kelp geese (Chloephaga hybrida) accompanied at times by 3 to 9 goslings. Macrocystis pyrifera kelpbeds were quite robust and most extended around these islands.
A couple of isolated small rocky islands were inhabited by adult males, females and pups of Southern sea lions (Otaria flavescens), and several Blackish Oyster Catchers (Haemotopus ater) near them. We had plenty of time and opportunities to take pictures with the perfect light and background. Numerous Black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris), Kelp gulls , Chilean skuas (Catharacta skua), South American terns (Sterna hirunidinacea) cruising above us.
Table-shaped Isla Santa Cruz, to the North of Tucker Island, was a nesting site of several species. Rock cormorants (Phalacrocorax magellanicus) were found nesting in well enclosed or protected caves and hollows on the steep cliffs of the Southern site, and Imperial shags (P. atriceps) on the more open and less steep cliffs of the western side. Magellan penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) crowned the top of the cliffs but mostly concentrated on the pebble cove of the northern side of the island. While penguins and cormorants did not seem to mind our presence, Chilean skuas were continuously flying over the grassy top of the Island and the Zodiacs as well.
A wonderful sunny spring morning in Patagonia ended at lunch time. Our ship rapidly steamed to Bahia Ainsworth in Seno Almirantazgo, where another full afternoon of Zodiac and kayak exploration completed a most exuberant display of Patagonia in Spring time.
Here the focus of our attention was a group of Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina)displaying their unique behavior on a wide pebble beach surrounded by a chain of magical mountains with glaciers and primary rain forest, dominated by Lengas (N. pumilio) and Magellan Coihues (Nothofagus betuloides). A wonderful opportunity to observe, photograph and also discuss the behavior of these enormous animals living in one of the most productive fjords of the Patagonian region.
We will not soon forget this place for its unique diversity and wealth of environments and wildlife. Meanwhile our ship continues her way to Beagle Channel on the South side of Darwin Mountain Range.
