During the night the National Geographic Explorer left Ushuaia, sailed eastward out the Beagle Channel, and by first light had reached the northwest coast of the fabled Isla de los Estados (Staten Island). For 38 years I have been a naturalist with the Lindblad-National Geographic family and have sailed longingly past this magnificent island, time after time hoping that one day we would finally obtain permission from the government of Argentina to stop and explore this beautiful, undisturbed place. Finally, last year, our wishes were granted.
As we cruised toward our first anchorage in Hoppner Bay, early risers on the bridge caught a few glimpses of a sei whale feeding offshore and streams of sooty shearwaters and other seabirds crossed our bow on their way out to their daily feeding grounds. Soon after breakfast we commenced our morning activities which began for most as a Zodiac cruise inside a pristine sheltered little bay. Here, there was plenty to see and photograph. Pairs of kelp geese had staked out their territories at regular intervals along the rocky shore. There were flightless steamer ducks, red-eyed Patagonian crested ducks, black-crowned night herons, rock cormorants, two species of oystercatchers, and a variety of small birds to be seen at the intertidal zone while Andean condors, turkey vultures, and striated caracaras circled high overhead. By mid-morning our fleet of kayaks had been deployed and those who desired were given the chance to paddle off on their own around the bay.
During lunch, with everyone back onboard, the National Geographic Explorer moved farther east along the north coast to Puerto Cook. This is another large bay at the head of which lies a low narrow isthmus where a trail leads across the island to a beach on the opposite side. Most of us hiked the half mile over and back to stretch our legs and view the native flora and fauna while a few others opted for a Zodiac cruise along the margins of the bay. Those that lingered at the beach were treated to a rarely seen leopard seal that hauled itself up onto the shore near the landing.
After evening Recap and another delicious dinner, the photo team offered advice on how to improve the quality of our images before heading off to bed with the hint that we might encounter penguins while out exploring tomorrow!
