Patagonian Wildlife

We got lucky when we had a very personal penguin viewing experience! From Puerto Natales we headed north back into Argentina and Santa Cruz on the east coast. As luck would have it we found out about a colony of Magellan penguins not far away. We rode 15 km to Punta Quilla, through security at the port and parked up. From there we walked 2.5 km (access only at low tide) around a bay. We thought we were on a wild goose chase but around the headland we saw hundreds of penguins making the journey up the beach to feed their young in nests under bushes above high tide. We layed on the beach and watched......penguins are very cute and cool to watch splashing about in the sea and waddling across the shore!

We have seen lots of Guanaco, a large animal like a Llama but they are wild. They are nice to watch as are quite elegant animals. However, if the herd is split they do tend to run across the road in front of us!

Rhea are quite common to see and we have come across quite a few with about 10 babies. We have discovered that the adult in these families is the male, the female has long gone! They are difficult to get pics of as they scatter when we stop the bike and it's too cold to get the camera out!

We have seen a lot of Black necked swans and spotted some babies having a lift!

We have seen red and grey Foxs, one of which was getting seen off by an angry Guanaco.

We have seen lots of flamingos but not close enough for a good pic. So all we have so far is a feather!

Also seen but not managed to photograph - Armadillos, Andean Condors, loads of other birds of prey and Hares.

Into Chile - Torres del Paine

On the way to Puerto Natales we were greeted by the grim reaper at the start of a ripio (gravel) track!?! The track wasn't that bad.....

On crossing the border at customs it was strange to see highlights of Norwich playing Liverpool on the TV! Nowich lost 4-5! Normally I (Phil) would be pleased but I have adopted Norwich as many conversations involve premier league football and no-one has heard of Ipswich!

We stayed in Puerto Natales, a very nice town on the Ultima Esperanza - Last Hope sound. The scenery and buildings are different this far south. From here the national park is about 2 hours away although we had to wait a couple of days for a storm to pass before we went. The wind was the strongest we have ever seen - it is Patagonia!

This looks like the hand in the Atacama desert that we have yet to see.

Torres del Paine is famous for its granite torres and granite/sediment rock 'horns' as well as waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. A very beautiful place.

We also visited a cave where the remains of a giant sloth or Myladon were found.

The water front at Puerto Natales was lovely, especially as the sun went down - about 2200!

The Perito Moreno Glacier!!

These pics are of the gigantic Perito Moreno glacier...it was a picturesque ride from El Calafate...the 1st pic was our first glimpse of it. It's hard to find words for all these natural wonders we are seeing!

The glacier is growing and ice cracks like thunder as it's pushed up against a rock outcrop. Every so often a huge piece breaks off and crashes into the water 70 metres below!

We intended to only stay 2 nights but a fuel leak meant we had to stay another. With the bike stripped down we took it to a local bike shop who stripped and rebuilt one carb. It had a faulty O ring which had to be re-sealed.

The town is unbelievably commercial, expensive, full of tours and masses of people so we were glad to leave.

El Chalten - WOW

We arrived at El Chalten late and cold after a 12 hour windy slog that included a detour into Rio Gallegos where we actually got some cash at last! El Chalten is a small town in an amazing, remote location in front of Cerro Fitz Roy, with good day hikes right from there. We did two:

Day 1, a 6 hour hike to Laguna Torre, Cerro Torre and its glacier. While we were there part of an iceberg rose like a submarine in front of us!

Drinking fresh cold water from the streams.

And then this...

Day 2, an 8 hour hike to Tres Lagos and the closer view of Cerro Fitz Roy. In the last 1 km we climbed 400 metres!

Looking back at where we hiked from.

A false summit and then...

A petrol station with a view!

Adios, for now!

Patagonia

We have enjoyed a good few weeks in the Lake District, hiking, swimming in lakes and rivers, boat trips, La Trochita train ride, Blues festival, and plenty of camping. And more cherry eating! Bought a kilo for £1.50 yesterday so that will keep us going...!

Lads pose in their cars here without the bonnets!

Our first glimpse of a glacier!

We are now in southern Patagonia continuing south, or trying to...the roads we need to take are flooded and thick mud after a big storm...we were heading for El Chalton for some trekking but now we may have to head for the East coast to get south! Anyway, all good apart from that and oh, the fact that we can't get any money either...none of our cards work anywhere in Patagonia and we are running out of cash....!

Wifi is very thin on the ground at the moment so blogs may be a bit sparce for now.