Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar, Chile
In the first few days of this voyage we have become acquainted with the richness of the waters of the Humboldt Current and the abundance of marine life – especially seabirds – found in this region. The wildlife on offer this morning may not have been as abundant as that encountered previously at Islas Ballestas, but what was lacking in quantity was more than compensated for in terms of quality.
The Humboldt Current is home to a diversity of seabirds found nowhere else on the planet. This morning we were fortunate to encounter a number of these species during a Zodiac cruise and kayaking along the rocky shoreline of a small offshore island in Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar. Among the highlights were excellent views of Humboldt penguins and Peruvian diving-petrels – both species with limited ranges and small populations. Our good fortune was further evidenced by great looks at marine otters, with several animals watched at close range.
The afternoon continued at sea. As always, a watch was maintained from the bridge for seabirds and marine mammals and a lucky few observers glimpsed a couple of Cuvier’s beaked whales. Long, lazy swells rolled in from the south, evidence of bad weather perhaps as far away as the Southern Ocean but did not trouble us as we continued our voyage along this desert coastline.
In the first few days of this voyage we have become acquainted with the richness of the waters of the Humboldt Current and the abundance of marine life – especially seabirds – found in this region. The wildlife on offer this morning may not have been as abundant as that encountered previously at Islas Ballestas, but what was lacking in quantity was more than compensated for in terms of quality.
The Humboldt Current is home to a diversity of seabirds found nowhere else on the planet. This morning we were fortunate to encounter a number of these species during a Zodiac cruise and kayaking along the rocky shoreline of a small offshore island in Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar. Among the highlights were excellent views of Humboldt penguins and Peruvian diving-petrels – both species with limited ranges and small populations. Our good fortune was further evidenced by great looks at marine otters, with several animals watched at close range.
The afternoon continued at sea. As always, a watch was maintained from the bridge for seabirds and marine mammals and a lucky few observers glimpsed a couple of Cuvier’s beaked whales. Long, lazy swells rolled in from the south, evidence of bad weather perhaps as far away as the Southern Ocean but did not trouble us as we continued our voyage along this desert coastline.
