Feeling part of Nat Geographic & Discovery channel

Trip Start Sep 03, 2007
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Trip End Jul 03, 2008


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Flag of Argentina  ,
Friday, February 29, 2008

We were glad to get to Puerto Madryn, formally a welsh town that grew up as the main whaling port in Patagonia. Glad to get here as we planned to chill here for a while as we had been doing a lot of travelling recently and were very deprived of sleep. Staying in the comfort of a hostel was our main priority that night and eating something different to ham and cheese sandwiches, as all they seem to eat here and thatīs all they sell at bus stations.
Discovering a camp site 5km from town was going to make staying here a lot cheaper than forking out on hostels. A little apprehensive about camping again as every other time has ended up in some minor disaster we set up our palace at ACA. From the surrounding fences and the concentration camp feel of the place we thought ACA represented Argentinian Criminal Area. However, we were proved wrong, it turned out to be a very safe place with all the facilities you could ask for, Jamie was especially pleased about the huge BBQ area. Enthusiastically we ventured onto the beach only to find the stench of seaweed attracted far too many flies for our liking so that end of the beach was not exactly how you would picture a perfect Argentinian beach. Although Puerto Madryn redeemed itself when we discovered bigger than you can eat steaks for 1 pound and wine size bottles of cider for 60 pence.
Puerto Madryn is reknowed for itīs sea life, people come here to see Right Whales, however now is not the season for them but we would happy to see Orca Whales instead which you can spot on the peninsular. Guanaco
Guanaco
 We also discovered that diving with sea lions is very popular here, it didn't take long before we were booked onto the next dive out to sea. 90 pounds each was a little steep for us but it did include a wreck dive as well, and itīs not often you can do National Geographic and Discovery Channel all in the same day. I was very excited about diving with sea lions, although a little concerned when we had to kit up head to toe in wetsuit gear principally for protection from the sea lions nipping you than warmth!
Unfortunately our dive instructor didnīt speak English (not that you needed it under water) but the captain did so we had some idea of what was going on. Both of us loved diving with the sea lions, there were lots of them swimming about, they are obviously very curious animals swimming right up to our masks to inspect us and then playing in the water swooping up, down and around us. The next part of our trip was diving down to a ship wreck that had sunk in the eighties. Even though we both enjoyed it, Jamie enjoyed it more than me (I think it's a boy thing). 90 pounds well spent! Once again Jamie Ramsay aka Oliver cooked us some delicious steaks on the BBQ.
The next day was a very lazy day spent chilling on the, this time, nicer beach - no seaweed or flies! We met Richard and Paullo, fellow happy campers who we spent the night eating and drinking with. The next day we all hired a car together and drove to the Peninsular eager to see Orcas, penguins and Elephant seals. Well we got see 2 out of 3, you can guess which one we didnīt see. But we got to see Magallenes Penguins up close in their natural environment and lots of Elephant seals and sea lions - well worth the visit. Oh and I nearly forgot we saw a few Armadillos - this made my day as I think they are great animals.
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