A boat excursion to the sea lion colonies
and marine bird rookeries in Malaspina Cove
The landing stage is in a small, protected estuary 1,500 meters from town. Leaving the
estuary and navigating in the cove, we will pass over kelp "fields", where we
will probably come across boats doing the harvest.
Then we will pass over the area where mussels are raised with the long line method.
Further out from the coast, we will arrived in a small archipelago.
We will approach the cormorant rookery and sea lion colony on Malaspina Rock and continue
on through the Vernacci archipelago. During the excursion we will be able to observe sea
lion colonies (with 3,500 individuals during the breeding season) and rookeries that
harbor 60,000 penguins and several species of other colorful marine birds. We are likely
to be accompanied by a pod of dolphins or spot the fin of an orca.Visiting the
fossilized forest
During our excursion over the Patagonian steppe, we will be able to see the fossilized
remains of forests in enormous pieces of petrified trunks with an opalescent sheen typical
of the hard rock that replaced the organic material of the original trees. We can see
their growth rings, vestiges of their bark, and many other attributes. The petrified
forest is 30 km from the village. You can get there in a 4WD, on horseback from the Las
Mercedes ranch or, if you are particularly active, on a bicycle.
Once there, we walk over the site to "The Pyramid," where it is possible to
"hear" the silence of Patagonia.
The trail continues along the edge of the butte until we are back to our point of
departure.
Depending on the weather and the group’s preferences, the forest can be seen
combining a 4WD and bikes.
The algae
industry and archaeological sites
The trip to the algae fields will be arranged in accordance with the place and time of the
harvests. We find out how algae is harvested, how to recognize the different species that
are harvested, what products are extracted from each, and their application in the market.
During the excursion, we visit old Indian weapon-making grounds and cemeteries.
Vistit
to a Patagonian ranch
Bahía Bustamante is part of a group of three ranches - Las Quebradas, Las
Mercedes and La Margarita, which total 80,000 hectares. Depending on the time of year, the
weather and the work that is being done at the moment on each ranch, a visit is arranged
so the group can learn about wool and mutton production. We might join in marking,
separating calves from cows, shearing or classification, and see the corrals and chutes
and shearing sheds that comprise the installations. If we decide to make a day of it, we
will have lunch on the spot, the way our gauchos do. |
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