more landinwards there are plucks of penguins
these youngsters still sport some of the nest feathers
a bunch of juveniles weather the wind
the information center at the Sero Otway Penguinera looks a bit shabby
when you find yourself in a hole......
the Seno Otway penguins at Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is Chile's southernmost town and capital of the country's largest region.
 
Located on the windy eastern shores of the Brunswick Peninsula, the town's origins hark back to 1848 as a small penal colony. Thanks to a favorable position on the Strait of Magellan, a gold rush and thriving sheep farming, the population grew to a present headcount of 130.000.
Punta Arenas sits only 1500 km from Antarctica which makes the town an ideal base for Antarctic tours and expeditions.
 
One of the few tourist attractions of Punta Arena is the colony of Magellanic Penguins at the Otway Sound, some 50 km north west of Punta Arenas.
From October through February, penguin pairs hauling from as far as the Falklands use this desolate and windy location to mate, lay eggs and raise their offspring.
 
On the plains around the sound you may see the Lesser Rhea, "discovered" and described by Charles Darwin himself.
 
We visited Punta Arenas and Otway Sound on a rainy day in February 2008. It was at the tail end of the breeding season but there were still enough penguins to make our day.
website073054.jpg website073053.jpg website073052.jpg website073051.jpg website073050.jpg website073049.jpg website073048.jpg website073047.jpg website073046.jpg website073045.jpg website073044.jpg website073043.jpg website073002.gif website073041.gif website073040.gif
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
end
website073003.gif website073001.gif
Punta Arenas as seen from the harbor
website073002.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
a boardwalk leads you to the colony
3
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
the Otway beach does not invite to take a quick dip, it's cold and th wind blows
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
it's pretty crowded at the observatory, from where you can watch the penguins up close
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
adults take to the waters
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
you get a better view from above, but there is a waiting line
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
well hello there
website073014.gif website073013.jpg website073012.jpg website073011.jpg website073010.jpg
Flamingoes? Yes, flown in from Venezuela
a couple of Kelp Gulls enjoy lunch. May be enough for dinner to...
Magelanic Penguins mate for life
13
14
15
16
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif
on the way back we pass a lesser Rhea
website073003.gif website073002.gif website073001.gif