Argentina: Peninsula Valdez – Punta Norte (Revisited)
Punte Norte is the northernmost point of the Peninsula Valdes and the large and wide beach here is full of fur seals. This is also the best place to observe orcas attacking the fur seals – the orca pod here have learned how to beach themselves on the shore and snatch fur seal pups – the videos of this incredible action have made Peninsula Valdez world famous. I spend two days trying to see the action back in 2012, but orcas didn’t come. Another two days fully spent at Punta Norte in 2023 – and still no orcas. Apparently, the seas need to be completely still calm for orcas to calculate the attack channel depth and the baby seals to frolic into the water. On windy days – neither party ventures in. Nevertheless, it’s an awesome place and time spent watching fur seal, elephant seals, cormorants, giant petrels, and much more! Just watching the fur seals mothers teaching the baby fur seals to swim was priceless!
