March 23: Fabrice Schmitt on his and Steve Howell's recently completed cruise, Buenos Aires to Santiago
For the second time this year, we had an amazing cruise from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to San Antonio (Chile)!
According to the group, some of the most memorable birds seen during our landings were the stunning Magellanic Woodpecker seen in Ushuaia, the unique Magellanic Plover in the Patagonian steppe near Punta Arenas, and the American Painted Snipe that surprised us all near Montevideo!
Our shipmates on dry land in Montevideo
Magellanic Woodpecker
Magellanic Plover
South American Painted Snipe
Obviously, the visit to the King Penguin colony on the Falklands Islands was also a wonderful moment, as was sailing near the Horn with 70 knots of wind!
King Penguins and hatchlings
Cape Horn
Black-browed Albatross in a whole gale...and then some
During our seabirding days, we found no fewer than 34 species of tubenoses, and even added the rare Sooty Albatross to our already long list of 13 species of albatrosses.
A Sooty Albatross, new for even Fabrice
Southern Royal Albatross
Yellow-nosed Albatross
Beside amazing birding and wonderful scenery, we had as always fantastic encounters with several species of whales and dolphins.
Fin-backed Whale
Common Dolphin
It really was a wonderful cruise, offering a marvelous combination of comfort and superb seabirding.
Posted: March 23, 2018