Otway Sound vs. Magdalena Penguin Reserves in Punta Arenas

[NDRB]

HAL offers a tour (via ferry) to Magdalena Penguin Reserves, and POrt Compass offers one to Otway Sound. How does the quality of animal encounters compare?

 

HAL's involves a ferry, but Port Compass's involves a 50 mile very bumpy bus ride?

 

Thanks, Nina

[gracecarmo]

We did Otway Sound using a private van/tour we picked up at the dock. The ride to the sound is mostly on a paved highway, but you do go on a dirt road to the sound.

Very windy there, and the penguins were just leaving as we got there. We were there in March. If you go earlier, in early Feb. there will be many more at the nests.

The people that did the ferry saw many more penguins than we did, but you just pass by the island while on the ferry, you do not walk among them as we did on the sound.

While driving to the sound, there are also some opportunities to see other animals, emus, fox, to name a few.

We had hoped to see the penguins at the Falklands but the ship could not get there due to mechanical problems.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Bill S]

We took the Magdalena Island excursion last December, and we definitely walked on and around the island amongst the estimated 100,000 penguins there. We had about 2 hours to roam around the island and to climb up in the lighthouse.

 

Perhaps on the day that gracecarmo posted about, the conditions were too rough for the ferry to put ashore-it is a roll-on, roll-off type ferry with a ramp at each end. So you walk down the ramp to get ashore. It was great! I have read good things about the Otway Sound excrusion as well-tough choice! Hope this helps!

[Cally]

HAL offers a tour (via ferry) to Magdalena Penguin Reserves, and POrt Compass offers one to Otway Sound. How does the quality of animal encounters compare?

 

HAL's involves a ferry, but Port Compass's involves a 50 mile very bumpy bus ride?

 

Thanks, Nina

 

We were just on the Otway Sound Excursion an few weeks ago and there were really not very many penguins...maybe 10...

The people who went to the Island were very happy.

 

The Falklands were also a great place to see Penguins...

[gracecarmo]

The day we were at Otway sound it was really very windy, so the rough seas may have been the reason the ferry did not let people off to walk on the island.

On Otway, we did see more than 10 penguins, I would say about 50-60. Some were standing near their nests, and others on the beach. I would say the best time to be there is when the eggs hatch and you see the babies.

Those that went to the island said there were 1000's. After hatching, that is where them must all go??

 

Grace

[digby]

Do the birds at Otway have a particular season when their numbers would be highest? We will be there 12/23/04.

[gracecarmo]

I think you are there right in the midst of nesting season. A great time for babies, so I am told. We were there in March and they were all gone, but we did see some adults and nests.

It gets pretty windy at the end of the earth, so dress warmly in layers.

 

Grace

[NDRB]

Thanks, everyone- I think we may just stick with HAL's tour to Magdalena Isand...

 

Nina

[daju22]

Hello,

We we're just on the HAL ferry trip to Magdalena Island two weeks ago. It was amazing!! There were 120,000 penguins on the island and we were surrounded by them. They were courting and had not yet laid many eggs. It was worth the hour ferry ride to see them. One man said the ferry was a WWII LST which took six tanks to the shore. He was surprised that it was still in operation.

[Bill S]

Judy: so glad to hear you had a good visit to Magdalena Island - sure has a lot penguins, doesn't it? The ferry we had was not an LST-not even close. Maybe you all were on different ferry than we had! Anyway, how was the rest of the cruise?

[daju22]

Hi there. Had an amazing trip! We are really tired and trying to get our lives back in order. Still haven't finished unpacking. Will answer more completely after Christmas. Your posts were very helpful during the trip. Chile and Argentina were our favorites. The people of S A were wonderful. Have lots to do. Take care. :)

[Queen of DaNile]

For what it's worth, you can book your own trip to Isla Magdalena for $30.USD pp with Turisma Compa. It was recommeded by Frommer's and that's what we are doing on January 11.

[juliejoe]

Thanks Queen for the info - please come back and post your experiences with this company - and any other port recommendations you come home with!

 

Julie

[greatam]

For what it's worth, you can book your own trip to Isla Magdalena for $30.USD pp with Turisma Compa. It was recommeded by Frommer's and that's what we are doing on January 11.

 

Please check the booking information carefully when booking with this company. I know nothing about the quality of their tours, but do know that their tours are on limited days, like Tuesday and Thursday only AND the biggest drawback is the tour hours. They leave after lunch, and don't return until about 7:00PM. Too late for most ships.

 

I just ran into a lady a couple of weeks ago in Santiago, while I was in Chile on business. She was broken hearted. Had taken the cruise so she could see penguins. Booked through this company. Looked at the price, saw it was about $80.00 cheaper than the ship excursion, and booked her group of four. When they arrived in Punta Arenas, she called the tour office to let them know they had arrived. She was informed they would pick her up at her hotel at 2:00PM. She said no, she was on a ship. They said the tour was the NEXT day. She will be reimbursed on her credit card, but NO penguins. Ship excursion was booked solid. I really felt sorry for her.

 

That lady was SOOO right. I just checked the Frommer's website. Much too late for a ship excursion. Here is the info:

 

Isla Magdalena is much larger than Seno Otway, with an estimated 150,000 penguins sharing nesting space with cormorants. These penguins are more timid than those at Seno Otway, but the sight of so many of these birds bustling to and fro is decidedly more impressive. To get here, you need to take a ferry, which makes for a pleasant half-day afternoon excursion. Turismo Comapa, Av. Independencia 830, 2nd floor (tel. 61/225804), puts this tour together. Its boat, the Barcaza Melinka, leaves from the pier at 3:30pm and returns at 8:30pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from December to February ($28 for adults, $13 children under 12).

[Queen of DaNile]

Greatam,

Sorry to hear about the lady who missed the boat (and the penguins) but Insignia does an overnight in this port so we have plenty of time. Apparently not all cruise ships do. It is necessary to do a lot of research when planning independent trips. In this case I think the penguins are well worth it. I'll let you know in a few weeks.

[greatam]

Queen of DaNile

The penguins are more than worth it at Magdalena Isle. I loved it. Best part of my cruise. If I could figure out how to shrink my pictures, I would post a couple. Lots of people have asked about the walking conditions and how close you are to the penguins. My pictures show me touching one, although you aren't supposed to.

 

Your ship is the first one I have heard that overnites. Most don't, so your tour won't work for them. And most posters on this board are booked on HAL, Princess, Celebrity, etc. I felt sooo sorry for that lady. She was really upset. I think the ship could have cancelled the rest of her cruise if she could have seen the penguins.

 

Enjoy, Enjoy. And enjoy the glaciers. It was heaven sitting in the hot tub, cruising through the glaciers.

 

Gina

[Aussie Gal]

We will be in Punta Arenas on 17th January, 2006 which is a Tuesday but unfortunately the ship leaves at 7pm so we will not be able to go with Turisma Compa unless they change their minds by then. They will be missing out on quite a bit of business if they arrive back so late from the penguins.

 

Julie have you any other ideas for this port?

 

Jennie

[juliejoe]

Jennie - nothing yet. I definitely don't want to miss out on seeing the penguins...even if it means doing the dreaded ship's excursion. There just don't seem to be the number of reputable private tour guides available that we've found for other itineraries. Hopefully your sister will have some ideas for us - and maybe those who go early 2005 will give us some tips.

 

I've spent a little time looking at portcompass.com since they were mentioned in a couple of reviews I've found for SA itineraries.

 

I'm glad we have a year to plan! :)

 

Julie

[Aussie Gal]

Julie,

 

I also have printed out from the Board a copy of a C.C. review of a Falklands excursion and in it the member mentioned that that was a great place to see penguins. The only trouble would be if we could not tender there - being too rough on the day - and we hadn't made any other plans to see them. I will find it and scan it and send it to you by email.

 

I also thought of Port Compass and there is another one called Southstar tours. Here is the website:

 

http://www.southstartours.com/

 

Yes, we are lucky we have a year to plan.

 

Jennie

[greatam]

I really believe the only way to go to Magdalena Isle is on the ship excursion. The isle is very small, and it appears there is landing space for only one ferry. I would bet the ships book the entire ferry. The Celebrity ferry was great-you walked on, walked off, hot chocolate for purchase, native music and entertainment and an outside deck to enjoy. Some have posted their ferry had a bus drive on board and you had to stay on the bus. Doesn't sound like much fun on a 2 hour ride both ways. And someone posted that their ferry cruised around the island and did not stop at all. Could have been too rough to stop, but I sure wouldn't spend my money to cruise around the island.

 

I would use this link and contact them directly in Punta Arenas. http://www.interpatagonia.com/paseos/islamagdalena_pinguinos/index_i.html This is the company that Celebrity used and a very true representation of our tour. There are about 3 or 4 companies doing ferry's to the Island and I think each cruise line uses someone different.

Since most of the private tours leave at 4:00PM, I truly believe you will have to take the ship excursion. But it would be worth a call to the tour agencies to find out postively. Have fun!!!

 

Gina

[xpcdoojk]

Thanks Gina, great information... I wish we could know in advance what the water conditions would be like!

 

Aussie gal be sure to email me anytime you find something good, I have in my palm pilot an alarm for 60 days prior which is when we can book excursions online with HAL. In fact email just for fun sometime.

 

jc

[Aussie Gal]

jc,

 

You can now say it is less than a year to go! Lucky you. I have to wait until 2nd Jan and that is when we will be leaving Oz next year, so in another 3 days we can say it is only a year to go.

 

I will email you when I have some info. My sister is on the Amsterdam at the moment and so far we have only received one email and that was Wednesday last week. I am wondering if emails cannot be sent when you are so far south, who knows. Today she is doing the fly over Antartica. I hope the weather is kind for her and her DH. Anyhow as soon as she returns home I will bombard her with questions and I will report back to you and others on the board.

 

Jennie

[relevart]

I am going to be in Punta Arenas on Tue. March 1, 2005 and would give my eye teeth to get to Magdalena Isle to see the penguins. I am going Royal Princess and they have no tours there. We arrive at 6:00 AM and leave at 7:00 PM. If any of you have any ideas how I can get there please let me know!

 

Many thanks!

[juliejoe]

relevart - if you find an answer to this dilemna - please share with us.

 

Jennie and I will be on the Regal January '06 and that's what I'm afraid of - that they will not offer a tour to Magdalena Isle, but only one to Otway Sound. Given a choice, I'd sure rather go to Magdalena Isle. I can't imagine why they would not offer that as an option.

 

Jennie - do you think we could have any influence & get Princess to offer a ferry to Magdalena as one of their shore excursions from Punta Arenas?

 

 

Julie

[greatam]

Just a suggestion.

 

If Princess is not offering the Magdalena Isle tour, I would definitely be in contact with any and all of the tour companies in Chile who do offer private tours. There are at least 3 or four different companies. Tell them Princess has not booked this tour and would they be willing to do their tour during ship hours? Most of the cruise ships offer this tour, so the ferry companies that aren't booked exclusively for the cruise line may not be aware that the tour isn't offered on Princess. I would think someone would step up, since many are asking for this. Sometimes it just takes a LOT of persistence to make things happen in South America. I know; I go there for business at least 4 times a year and sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get what you want.