The southern right whale is the star of whale watching in Patagonia. Every year, hundreds of whales travel from the cold southern seas to the calm waters of the Valdés Peninsula, mainly Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San José in Chubut, to mate, give birth and raise their calves. Seeing them breach, raise their tails or approach the boats out of curiosity is an experience worth living at least once: by boat from Puerto Pirámides or from the shore in Puerto Madryn. In Argentina it has been a Natural Monument since 1984.
Meet the southern right whale
It has a dark, stocky body with no dorsal fin, and light callosities on its head that work like fingerprints: they make it possible to tell each whale apart. The largest one, at the tip of the snout, is called the "bonnet".
Adult females are 13 to 16 meters long and males around 12; adults can weigh 30 to 40 tons. Their mouths hold some 260 baleen plates used to filter krill.
It does not spout water: it breathes out through its two blowholes and the vapor forms a V that can rise up to 3 meters, which is why it can be spotted from far away.
Pregnancy lasts 12 months and calves are born about 5.5 meters long. Females come back every three years to give birth in calm waters; males return every year to court.
When and where to see them
Right whales stay at the Valdés Peninsula roughly from May or June to December; September and October are usually the months with the most whales. After the season they migrate to the southern seas to feed.
Puerto Pirámides, the only village on the peninsula, about 100 km from Puerto Madryn, is where the whale watching boats leave for Golfo Nuevo.
In Puerto Madryn, El Doradillo beach is where mothers raise their calves, sometimes just a few meters from the shore. Further south, at Punta Marqués (Rada Tilly), they can also be seen passing by.
In Las Grutas, on the San Matías Gulf, the whale watching season starts in mid-August. And in the Strait of Magellan, near Punta Arenas, humpback whales can be seen during the southern summer.
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Other cetaceans of the Patagonian coast
Black and white, small and very fast, it usually travels in groups of up to twenty. It is one of the stars of the coast of Rawson.
Dark gray on the back and white on the belly, it grows up to 2 meters long. It is very curious and often comes close to boats.
Sturdy and gray, it is 2 to 4 meters long. It follows boats and jumps when it is in a good mood.
Longer than 10 meters, it feeds on sea lions, penguins and elephant seals. At some spots of the Valdés Peninsula it comes up onto the shore to hunt its prey.
Whale watching tips
It is colder at sea than on land: bring warm clothes and, if you can, a windbreaker. Boats provide life jackets and usually a waterproof cape.
Departures depend on the wind and the state of the sea. Check times and book in advance, and if possible keep a spare day in case a trip is cancelled.
Right whales swim slowly, at about 9 to 11 km/h, but breaches and tail slaps come without warning: keep your camera ready, and enjoy them without the screen too.
Follow the guide's instructions: authorized boats approach carefully so as not to disturb mothers and calves. From the shore, watch quietly and stay out of the water.
To learn more, read Whale Watching, The Southern Right Whale, The Mother and its Calves, Several Figures, the Same Whale, Whale Stories, Other cetaceans and Something to Remember. You can also see the whale photos and videos.
