The Patagonia Azul Provincial Park holds a little-known treasure: an almost untouched coastal area where the southern right whale finds calm and silence on its migratory route.
Unlike the large tourist gulfs of Chubut, this space offers calm waters, scarce presence of boats, and a wild environment that becomes a magnet for cetaceans.
The Isla Leones Portal: monitoring in solitude
Technician Lautaro Comesaña, in charge of monitoring at the Isla Leones Portal, describes his task as patient and fascinating observation.
Each outing to the sea is an opportunity to encounter the whales in a solitary environment, where the animals appear more frequently and in increasingly larger groups.
This sector functions as a technical stop on the migratory route: the whales seek closed and wild coves that allow them to rest before continuing towards warmer northern waters.
Scientific recording with drones
The monitoring team uses drones to individually identify the specimens through the callosities on their heads. It is a key protocol for documenting the population that passes through the park.
Once each individual is recorded, the focus shifts to observing their social interactions and group dynamics, capturing images that reflect the grandeur of these mammals in the wild.
A spectacle from the shore
Although the Isla Leones Portal remains closed to the public until the next season, there are nearby alternatives for visitors.
Bahía Camarones is one of those privileged points: there the whales come as close as five meters from the coast, offering jumps and games visible directly from the beach.
This experience is reminiscent of the classic sightings at El Doradillo, but with the magic of a less crowded spot.
A surprising corner
The sustained increase in whale visits in Patagonia Azul reinforces the idea that this sector is chosen for its tranquility.
For researchers, each encounter confirms the importance of preserving these little-explored spaces, where nature manifests in its purest state and whales find a vital refuge on their extensive ocean journey.
The Patagonia Azul Provincial Park demonstrates that, beyond the traditional sighting sites, the province of Chubut always holds a secret corner to surprise.
In silence, with calm waters and wild landscapes, the southern right whales find a unique place to rest, and visitors, an unrepeatable opportunity to experience Patagonia in its most authentic essence.
