Page 235 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

P A T A GONIA  233

0 Bosque
Petrificado José
Ormachea
Road map B5. 103 miles (165 km)
W of Comodoro Rivadavia.
Open Oct–Mar: 8am–8pm daily;
Apr–Sep: 9am–6:30pm daily.
@ to Sarmiento, then taxi. &
n Ave San Martín, Sarmiento,
(0297) 489-8282.
An otherworldly spectacle,
this petrified forest has its Fossilized remains at the Monumento Natural Bosques Petrificados
origins in the Cretaceous period,
65 million years ago. Although preserve, boats pass the spot w Monumento
far smaller and more recently where the British warship HMS Natural Bosques
formed than the Monumento Swift was ship wrecked in 1770. Petrificados
Natural Bosques Petrificados, it The wreck was only discovered
is more easily accessible. Many in 1982. Rescued items, Road map B5. 159 miles (256 km) W
tour operators in Comodoro including bells and Wedgwood of Puerto Deseado. @ to Puerto
Rivadavia run daily excursions china, are displayed at Museo Deseado, then taxi. Open 8am–6pm
to the forest. Municipal Mario Brozoski. daily. 8 from Puerto Deseado.
The town, Patagonia’s busiest
fishing port today, once Covering an area of 58 sq miles
depended on the shipping of (150 sq km), the haunt ing
wool and meat transported via Monumento Natural Bosques
rail from the interior. The former Petrificados is Patagonia’s
railroad station now houses largest petrified forest. The park
Museo de la Estación Ferro- has its origins in the Jurassic
carril. At the center of the town period, 150 million years ago,
stands a passenger wagon built when the Andes did not exist
in 1898, which was used to and humid winds blew in
Southern elephant seals on Isla Pingüino trans port federal police during nonstop from the Pacific
near Puerto Deseado the Santa Cruz rebellion in 1921. Ocean, causing incessant rain
and encour aging the growth
q Puerto Deseado Environs of tropical forests. When the
Road map B5. 177 miles (286 km) S of Around 16 miles (25 km) south Andes formed, volcanic
Comodoro Rivadavia. * 15,000. ~ of town, Isla Pingüino protects activ ity buried these forests
@ n San Martín 1525, (0297) 487- a small breeding colony of under vol canic ash. Fossilized
0220. _ Fiesta del Marinero (Jan). southern elephant seals and trees are scattered across the
∑ puertodeseado.tur.ar Patagonia’s only nesting colony land scape, rooted to the spot
of the rock hopper penguin. where they were petrified.
Located on the sheltered estuary Colossal in size, the biggest
of Río Deseado, the little port E Museo Municipal measure up to 115 ft (35 m)
town of Puerto Deseado is one Mario Brozoski in height and 10 ft (3 m) in
of Patagonia’s best-kept secrets. Belgrano & Colón. Tel (0297) 487-0673. diameter. Tour operators
It owes its name to English Open 8am–8pm Mon–Fri, 3–7pm Sat run excursions from
privateer Thomas Cavendish, & Sun. Puerto Deseado.
who sailed into the estuary in
1586, naming its natural harbor
after his flagship, the Desire.
Reserva Natural Ría del
Deseado protects the estuary’s
marine fauna. Boat excursions
head into the preserve, which
is a breeding ground for the
graceful Commerson’s dolphin
and haven to many marine bird
species. Trips include visits to
the cliffside nesting sites of red-
legged and rock cormorants,
and to Isla de los Pájaros,
home to a colony of Magellanic
penguins. On the way to the The fishing fleet on the Río Deseado in Puerto Deseado

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