Join one of our fully dedicated pelagic trips off Arica, Chile’s northernmost city and one of the least explored pelagic hotspots found along the Humboldt Current.
At 7.00am, we will meet up at Arica’s fishing peer and immediately board our open boat. The use of life-jackets is compulsory during the whole trip duration. This morning we will set off and explore a strip of ocean of up to 10-15 miles offshore, depending of course on the current weather conditions of wind and swell.
The harbor itself is a very interesting site with lots of observation and photographic opportunities for common seabirds such as Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Band-tailed, Kelp and Gray Gulls. The delightful Inca Tern will be a common sight around the harbor plus Common and South American Terns. The threatened and local Peruvian Tern is another potential species for the morning.
Once we enter the cold and productive waters of the Humboldt Current, we will have chances to see some of its specialties. Peruvian Diving Petrel will be the most obvious and easily recognized by its fast-flapping, low and direct flight. Storm-petrels usually hang around here, being Elliot’s Storm-Petrel, the most common of all. Depending on the conditions, we may spot Markham’s Storm Petrel too; and even rarer species such as Wedge-rumped and Ringed Storm Petrels are among the cast of possibilities!
Larger species of tubenoses such as Black-browed Albatross, Northern Giant-Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, Buller’s and Sooty Shearwaters will soar around, easily attracted by the chum. During El Niño years, more tropical species such as Waved Albatross and Swallow-tailed Gull have been often recorded here.
Marine mammals are often seen here, in the form of Bottlenose Dolphin, Risso’s Dolphin, Sperm Whale and even Fin, Sei or Bryde’s Whales. South American Sea Lion are ubiquitous on the harbor as well as offshore.
Our pelagic trip off Arica is an extraordinary opportunity to discover the seabirds and marine mammals of the Humboldt Current. Join us!
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