On April 17th together with Carlos Valladares and our friend Pelusa we did a trip/expedition to Noir Island. We left on Monday from Punta Arenad and overnight at Carlos IIII Island. Took us 3,5 hours to reach Noir from there and soon after our arrival we explore the coast to recce the place and also to see what birds where still around. We did visit two bays that exist on the island but that are not shown in more recent maps of this island.

Finaly we did stablish a campsite on the West bay inside a small Tall Decidous Beech forest in what it looked like an abadoned Magellanic penguin colony. We stood in total two nights (three days). The idea of visiting a place very few people has been was to say the least impresive. As you know the idea to go there is to explore so that we familiarise with the condition and analize how to face future visits  with tourists.  The island is fascinating so are its habitants compsed by so special birds like Striated Caracaras (a lot more juveniles than adults), Fuegian Snipe, Rockhopper, Macaroni and Magellanic Penguins, Antarctic and Subantarctic Giant Petrels, Blackish Cinclodes, etc. Besides the circumnavegation of the island, we did also visit the access to colonies to check where to land, etc. The last day we decided to explore the mountaneous side to aproach the Giant Petrels that we saw flying about 300 meters above our heads what it looks like the average heighth of this little range. The good thing is that it is possible (is difficult) but possible. The main problem for walking is the flat cover of beech trees that are a lot deeper that they look from above meaning a few falls. The rest of the walk is over moss, likens and bogs. Once in the rocks things are a bit easier. On the way down (in one of the many times I fell) I lost my radio (pretty bad in terms of trash) but I will try to recover it in future trips eventhough is not going to be working.
Well, we are preparing a first trip for January 2004 so soon will have the information about rates and avilability (that we think will be for a maximun of 6-7 pax) and of course I count with my good friend Hetmut among them. Will be in touch.

 Ricardo