Happy Halloween from the Chilean fjords, heading for the Drake Passage! We are well on our way to Antarctica, navigating the last of the fjords before going back to the open sea, across the infamous Drake passage. We were potentially going to stop at Cape Horn and tender to shore, but the weather conditions prevented us from doing so. Only 10% of...
Our last time to see a continent in over 48 hours! The day started with a quick bus tour of Puerto Natales, including a stop at the town square. Here are some pictures from around the square. (Interesting observation – if a tree is in your way, build around it!) (Note the large tree coming out of the outdoor seating area for this restaurant.) (Doesn’t this look...
Puerto Natales – last stop on the continent! Getting into port was interesting as they had to send a pilot boat ahead to check the water depth through a few of the fjord passages, to ensure we could get through and that our timing (with respect to the tides) was perfect to do so. Once we docked, we were whisked away for a tour of Torres del Paines National Park...
Today’s stop was a unique experience. We stopped at Puerto Eden, a village that at one time had a population of roughly 300, that is now down to just 70 inhabitants who are mostly native to the area. There are no cars, no sidewalks, no roads…. Just wooden boardwalks/footpaths that leads from the dock through town. The total walk took about 30...
Yet another day at sea! Okay, technically we were not “at sea”. We sailed through the beautiful Chilean Fjords, which provide protection from harsh winds so we had a relatively smooth day. Since there isn’t much activity (and thus photos) on a sea day, here are a few pics of the fjords as we passed through. And to show you what it generally looks like in...
Finally – a day not at sea! We stopped in the town of Castro and, due to the lack of having a dock big enough for an expedition ship, we were tendered to the shore. This excursion was a guided walking tour of the city. Getting up into the town from the docks was up a very steep street. On the sidewalk up, lining the street was several hand-carved...
Another full day in the open sea, and boy what a day it has been! Early in the day the captain announced that the seas would be “fresh”. It is evident that he defines “fresh” as 8-meter swells/waves, which is approximately 24 feet. Adding to the swells was the high wind – 55 to 60 mph with 70+ mph gusts! We were experiencing what would be...
This was our first at sea day, meaning we were sailing and made no stops. Since this was an uneventful day, we’ll take time to explain this particular cruise. This is not a normal cruise – no entertainment, no 24-hour restaurants (i.e. no snacking), no casinos, no shows, etc. This is what is called an “expedition cruise”. Entertainment on board...
We bid adieu to Santiago this morning, taking a tour to Valparaiso (an hour or so away, on the coast), which is the embarkation point for our expedition trip. Our first destination was Vina Del Mar, to see the famous Reloj de Flores, a giant flower clock, which was created in 1962 for the World Cup. It was giant, there were flowers, it was a clock. ...
Buenos dias from Santiago, Chile! Today we started out on a walking tour of Santiago. Our hotel was downtown and in close proximity to many sites and we were able to cover a lot of ground after breakfast. The first stop was the Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Santiago, which is the building that houses the Supreme Court, the Appeals Court, and...