Tierra del Fuego

So, this is where the whole Chile/Argentina trip started – when we saw an advertisement for the “SS Ventus Australis” short expedition cruise to Cape Horn and Patagonia.

We are not “cruise” people. The idea of spending one or two weeks on a monster of a ship with several thousand people visiting often rather dull ports [we know because we have seen where they dock in the Caribbean] is not our idea of fun. But a small ship – 200 passengers max – and an itinerary which promised Cape Horn, the Straits of Magellan, the Beagle channel, glaciers, penguins and more certainly appealed to our sea-faring, nature loving, adventurous selves. Even the fact that it was definitely going to be cold, and possibly very wet, didn’t put us off.  “I can build a great holiday around that” I said and, as I hope my previous nine posts have shown, that’s exactly what I did. But, regardless of the very stiff competition from all the other fabulous places we visited, the star of the show was definitely this expedition cruise.

The Australis company has two boats and therefore runs simultaneous trips approximately every five days between Ushuaia [Argentina] and Punta Arenas [Chile] or vice-versa. Our voyage started in Ushuaia and, to keep the stress levels down, we arrived there 24 hours before we were due to sail.

This gave us time for an evening Chinese buffet meal….

… and, the following morning [Sun 15 October] after checking in and dropping our luggage at the Australis office, a visit to the “Museo Maritima y Del Presidio”.

The main building started life as a national prison built by convicts between 1906 and 1920.

Designed for 380 prisoners it actually held up to 800 at a time before closing in 1947. They were mainly political prisoners and therefore not judged a physical threat to the local population. Thus, many of them worked outside the prison walls building the pier, sewers and roads and installing street lighting.

The Maritime part of the museum included some native exhibits….

…. models of various ships which, unfortunately didn’t photograph well being behind glass in brightly lit small rooms…..

…. and some history of the areas’ use by those explorers and by pirates.

The other museum [also chronicling exploration and the prison] was closed…..

…… but we wouldn’t have had time to go inside anyway and as mid-afternoon came around it was time to board……

…. and discover our “home” for the next four nights….

…. before setting sail down the Beagle channel.

Having passed through the Straits of Magellan and the Murray Channel during the night we woke at dawn in the Cabo de Hornos National Park in Nassau Bay, at the north end of the Drake Passage – sometimes referred to as “The End of the Earth”.

Discovered in 1616, Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. It is an almost sheer 425m high rocky cliff atop of which is a secluded lighthouse and small chapel…..

…..and the Cape Horn monument.

Although distance and angle prevented me getting the best shot, I can tell you that the monument is Albatross shaped and commemorates the lives lost of seafarers attempting to round the Horn.

Very rough seas, lashing rain and high winds are a feature of this place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet and unfortunately, although it was fairly clear and dry, the wind strength and wave height were too great for the Captain to safely allow dis-embarkation.

Mike and I had surmised that this was likely to be the case when we first ventured on deck and were therefore quite surprised by the number of passengers complaining and protesting against the Captain’s decision. Obviously, we were disappointed too, but hey – we got to Cape Horn which not many people can say. In our opinion,it would have been extremely foolhardy to launch the Zodiacs, but then, we do have quite a bit of experience with dinghies and perhaps understand the power of the sea more than those moaning passengers.

So, back across Nassau Bay and into the Murray Channel we went, visiting the bridge whilst en-route…

…and anchored in Bahia Wulaia on the western shore of Isla Navarino. Populated by the Yaghgan people for what archaeologists estimate to be more than 10,000 years, that population became decimated – almost extinct – following the arrival of Europeans in the mid C19.

We were taken on a walk through the Magellanic Forest ….

…. and visited what used to be a radio station built by the Chilean Navy in early C20 – which functioned for about 50 years.

It has now been converted to a small museum and has revived an old maritime tradition of being a “Post Office”. On the ship we were given a postcard to send which we posted in the barrel.

We then searched through the barrel to see if there were any postcards addressed to places we would be visiting in the near future. Absolutely none for any of the Caribbean Islands, so we weren’t able to act as Post person Pat. About 60% of the passengers on our cruise were from S. America, 30% from N. America and 10% European. We were two of only four UK passengers and therefore thought it was highly likely that our postcard would sit in that barrel for a long time. But, surprisingly, my sister actually received it about four weeks later – many thanks to anonymous from Croydon who kindly picked it up and put a stamp on it back in Blighty. I hope someone did the same for them.

From the Murray Channel we entered the Straits of Magellan where we enjoyed a lovely G+T sundowner.

Tuesday, the middle day of our cruise, was the first of two glacier days when, having sailed through the NW arm of the Beagle Channel, we visited both the Pia and Porter Glaciers.

Because the previous days walk had been rather more up and down hill than I had expected I hadn’t been wearing my knee supports and therefore decided not to go on the morning excursion as it involved walking up the side of the Pia glacier. But Mike did – so credit goes to him for these photos….

…. and my staying on board allowed me to get some shots of the zodiacs in action….

….. follow our passage…

…. and marvel at the views.

As the afternoon trip to the Porter glacier was Zodiac only – no walking – I went along. Fantastic.

Here we learnt about the colours in glaciers…

Black is due to there being sediments and rock within picked up from the base below, blue is “pure” ice with few air bubbles. It is older compacted ice and often the deepest layers on the glacier. White is new ice and therefore less compact with more air bubbles. These bubbles have an effect on what the eye can see. With fewer bubbles, light can penetrate ice more deeply and the ice acts like a filter, absorbing red and yellow light and reflecting blue light, creating the beautiful blue hues we saw.

In contrast, white ice – with all its bubbles – reflects back the full spectrum of white light. So now you know.

The following day, having sailed the Cockburn Channel to Agostini Sound, we went for a fabulous walk round the lagoon in front of the Aguila Glacier……

….before another Zodiac trip to the Condor Glacier…..

…. where we were lucky to witness a small “calving” – the breaking off of ice chunks from the edge of the glacier.

Well now, those of you who thought you might get away without my regular foray into plants and birds are about to be disappointed as this feels like a good time to introduce you to some Patagonian wildlife.

The Magellanic Forest is temperate and contains broadleaf species as well as mixed evergreen and deciduous trees. Most common are the “Northofagus” [Beech] trees…..

….. on many of which grows the “Misodendrum Punctulatum” [Feathery Mistletoe]……

…. and under which is sometimes found the “Gunnera Magellanica” [Devils Strawberry] – toxic but not fatal.

Fortunately, there were no berries on it to tempt us – not that I would have tried one, but I never know with Mike! He did try one of the berries on this shrub….

….which are a bit like a very small plum.

Rather more flamboyant is the “Berberris Darwinii” [Darwin’s Barberry].

Tierra del Fuego also has massive kelp forests and long strands of “Giant Kelp” were found on the shoreline of the Aguila Lagoon.

Also washed ashore were a number of empty mollusc shells.

Note the small holes. These are made by marine snails which have drilling capabilities. They affix themselves to the shell, bore their way through and then dissolve and eat the mollusc within.

Our favourite guide – Sophie – also told us all about the lichen and its various stages. First is the “Crustose” stage of growth of which this “Xanthoria Parietina” [Yellow Lichen] is one example.

Then follows the Foliose [Mossy] stage….

… and, finally the “Frucitose” [Bearded Lichen].

We saw two types of gull…..

…. and, two of cormorant….

…. and, of course penguins.

“Los Pingüinos” natural monument is on Isla Magdelana, 35km [22miles] NE of Punta Arenas and was our last stop on the cruise.

We were not allowed to leave the walkways to get closer to the penguins but, if they approached us or crossed the walkways we didn’t have to move away, just stand still.

They are such funny lovable birds.

It was a fitting end to our wonderful glimpse of this stunning part of Patagonia.

Something I haven’t mentioned, but should have, is the fabulous service and food we enjoyed throughout the cruise from the twice daily cleaning of the cabins, the care taken by the landing parties …..

…… to the hot chocolate – with optional whisky [Not optional in our case!] – we were offered on return from all the excursions…

… and the amazing meals served every day.

Lunch was three courses and dinner four – both with wine – served with a smile by Juan

 Sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee were available from around 6am for early risers or for those wanting a mid-meal snack and, there was the inclusive bar. We couldn’t have been treated better. It was an all-round brilliant five days.

We dis-embarked in Punta Arenas around midday on Thurs 19^th October and having found our overnight accommodation and then having had our bank card eaten by an ATM [fortunately we always travel with more than one as the bank showed no inclination of doing anything to retrieve it] we just had time to go out for a light evening meal and, the following morning, a coffee in a shop with a clock that Mike took a liking to….

before generally wander around the centre of town……

He joined Magellan’s Spice Island Expedition and chronicled the voyage 1519-1522.

So, in ten posts I have managed to cover seven weeks of travel. Definitely two countries well worth visiting and, if you do go, think seriously about including a wonderful Patagonia cruise.