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Published: January 22nd 2007
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WEEK 4
THE FAR SOUTH
To escape the Scottish winter - the objective of my travels - sunshine, 30degrees plus, blue skies, summer flowers… But my geographer instincts got the better of me - and I had the urge and the opportunity to go south and visit Tierra Del Fuego . At least it is their summer!
Another long bus journey, 15 hours from Rio Gallegos- but well over 4 of those were spent at customs travelling out of Argentina into Chile and back into Argentina . We caught the vehicle ferry across the Magellan Straight to the main island of Tierra del Fuego . It was so windy that the waves splashed high onto the passenger deck and I got soaked. The winds never cease here. We climbed gradually from the grassy steppe into the mountains and once over the water shed the slopes were covered with trees- mainly Northofagus . the southern beech - such a contrast. We descended to the foot of the mountains to Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world, nestled on a narrow strip of shoreline at the foot of the mountains.
Some time ago I read an article in the
Via Australis Cruise
Luxury at last! And all to myself! Observer about a cruise through the fiords of southern Chile . When I reached Ushuaia - my curiousity got the better of me - and I found myself booked onto the Via Australis, a new expedition cruise ship sailing for the next 4 days from Ushuaia in Argentina to Punto Arenas in Chile .
I really was not prepared for a cruise with my backpacking wardrobe or a venture so far south. A shopping spree. I bought a woolly hat, gloves, over trousers, scarf, make up - and something to wear for the welcoming cocktail party. I found a little back top to go with my travel skirt- and a new bra as my one and only sports bra in which I carry my purse, travellers cheques and dollars gives no shape at all - according to my traveling companions! I now have a very flashy set of violet underwear. (There wasn’t much choice of colour!)
Far from my usual basic backpacking travels I found myself in a twin ensuite cabin with a huge window. The last minute low price offer (with no single supplement ) was too tempting! (For those of you contemplating a trip to Antarctica
Via Australis Cruise
Landing at Cape Horn then last minute price was 1500 pounds - much cheaper than booking from home!) The 47 crew provided an excellent service for the 120 passengers - including 8 expedition staff who looked after us and provided the adventure of a life time. We were entertained to lectures, videos and films and had numerous shore visits.
A cocktail party and huge 6 course dinner. I met a selection of the other passengers from 27 different countries who proved to be very interesting and entertaining over the next few days.
An early start in heavy seas down the Beadle Channel with water glasses falling over and rolling under the bed. But there we were at Cape Horn and fully kitted out with waterproofs, wellies and life jackets being loaded into the small inflatable zodiacs to take us to the shore. The swell was such that the inflatable rose and fell 4- 6 feet between each passenger clambouring on board. It was hardly a landing stage as we leaped onto a wooden plinth and climbed 137 steps up onto the peninsula to visit the light house and the diamond shaped sculpture with the outline of an albatross cut from the middle.
(I now have a certificate to prove it!) Our little boat looked small on the choppy sea below. The site was well managed, the board walk protecting the low tufted vegetation growing on the thin peaty soil from trampling. The vegetation was quite diverse considering the exposure to winds and rain with numerous flowering plants and low bushes with ripening berries.
In Patagonia all the seasons are experienced everyday. It can be sunny, wet and windy with hail all in a matter of minutes. They say that there is no bad weather - just poor preparation!
During the journey we were entertained with various lectures, videos and films. Perhaps most impressive was the film about Shackleton who survived against all odds in Antartica over a century ago.
Each day we donned our waterproofs and put on our life jackets and enjoyed trips in the zodiacs through remote rocky fiords to magnificent glaciers, majestic water falls, beaches and forests - the trees covered in trailing ‘old man’s beard’ and the forest floors carpeted with mosses and ferns. Our last disembarkation was to Magdalena Island - to visit a 150000 magellan penguin colony. No bushes like Punto Tombo. The hollow
Via Australis Cruise
Cape Horn albatros monument nests were dug in bare grassland. A fishy smell, racaus squawks mainly from kelp gulls and occasional clouds of dust appearing from a hollow as father penguin did his house cleaning. In other hollows grey fluffy babies peeped out waiting for their next meal. Off shore sea lions eyed up their tasty penguin breakfast.
On the 1250 km journey we saw no other boats, only one or two naval related buildings and no evidence of man’s activities except for lighthouses and beacons - a truly remote wilderness.
Surprisingly we did not see much wildlife -an occasional humpback whale and a few dolphins swimming alongside the ship. Earlier in the Beadle Channel off Ushuaia, were albatrosses, petrels, cormorants and black oyster catchers but further west there were very few birds. Perhaps here the fine sediments from the glaciers smother the sea bed and reduce the food and habitats for fish. A brown petrel followed the ship for most of one day - I still don’t understand why it flew instead of taking a ride!
And the food - a breakfast buffet, 5 course lunch and 6 course dinner with wine and a free bar with cocktails. Christmas dinner was
Via Australis Cruise
Off for an adventure on the zodiac scrumptious - king crab, prawns and salmon - salads and crispy vegetables. The beef carved from a whole roasted leg and the lamb cutlets were delicious.
I sit in my cabin listening to classical music played through the sound system, cruising mile after mile gazing at incredible snow capped mountains, small snowfields, corries with knife edges ridges and crevassed glaciers. The air is crystal clear and it is possible to see virtually every nook and cranny in the steep hill slopes and the scree runs. The patches of northofagus species extending almost to the snowline cling to the less steep slopes where their roots can retain a grip. No beaches or shoreline - the near vertical slopes of the fiords fall directly into the sea. The sky is bright blue with white fluffy cumulus clouds but within minutes it could rain, the water could become choppy or we could roll in a gale force wind once out of the shelter of a fiord. Early mornings - long evenings and fantastic silhouettes of the mountain peaks - each a lighter shade of pale fading into the horizon and set against a wonderful sunset southern sky and a shimmering sea. Truly
Via Australis Cruise
Christmas dinner! King crab, prawns- yum yum awesome and majestic.
We docked and disembarked at Punta Arenas. I had not planned to visit Chile!
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