After a quick tour of Punta Arenas, we boarded the Mare Australis, a 100 passenger, luxury expedition/cruise ship which would take us through the channels, fjords and islands of Southern Patagonia, to Cape Horn and finally to Tierra del Fuego. The ship was not what I think a standard cruise ship would be (having never been on one), as there were no parties, no hot tub or pool or other on-board diversions. Instead, there were lectures and films on the history, glaciology, flora and fauna of Patagonia. Trained naturalists took us on excursions via Zodiac boat to glaciers and islands. The staff was excellent and professional and tried to make sure that each guest had a good experience - an enthusiasm I didn't expect at the end of the season from a crew dealing with 2 new groups of tourists each week.
What I saw was a wild, uninhabited and beautiful place at the end of the world. I felt very lucky to be there.
Above photo: Sunrise aboard the Mare Australis.
1 comment:
You can almost hear the silence in the last photo...except for the wind. Cool photo!
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