Latitude 52°S: The Straits of Magellan, Chile

Days 6-7
January 22-23
The Straits of Magellan

Mile 900

During the night we crossed 50º South. This was why we had come on this trip. The next few days we´d slowly be crusing south within the long Chilean fjords that make up the Magellan straits and Beagle Channel.

We woke to moderate 2-7 foots seas, skies wet and grey, but with a cloud cover high enough to see an endlessly long string of snowcapped mountains ahead of us, sometimes enshrouded in drizzly clouds, other times dazzling in sunlight that would periodically break through. We were sailing in the heart of the Patagonian Andes. One snowcapped mountains would disappear as a huge glacier field would emerge high ahead of us. We were awestruck as this continuous visual drama unfolded. This was one time I wished that we'd rented a stateroom with a balcony, instead of the much cheaper inside cabins. It would have been wonderful to sit all day and watch this gorgeous ribbon of coastline unfold. Instead, we´d stand high on the top deck, or I´d park myself withing the 12th floor observation deck. No matter where I was, I wasn´t disappointed.

Because we were traveling a slow 14 knots, this coastline glided by as if were were in slow motion. The world all around us was still and quiet. There were no signs of humanity--no villages, no boats, no ships. Often, I´d want the ship to stop, let us disembark just so we could stand in this distant, rugged world for a few moments. Of course, that wasn´t possible. I´d just have to come back another time on the much smaller, far more exspensive, tour boats that navigate deeper into the fjords. For today, this would be enough.

Millenium ago, glaciers carved granite cliffs, ravines and canyons into the mountainscape. I was reminded of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. They were, after all, part of the same range, although thousands of miles apart.

The scenery was not all rock faced cliffs thrusting up to mountains. There would be dense thickets of beech trees that climbed steeply upward from the rocky shores. The land could also be low and partially bare with windswept trees in marvelous shades of green. The countryside was hilly and dark green and thick forests of trees and bushes reached down into the water.

Other times, forested walls rose steeply from the cold, dark waters. Abundant waterfalls ofen cascaded off steep, 200 foot cliffs.

It was easy to grow immune to all this. I´d stand outside for awhile until a cold, south wind pushed me indoors. Most of the day, though, I´d sit inside the huge observation deck on the 12th floor, reading, writing, staring outside, watching this fabulous panorama unfold through its 180 degree, 12 foot windows. This quiet sea day, sailing slowly down the Chilean fjords, seemed to go on forever.

Before dinner, Marc and I would meet in one of the four jacuzzis. By now, most people had forsaken the pool area. It was cold and often drizzzly, but the water in the hot tub was 98º and quite tolerable.

Over dinner, the four of us shared stories of the day. We muddled over which of the nice entree selections we´s choose. Sometimes, we´d order two. Once, I ordered one each of all five desserts just because I could. The only thing that saved me from growing fatter was the continued pneumonia that kept my appetite at bay.

The sun didn´t set until after 10:30, and twilight even longer.

Such a wonder for mid-January!