Cape Horn, an island featuring cliffs of almost 425 meters high, was discovered on January 30 , 1616 by a Dutch commercial expedition organized by Isaac LeMaire and under the command of Captain Wilhem Schouten. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn from where the expedition departed on June 14, 1615.
In
the morning, a number of blue-tinted floating masses of ice announce
that we are sailing through the D'Agostini Fjord, a sea route which
passes several glaciers. In a memorable awakening, and surrounded
by a breathtaking landscape, we can watch the dance of light at dawn
in front of the Serrano Glacier, where we will clearly see the central
moraine. The myrtleberry, chaura (wild olives), ñirre (nothofagus
pumilio, known as Antarctic beech), and wild strawberry together with
other native species, thrive in these surroundings.
Then, we will proceed towards D'Agostini Glacier to enjoy its magnitude and to listen to its internal sounds, produced by the breaking and cracking of large masses of ice, a natural scene that has been repeated every year for thousands of years.
Finally we will navigate towards the Condor Bay where we will enjoy a Zodiac ride that will get us closer to the glacier that shares the same name. Later, we will disembark in a beach nearby the glacier to enjoy short trek in the surroundings.
When
the ship enters the Garibaldi Inlet, our aim will be to come as
near as possible to one of the most beautiful glaciers of our cruise
to be able to observe the breathtaking mass of blue ice. During
the route we will stop for a moment to admire the sea-lions and
wild duck that herald our arrival.
We will continue cruising through floating ice towards land and will disembark, in the middle of silence, in one of the solitary beaches of the Garibaldi Inlet, from where we will penetrate one of the wildest and thickest forests of Patagonia, as our guides tell us about its flora, fauna and geography.
Located
25 miles north of Punta Arenas, in the middle of the Strait of Magellan,
Magdalena Island is a natural reserve of Magellan penguins, cormorants,
and other birds which peacefully coexist with sea-lions. Here we
will discover a "rookery" of more than 60 thousand couples
of penguins that come back year after year to nest in the same burrows
built by them. Between October and March they occupy almost the
entire island, and are a unique sight.
One can walk through the island along a marked path leading to a lighthouse where there is an exhibition of photographs and information on the marine life in the Strait of Magellan.
Located
in Ainsworth Bay, in the midst of the Darwin Range, in the distance,
one can see the enormous wall of this ice giant of more than 40
meters high. Here we land on the beach to start a 20 minute walk
through quiet trails in the native woods towards the beaver dam.
The Australis Cruises Expedition Group will give us a brief talk
about the ecosystem and geography. We will then head towards the
colony of sea-elephants living nearby in the company of a great
variety of birds
On
the north-west arm of the Beagle Channel, in the center of the "Avenue
of Glaciers", Pia Glacier is embedded in the Darwin Range,
and it gradually runs down into the waters of Pia Bay. We will head
towards an observation point that offers excellent conditions to
view the mountain range where the glacier originates, and its progress
until it falls into the sea. Here we will listen to the thunderous
noises caused by the large masses of ice cracking and dropping into
the bay.
Located
at the northern end of Navarino Island and on the shores of the
Beagle Channel, Puerto Williams- with no more than two-thousand
inhabitants- is proud to be the farthest southern town of the world.
Currently it is a Naval Base of the Chilean Navy. It is named after
the British Commander, John Williams who, in the service of the
Chilean Government, took possession of the Strait of Magellan on
September 21st 1843. In the woods that surround this outpost, we
will discover splendid waterfalls, lakes and rivers very apt for
fishing. We will learn about the place where the last direct surviving
descendants of the Yagan Indians still live.
Another attraction is the Martin Gusinde Museum, which houses the history of the native cultures of the region. There are optional tours of the area.
As
we approach this little island, if we are lucky, we will be able to
see the dolphins that meet our boat and escort us toward this beautiful
place, where we will come into contact with the southernmost wildlife
of the world. On the islet, a colony of Magellan penguins - visible
from October to March - nest among the vegetation in burrows made
by themselves, accompanied by the assailant skua galls (predator birds)
diving around. At the other end of the islet we will find a large
flock of cormorants. Only 15 minutes after leaving the islet and its
peculiar inhabitants, we will see a rocky promontory inhabited by
a colony of sea-lions.
Located
on the border of the Beagle Channel and surrounded by the Martial
Mountains, the port of Ushuaia, originally a penal colony, is now
the capital of the Argentinean province of Tierra del Fuego.
Ushuaia is the threshold to the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Here, we will enjoy the wonders of this landscape where the sea
meets the forests and mountains.
This southern Argentinean town is the embarking and disembarking port for those passengers who take the 3 or 4-night tour between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas or vice-versa.
There are optional tours available to visit the area.
One
of the most important indigenous sites of the region.