Andes, Cape Horn and Patagonia

ANDES, CAPE HORN AND PATAGONIA FEB 17 – 25 2013

This segment of the cruise is the one that most interested me when I started to research the area and ports that I would be visiting – it is in many ways not dissimilar to the rugged BC and Alaskan Ports with its mountain peaks, flowing rivers, water side glaciers and interesting and relatively small coastal towns.

While the ship is calling it the Andes and Cape Horn cruise – the area is generally referred to Patagonia – the large expanse of land covering the bottom portion of South America and taking in large portions of both Argentina and Chile. I don't have the expertise to provide much details on Patagonia – just Google it if you want to learn more.

The Andes are to South America as the Rockies are to North America – the spine of the continent. While we won't see the peaks for another day once we do we will basically see them all the ways north.

Once we leave Cape Horn on Wednesday evening – we will now be travelling west and north for the remainder of the cruise – we will be finished with the Atlantic and will have only the Pacific Ocean for the remainder of the cruise.

Yesterday Tuesday Feb 19 marks by my count our 25^th day of the cruise which made it the half way point of the cruise.

Today Feb 20, 2013 as I write this marks one month since I left Vancouver by train – where has the time gone.

We will reach a latitude of about 55 degrees south when we reach the Cape.

A little recap:

Since leaving Puerto Madryn we set sail for the Falklands but it was announced at suppertime by the captain that weather conditions were deteriorating and tendering wouldn't be possible – given how the ship was rockin and rollin and spray from the waves was reaching the promenade deck very few people publicly were criticizing the decision by the Captain but I am sure I will read on Cruise Critic that someone's cruise was ruined because they didn't get to the Falklands – tough luck – while some ships have by-passed the Falklands for political reasons the ocean in our case was a sea of whitecaps and large rollin breakers – I am still fairly spry and I have never found it easy getting into a tender boat even in calm seas and after one rough tender sea in Grand Cayman was glad I didn't have to try to board one.

While many myself included were disappointed I was not surprised based on what I had read and heard online.

The weather as expected has cooled dramatically from the heat of Rio etc. Out have come the long pants, hoodies, toques etc – it's the wind chill that is making it feel cold – the actual air temp is fine for those of us from the Canadian west coast.

Strong southerly winds which usually mean warmth in the northern Hemisphere are the opposite here – they bring in cold air off of Antarctica – while it was sunny the past two days it has dawned cloudy and Gray on Wednesday but with good visibility we should get a good view of the Cape.

Once the decision was made to by-pass the Falklands the ship altered course and slowed down – we would now have a full day at sea cruising down the south Atlantic ocean before starting a turn west and into the Drake Channel – the most southerly of the three passages that are available to mariners to get from the Atlantic side to the Pacific side.

Drake channel separates the continent from Antarctica – much of the area around the tip of the continent is actually a series of islands – not unlike the Canadian arctic.

We will venture to Cape Horn and reach it about suppertime on Wed Feb 20 – we are expected to spend an hour or so circumnavigating around the Cape and Hornos Island. After that we will retrace our route until we reach the Beagle Channel which will take us to our next port of call – Ushuaia. The Beagle channel is the middle of the three routes between the oceans.

The Straits of Magellan are the most northerly and direct route around the continent as this waterway separates the actual continental land mass from the islands and in particular Tierra Del Fuego island.

As for my health – the meds given by the Doc have certainly helped but I must admit the penicillin based one was not fun taken with food – that one is over – the cough medicine still has a ways to go and except for a brief coughing spasm this morning I am feeling quite chipper.

For the port of Ushuaia – pronounced oo shoo-AYE-ah I have a private tour planned with Red Head Anne – it's an early start – meet at 6:45AM – it will be about 6 hours in total – we will travel and see Garibaldi Pass which separates the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds – it is a low pass only about 1500' above sea level – travel to the end of the Pan-American highway and see the signpost for Alaska – interesting to note that the northern terminus of this highway is Fairbanks Alaska which I have visited and that a good portion of the highway travels through BC.

I will also take a chair lift ride up to the Le Martial Glacier – it is a 30 minute walk from the top of the chair to the Glacier – the Glacier itself is within view of the city and if time permits will explore some of the town.

I have the cold weather gear handy including my red Olympic mittens and 2010 Olympic volunteer blue shirt and toque to wear if necessary.

After Ushuaia we will cruise the Beagle Channel to Punta Arenas for a port visit – then cruise their equivalent to the inside passage past the Amalia Glacier and then into Puerto Montt – those two ports are tender ones – I have ship's excursions to getting off won't be a problem.

With me cancelling Puerto Madryn, the Samba tour being cancelled by the tour operator and our failure to make it to the Falklands I have saved almost $600.00 in excursion costs.

More later and coming up – the tip of the Continent – Cape Horn.