Antarctica (1) - Our Cruise to Antarctica from Punta Arenas - First Stops:Garibaldi Fjord/Glacier and Cape Horn

We settled on a Hurtigruten 13 day-cruise to Antarctica leaving from Punta Arenas. The itinerary planned was: Garibaldi fjord - Beagle channel - Cape Horn - crossing of the Drake Passage to the Shetland islands with stops on Half Moon island - Deception island -  Neko Harbor on the Antarctica Peninsula - Danco Island - Damoy Point - Wilhermina Bay - Back through the Drake Passage to Puerto Williams (most southern city in South America) - Tucker Island.

Hard to believe that we are going to Antarctica! A dream comes true.

Our cabin

Our special equipment: Hurtigruten rain coat, rubber boots that need to be thoroughly cleaned after each trip on land, a life vest, and a badge so that the staff can keep track of us.

Here we go. We left the port of Punta Arenas

We may see penguins, lots of penguins in Antarctica. We also hope to see dolphins, humpback whales, sea lions, skuas, albatroses, seagalls and more.

First stop: Garibaldi fjord in Chile nearby Punta de la Fuente

 Here we are on the zodiac to get closer to the glacier

Beautiful sea lions

 The Garibaldi glacier

Passing Puerto Williams, the most southern city in Chile - Next: Cape Horn!

Cape Horn

The Albatros

I, the albatross that awaits for you at the end of the world...

I, the forgotten soul of the sailors lost that crossed Cape Horn from all the seas of the world.

But die they did not

in the fierce waves,

for today towards eternity

in my wings they soar

in the last crevice

of the Antarctic winds

Sara Vial
Dec - 1992

We are now ready to cross the Drake Passage, the roughest sea-passage in the world. The Drake Passage stretches for just under 1,000 km and is the spot where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Seas converge, creating a roaring current mix. It should take approximately 36 hrs to cross the passage and get to the northern most shores of Antarctica.

"I think part of the appeal of Antarctica is experiencing 

some sort of power, the forces of the natural world"

Jon Krakauer