Parque Nacional Kawesqar

This morning was our last of excursions off the ship. We docked close to another national park and glacier. We woke up to rain but some rainbows were in sight. It was a short hike to the glacier. 

The hike was through some nice vegetation. There were wild fuchsias, interesting lichen and mud on the trail. 

The ship company had a raised, portable walkway for us to use. The national park gave permission for the walkway to be placed so tourists could hike closer to the glacier. Every time I took an excursion off the ship it was a clothing production. We never knew of there would be rain, wind and cold. I wore leggings under my rain pants, a long-sleeved thermal top, my long-sleeved swim sun top, a polar fleece jacket, a rain jacket and then a balaclava, fleece hat and the hood of my rain coat to keep warm. I looked and felt like a stuffed mannequin. I was never cold but I did get too warm at times. The last item was the required life vest. 

 

 

 

El Brujo Iceberg (The Warlock Iceberg)

This is the iceberg we were able to get the closest to by going on the small Zodiac and exiting onto a rocky out cropping. 

 

 

After standing on the rocky shore we boarded the small Zodiac and cursed up close to the glacier.

We witnessing a small calving of the glacier. The second video is the sound of the ice hitting the Zodiac boat. 

There were large fissures in the glacier. 

 

 

Photo tour of the Skorpio III Ship

MV Skorpios III is a Chile-registered cruise ship owned and operated by Cruceros Skorpios. The Ship was built in 1995 in the Skorpios, Chile shipyard under Chilean and international regulations. With a capacity of just 90 passengers in 45 comfortable cabins, this vessel offers wonderful hospitality and a chance to both relax and partake in exciting shore-based landings. The cabins are very comfortable. This is the one Jo Ellen and I share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bathroom is small and adequate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no elevator. Our room is on the 2nd floor. The dining room is also in the 2nd floor.  The 3rd floor is has two lounges, one at each end with rooms down the middle. The first floor is crew and the fourth floor has some elite.cabins. All rooms have windows and none have balconies. 

This is our hallway and stairway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the two lounges. They are the only place you have internet on the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can get beverages from the lounges anytime all day and late into the evening.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the dining room. Breakfast is at 8 am and is buffet. Lunch and dinner are a set menus and have 4 courses - appetizer, salad, main dish, and dessert. Lunch is at 12 pm and dinner is at 8 pm. The waiters serve lunch and dinner and it is excellent service. 

Tea time is at 5 pm and has sweets, meat and cheese, tea, coffee, juices and soft drinks. Needless to say there is too much food but it is good. 

There are viewing decks but I haven't used them much since the weather has been a bit cold, windy and rainy.

 

 

 

 

Icebergs, icebergs and more icebergs in the Chilean Fjords

Today when we woke up it was overcast but not raining. After breakfast at 8 am everyone was scheduled to go on an ice breaker boat. It had 3 areas - an open be covered area in the rear, a heated and enclosed area in the middle and a smaller deck in the front for open air viewing. Our trip was for two and half hours.

The picture above is our ship with the anchor dropped in the icy channel. 

Below is the ice breaker ship.

 

 

 

 

 

When a rainbow came out there was hope that we might get some sunshine today.

We saw many seals  and a colony of cormorants while close to shore on the smaller ice breaker boat. 

There are many pictures of ice and glaciers from our morning outing. 

 

 

I like the picture below because of the reflection in the water. 

 

Up Close to an Iceberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning it was cloudy with a light rain. Our ship put down anchor quite close to the Amalia  Glacier. It is a tidewater glacier located in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, Chile, on the edge of the Sarmiento Channel. The glacier originates in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. I thought our ship was quite close to the glacier but we boarded a small Zodiac boat to get even closer. I have to admit that I didn't feel very comfortable when our small boat went through the ice that came off of the glacier. It banged against the sides to the boat. The driver told me the boat was fine because it was made in Chile. I guess Chilean boats can't be damaged by ice! 

My water proof rain jacket keep the top of my body dry but my old gortex backpacking pants didn't do as well and I was cold and wet on the lower half of my body when we returned to the ship. 

 

 

 

 

By the time we returned to the boat there was some sunshine which was a welcome sight. 

Skorpios III Ship

 

 

This morning we drove by Lago Toro (Bull Lake) on our way to Puerto Natales to board the ship Scorpios III that we will spend 4 nights on in order to see the fjords of Southern Chile. 

It was cloudy but not raining when we left the port and there were some mountains in view.

Soon after we got settled on the ship we had lunch. Too much food! It was four courses - appetizer, salad, main and dessert. Everything was served very elegantly with excellent service. 

 

 Our first outing was a transfer to a Zodiac boat to go see elephant seals. It wasn't windy which was a surprise since this area is notorious for strong winds. My rain pants and jacket kept me dry. I was able to get a picture a Zodiac boat that left before the boat I was on and also a picture of our ship that was anchored in the channel.

 

The elephant seals were all in a a large group except for one that our guide said was off by herself because she was about to give birth. How he knows this is a mystery to me 

 

A Day for Hiking

Today's activities were two hikes. The morning hike was about 4 and a half miles past a waterfall, a lake and to a view point of the peaks that are called the horns. The color of the water such a distinctive blue that continues to dazzle me. 

 

The snow capped mountains in the background of the picture below are not part of the Torre del Paine mountains but are the Alps of Southern Chile.

It was a good decision not to do the afternoon hikes because it rained on those hikers. The morning hike was perfect conditions for a hike - no wind, no rain, cloud cover and not hot. 

The picture below is for my grandson Micah. Our trip leader graduated from Dickenson College where Micah attends. She wore her Dickenson shirt to dinner tonight.

One last picture is of the amazing blue water.