It is a beautiful morning for exploring Chiloe. Ashore we became three groups with distinct missions, exploring the town of Castro, bird watching, or hiking at Chiloe National Park. I went to the park. We expected lots of mud in this wet area, but surprise, surprise there is a brand-new boardwalk, no mud! The center of the park is a thickly vegetated area known as tepual, named for the dominant shrub tepú (Tepualia stipularis) in the myrtle family which makes it difficult to take comprehensive pictures. After hiking we returned to Castro for a traditional Chiloe meal.
11/10/2024
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Garibaldi Glacier, Romanche Fjord, and Beagle Channel
The first rays light up the northwestern branch of the Beagle Channel. In the distance mountains glow in pale yellows and oranges as well as the water’s many birds, including a flock of hundreds of sooty shearwaters as they search for food. By breakfast we are at the entrance of the Garibaldi Fjord, steep gray rock walls on either side, and at the end the beautiful eponymous glacier. We head out on Zodiac cruises to get closer views of the tortured rocks, beautiful waterfalls, stunted forests, and of course wait for the glacier to calve. It obliges us many times. During the afternoon, we nose into the Romanche Fjord and then head out to sail along the Beagle Channel. Along the way we encounter many seabirds. Before dinner we attend the captain’s farewell cocktails and enjoy the guest slideshow before heading down to our special asado dinner! Our remarkable expedition through the Chilean Fjords is coming to an end. We have all witnessed some amazing wildlife encounters and marveled at the beauty of the Torres del Paine Massif. Memories we have aplenty, which will be cherished for many a year.
