Today was an action-packed day here on National Geographic Explorer as we explored the Magallanes Region of Chile at the foot of Cordillera Darwin. We were underway all night and woke up navigating through this intricate system of channels, islands, and fjords. Overnight, a fresh dusting of snow fell on the mountains, creating wonderful photographic opportunities.
After a very short shuttle from the ship to shore, we landed on a pebble beach where branches of southern beech trees reached out to greet us. After a short walk along the beach, we rounded a corner to be greeted by the Aguila Glacier reflected in a tidal lagoon. We spent the morning exploring this lagoon and dipped into the forest to explore more.
In the afternoon, we set out in Zodiacs and kayaks to explore the face of a tidewater glacier in a bay called Punta Baja. In the early evening, we got a chance to learn from guest speaker Rodrigo Munzenmayer about his important work in Karukinka with the Wildlife Conservation Society. I think I can speak for everyone on board when I say we are excited to begin another day of exploring here in Patagonia aboard National Geographic Explorer.
