Change of plans? We’re used to that onboard National Geographic Endurance! Instead of arriving at Garibaldi Fjord in the afternoon, we cruised up this glacially-carved fjord in the morning. And what a morning it was, with clearing skies, no wind, and fantastic views of the glacial features all around us. Plus, we learned of the discovery of Shackleton’s sunken ship Endurance, the namesake of our ship. In 1915, Shackleton’s ship was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, about 1000 miles away. Several expeditions tried to locate the wreck on the seafloor without success, mainly because of the thickness of the shelf ice and the extreme depth (about 10,000 feet). It was a great honor to be onboard National Geographic Endurance on the day the news announced the discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance. Meanwhile, here in the Chilean fjords, the presence of floating icebergs indicated that a tidewater glacier was close by, this time at the very head of this 20-mile long and 1-mile wide bay. Our ship cruised through the brash ice, and we saw South American sea lions sheltering in a cave. We moved up the fjord and came face-to-face with the Garibaldi Glacier, where we observed several calving episodes. This glacier is one of the few in the world that advanced in the past few decades, but there were indications that it has recently receded. We all admired the glacier, steep cliffs, waterfalls, and the high mountains above. Then we boarded Zodiacs and inspected the nooks and crannies of the fjord. During lunch, we maneuvered out of the bay and arrived back at West Seno (Sound = Fjord) Pía, which we visited on our first day in Patagonia. Here we were able to kayak in a sheltered bay, and we all felt really tiny in the gigantic scenery. On the way out of the fjord, naturalist Santiago Imberti gave a presentation about Karukinka Natural Park and the Wildlife Conservation Society. During happy hour, we enjoyed recap and reflected on a wonderful day in Patagonia as the ship cruised east along Glacier Alley with its spectacular glaciers.
3/17/2023
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Seno Martinez and Seno Agostini, Chile
We woke up to a typical overcast and rainy day in Patagonia, Chile. Yet, the glacier carved fjords, Nothafagus beech forest, and waterfalls make every day in Patagonia one to cherish. We started the morning in a small bay in Seno Martinez where we took advantage of the low winds to send out the kayaks for a calm paddle in the soft rain around the bay. Hugging close to the rocks provided us the chance to inspect blue mussels, barnacles, and limpets along with the various foliage and berries hanging over the water. Those who opted for a Zodiac cruise got to explore farther afield and even ran into a few Magellanic penguins. In the afternoon we cruised out of Seno Martinez and into Seno Agostini passing one glacier after another as we transited an exceptionally beautiful part of Patagonia. Arriving to a sheltered bay, the Patagonian wind increased, and the rain continued, however we were up for anything and got dressed in our waterproofs to Zodiac cruise. We splashed through the water hunting for birds, nosing into waterfalls, and getting a view of the Hyatt Glacier in the distance.