Day 66

Sailing to Patagonia

After departing from the vibrant coastal city of Valparaíso, we continued sailing southward towards the breathtaking landscapes of Puerto Chacabuco in Northern Patagonia. This picturesque spot marked the beginning of our journey through one of the most pristine parts of the world. Calum and I met with a few locals who took us kayaking on beautiful Lake Los Palos. This area was magical with towering snow capped mountains reflecting in the glassy waters. A day neither of us will soon forget.

A Journey into the Fjords

From here, we continued our voyage into the mesmerizing Chilean fjords. Each fjord is a unique ecosystem, characterized by towering cliffs and rich marine life. It was here that we took an early morning Zodiac ride and were entertained by a pod of Peale's dolphins surfing off of our bow and the odd visit from a curious South American sea lion. The birdlife here was quite unique also. Crested Cara Caras, Imperial Cormorants and South American Terns filled the skies. As sunset approached we made our way to Eyre Fjord, the home of the massive Pío XI Glacier. Spanning an impressive 1,265 km², this glacier is not just the largest in South America, but also a stunning example of nature’s power, originating from the vast Southern Patagonia Ice Fields. It stands an impressive 15 storeys tall and spans a 5km width. Just as night fell, we were treated with an amazing sight as the Super Moon appeared over the glacier. What an amazing end to an extraordinary day!

El Brujo Glacier

The following morning we awoke to find that we were now in the Asia Fjord with an epic view of another massive glacier, El Brujo. We started the morning off with a serene kayak through the calm waters of the fjord and tried our best to navigate the growlers that blocked our passage. In the afternoon, we boarded a Zodiac and got a close up view of El Brujo. Unlike the Pío XI Glacier, this glacier is very active and "calves" massive chunks of ice every few minutes. The massive roars from these ice events could be heard from kilometres away. Such an entertaining day!

The Straight of Magellan

Today we are in the Southern Chilean town of Punta Arenas. We arrived here this morning after having successfully navigated the hazardous Straight of Magellan. As many of you learned in grade school, this straight was discovered by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520 and is one of the few sea routes that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This morning, Calum and I once again donned our kayak gear and paddled the straight with a local outfit. Luckily, we were welcomed with calm waters and sunny skies, rare conditions for this part of the world. It was such a thrill to navigate these kelp bed filed waters knowing full well the history of this magical land.

The Best is Yet to Come

Now 66 days into our journey, many of you have been asking how we've handling the trip. Calum and I both agree that the time is flying and we can't believe we only have three weeks left in our pole to pole journey. Chile has been an unexpected treat and may have actually surpassed the scenery of both Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. How things could possibly get better seems impossible but we know the amazing continent of Antarctica is still to come!