We got off this ferry at 9 a.m. this morning after 4 nights and 3 days at sea. Still slightly rocking.
We sailed at about 4.30 a.m. last Friday and I was up on the top deck soon after, lapping up the excitement, the adventure of it. Still dark of course but saw a wonderful sunrise as we repeated the thrill Hamish had had the week before (without any of the responsibility) as we raced towards the narrow gap and into the narrows itself. There were a few others out with the cameras going and i do have one vid as well as stills. The rest is already a bit blurry but a number of highlights for me. First the glacier Amalia. Everyone almost crowded on the decks for this and as we rounded a corner there she was, sending a freezing, howling, ferocious breath down on us. Thank goodness for 3 hats and all the other layers.
The second day Sue and I and a number of others left the ship at dawn in the rain, in a little local boat for the island of Puerto Eden. This is the home of a small number of indians who were originally the sole inhabitants all along the coast and islands. They are boat people and still make their own boats and canoes, but they are now extremely poor and it seems the government is trying to do something for them. We went ashore and walked quite a way along a wooden walkway as no roads. This took us some distance round and then we seemed to be lost. The ferry was hooting for us all to return and eventually we did, rather damply and looking forward to breakfast.
That evening we went out into the Pacific and met with some swell, which made many a little queasy, including me as I stared into my spaghetti as it slid about the table. Nuff said. An early night did the trick and by next morning we were back in the channels and all calm. Now we are up on deck again and waiting for whales to appear. They were very reluctant to oblige till eventually a distant spume. This was repeated a few times during the afternoon and finally two whales came quite close and showed more of themselves. One a Humpback and the other a Blue Whale, the biggest mammal on earth. Stunning!
Sue says: we also had black and white dolphins leaping beside the ship, albatrosses gliding in the wake, and lots of seals. As we approached the glacier the noise of the ship hitting ice was extraordinary, and the glacier was many colours but predominantly blue. The glacier is moving and makes a cracking noise. The ship later went past Nossa Senhora Stella Maris, Our Lady Star of the Sea, protector of seafarers the world over, and the ship acknowledged Her with 3 blasts of the hooter. I can't really describe the feelings I had on seeing those whales except nobody should be hunting them anywhere on this very beautiful planet.
We finally docked this morning at Puerto Montt after saying goodbye to new friends made on board. The Full Moon shone low over the town as we docked. Is it really a month since the last Full Moon in Uruguay? I have just bought my first rug so we christened it on the grass with a picnic. Also we have been seduced by a drink called "pisco sour" which many of you may be
familiar with. By the way, we are back to heat and having to strip of the layers again.
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