Cruising Towards Antarctica

OK, the above title may be quite hypocritical....on two counts!

Firstly, the term "cruising" implies a somewhat lavish lifestyle - We booked a basic shared cabin on a ferry primarily designed for freight shipment.

View from our cabin?

Secondly, whilst a number of Antarctic tours/expeditions set off from the port we are heading for, Antarctica is some way off! In fact, since Chile claims a pie wedge of Antarctica (all the way to the South Pole), there is even a monument at Punta Arenas (from where we fly back to Santiago) which marks the notional midpoint of the Chilean nation.

And so we boarded our ferry, capable of accommodating 300, a few days ago, to meet the rest of our fellow passengers.....all three of them!!

An American (Now living in New Zealand), his Nicaraguan girlfriend (little English and reluctant to speak what she knew!) and a Japanese student (also speaking little English).

Sounds like the making of a joke?......Though not the best combination for scintillating conversation at mealtimes!

Snow-capped Nick (& Mountains)

Nevertheless, this relative isolation seems to have complimented the remoteness of our journey through the complex maze of uninhabited islands which characterises the Chilean coastline down to the tip of the South American continent.

The voyage has also shown the amazing unpredictability of the climate and conditions. We were expecting the  cold, being so far south and during their winter season. But having boarded in torrential rain, we have experienced clear, calm and even sunny weather, which then yielded to a final day´s snow blizzard.

We were also granted a treat, being allowed to visit the main town on route, Peurto Eden (albeit for a mere 40 minutes..at night), which boasts a population of 120!

Granted shore leave - for good behaviour

Overall, the journey has been spectacular as we have slowly ambled our way through scenes of emptiness. However, even for this supposedly experienced traveller, naivety still manages to raise its head! I had hoped to pass by the foot of glaciers as portrayed on the ferry company´s website.....This was confirmed to reflect a diversion from the main route, a practice which only happens in the summer season!

In the meantime, the slow progress of the days have inevitably revolved around the meantime structure, The PA announcements for which have forced us to stop our incessant circuits of the deck, our reading or in Nick's case, his drinking!