Report #90 Beagle Channel & Ushuaia, Argentina February 4, 2020 Tuesday Mostly cloudy & 45 degrees

Out on the bow by 6:30m, we were ready to watch the pilot board the ship for the sailing around Cape Horn and entering into the Beagle Channel.  It was still very cold and windy, but not icy.  Flying all around the ship, we saw dozens if not hundreds of black-browed albatrosses.  These birds weigh about 7.7 pounds and have a wingspan of 8 feet.  Feeding on krill, squid, and salps (small floating gelatinous animals), these birds can live for 40 years.  There are an estimated 700,000 breeding pairs.   We also spotted sooty shearwaters that weigh only 1.7 pounds with a wingspan of 39 inches.  There are sizable colonies near Cape Horn.

 

We circled the actual little island of Cape Horn, where one side was extremely windy.  A few passing showers drove most of the folks from the bow to the inside of the ship.  Passing by this island, we were literally sailing in the South Pacific Ocean, then entering the South Atlantic Ocean.  As we left the tip of the island, the narrator pointed out the house on the top where a family resides with three young children.  They will stay here, tending the lighthouse, until November. 

 

Besides the black-browed albatross, we also saw hundreds of Imperial shags or cormorants.  One small mound  at the base of the cape was covered with those birds, who left their guano turning the rock white.

 

A fitting poem was read by the narrator at this point.  It was written by a Chilean woman by the name of Sara Vial in 1992.  So here it is:

I am the Albatross

That waits for you

At the end of the earth.

I am the forgotten soul

Of the dead sailors

Who crossed Cape Horn

From all the seas of the world.

But they did not die in

The furious waves.

Today they fly on my

Wings to eternity

In the last trough of the

Antarctic winds.

 

Scenic sailing of the Beagle Channel began around 1:30pm.  This channel is located in the extreme south of the South American continent.  The Beagle Channel is 175 miles long and between 3 to 8 miles wide, creating a natural boundary between Argentina and Chile.  This archipelago is home to sea lions, penguins, cormorants, albatross, and petrels to name a few.  We did watch this sailing from the bow once again, but only saw the birds.

 

Beagle Channel is named after the British ship, HMS Beagle, which conducted hydrographic surveys in the early 1900's.  On their second trip here, under the command of Captain Robert Fitz Roy, a young naturalist was onboard.  His name was Charles Darwin, a mere 19 years old at the time.  And the rest is history.

 

Around 2:30pm, the Captain stopped in a bay outside a picturesque village on a Chilean island.   We picked up the Chilean authorities to get our clearance papers for the Cape Horn sailing, as well as for the upcoming Chilean ports.  We would receive these forms  to fill out and sign later in the afternoon. 

 

Our estimated time of arrival was set at 6pm, but it was obvious we could not dock because another ship was in our spot.  We had to wait until that expedition ship moved, before we could take their place.  That was closer to 7pm.  Originally, we were supposed to have one day here, February 5^th, but a decision was made to stay overnight.  For that reason, a new shore excursion was added for a 7:30pm departure for a panoramic ride and a grilled lamb dinner.  Bet there were a lot of takers, since we have been ship-bound for many days now. 

 

For most of the day, we had problems with both the TV reception, or lack of, as well as continued internet problems.  We can receive, but we cannot send.  Sure hope this gets resolved soon, as we are well aware that the reports and pictures have backed up for several days now.

 

The dining room seemed a bit empty tonight, as several guests must have gone ashore.  We will take a walk tomorrow, but will not stay long.  All aboard is at 1:30pm, a very short duration.

 

Oh yes, we did fail to report that we got gifts last night, or sort of gifts.  It was two maps of the Chilean Fjords and surrounding areas we will be traveling.  We got these same maps 8 and 10 years ago, and just happened to bring them along with us. At that time, they were just maps, not gifts.  And another notice regarding health issues has shown up on our mail slots.  This time it is about how to cover your cough.  Come to think of it, we have been hearing a lot of coughing and sneezing throughout the ship, and now wonder if this cold or flu is spreading like wildfire?  Sure hope not…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Pictures