Southern Patagonia 2005


 

 

Following up the excitement of hiking in Chalten, Torres del Paine and on Perito Moreno Glacier was going to be tough. But we still had a few days to kill before our flight to Easter Island. Actually, we had a few more days than we planned thanks to the fire in Torres (and maybe our aching feet...)

 

We hopped a bus for Puerto Natales and another to Punta Arenas. We were in Puerto Natales just long enough to have some fresh seafood and catch a good night's rest. We spent a few days in and around Punta Arenas.

 

One of the first articles of business was to make it to at least one of the local penguin colonies. There's one at Isla Magdalena in the Straits and another at Senno Otway a drive northwest. We opted for the scenic boat ride to Magdalena where we encountered our next adventure.

 

After all that fun, we still had some time to kill before our flight to Santiago. The best bet looked like flying into Ushuaia to get a real taste of the Arctic. Getting there was no problem. But there was only one seat left for any of the return flights! We still wanted to see how far South we could go so we rented a car. Tierre del Fuego is just a ferry away and Ushuaia is just another few hundred miles in. No problem.

 

So we head northeast along the Straits on the way to the ferry crossing looking for the towns that look so interesting on the map. Right. One two of the towns on the map actually existed. The first was a ghost town. No gas, giftshop or McDonalds. The second looked more like a commune. No gas here, either.

 

We finally make it to the ferry crossing at Bahia Azul. This is the site of the infamous Ferry Story.

 

In the end, we find ourselves on the isolated land mass of Tierre del Fuego and find a hotel in an oil company town before midnight. Good thing because they've GOT to have a gas station.

 

The next day we admitting defeat. We were on the Chile side of Tierre del Fuego and Ushuaia is on the Argentina side. Given the time we had left, risking a border crossing in a rental car was voted down. We headed south to see just how close to the ice cap we could get.

 

We didn't make it very far, but a glimpse of the snow covered mountains did become visible in the distance. That'll have to do because we're getting low on gas again... Take a look at the pictures and consider for a moment just how far south (pronounced "way south of no-where") we are and the gas dilemma suddenly computes. There's nothing out here. Nothing. Even the map that we don't trust any more shows very few towns. It's beautiful animal grazing country and there appears to be some oil in them hills. But there's nothing else. Nothing. But it is beautiful nothing.

 

We finally make it to Porvenir where we can relax for a bit waiting for the daily ferry over to Punta Arenas. Yes, there's another story here. But all you need to know is that we did get the car onto the ferry and make it home for dinner. Whether Mary's "penguina" fame is what got us onto the ferry is pure conjecture.

 

 

Southern Patagonia Photo Album

 

 

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