Ushuaia, Argentina Part 1

 Beagle Channel - Glacier Alley

January 31, 2020

Not wanting to miss one minute of the dramatic landscape called Glacier Alley, I set the alarm for 5:15 AM.  The term Glacier Alley is not on any chart or map but is the portion on the above chart identified as Canal Beagle Brazo Noroeste.  I learned about Glacier Alley through photos taken and writings by cruisers who had passed this way before.  With a 5:52 AM sunrise, my alarm was a bit premature but I wanted to shed sleepy eye and don some warm clothing before venturing out.  Pulling open the drapes in our stateroom I was disappointed to see only a hint of early dawn light. The navigation app on our room TV indicated that we were just approaching Seno Garibaldi, a deep fjord marking the beginning of the most narrow portion of the Beagle Channel and the area where we would see several glaciers in the Darwin Mountain range.  I hoped the Bridge would slow the speed of the ship.

Through a ship of silent cabins and still sleeping guests, we made our way to the World Cafe at about 6 AM with the growing light.  Although not open for breakfast yet, we could get that wake up cup of coffee or tea 24/7.  The staff was just beginning to set up for the 6:30 AM breakfast opening time.  The early morning light revealed a cloud laden sky and occasional mist.  We decided to stay in the World Cafe where we could stay warm and dry as well as walk from portside to starboard for the big window views when inside, and have easy access to the outside aft deck of the Aquavit Terrace. 

Our first look at the Glacier Espana

The Darwin Mountains are part of the range that composes the backbone of the country and South America - the Andes.  Their peaks are covered by a wide mantle of perpetual snow where numerous cascades pour their waters thru the woods into the narrow channel below.  Magnificent glaciers extend from the mountainsides to the water's edge

The Darwin Mountains from the Aquavit Terrace

During the next two hours we sailed in the shadow of these lofty mountains passing several glaciers: Espana, Romanache, Alemania, Francia, Italia and Holanda.  Waterfalls - huge roaring snow melts from glacial bases, fine strings of water streaming from the tops of the mountains, and delicate watery lace streaming down rock walls - were everywhere and on both sides of the channel.  We excitedly moved from port to starboard to take in this incredible display as we silently and slowly sailed through calm waters.  Unlike the Amalia Glacier fun party atmosphere, this morning had the aura of a meditation.

Even the restaurant staff was watchful in the dawning light, taking breaks from their work to snap a photo as well as gathering for group shots against the magnificent backdrop.  It wasn't until the dining opened for breakfast that we began to see many other guests.  Some expressed dismay for sleeping in, that they did not know we would be traveling through such a lovely area, and questioned why Viking had not announced the event to the ship as a whole.  Others perhaps were catching the scenery from their staterooms or had gone to the Explorer's Lounge.  We quietly thanked Viking for not making an announcement and an event out of it.

Looks like car or snowmobile tracks in the above glacier.

The waterfall flowing from the base of the above glacier looked like a faucet running.

We know how the French would refer to the above distinctively shaped mountain peak.

You can see the fissures in the above glacier and there were some ice chunks floating in the water.

Sometimes photos I take get into the Blog.  Here is Ray my photographer husband.

Our friends, Jack & Tom, took a more unconventional seat for their Glacier Alley viewing experience - the hot tub on the Aquavit Terrace.  What's not to like?  (Getting out in the cold.)

Below is a Chilean Naval vessel dwarfed by the scenery.  The ever watchful eye and presence of the military.

The facility in the next photograph is definitely Chilean but I have no idea its purpose.  It was on a peninsula jutting into the channel and there was a little bay behind it.  Perhaps it is a base for weather reporting or a safe haven for military vessels during a blow.  Since leaving Puerto Montt, we traveled on inland waterways near to the Pacific Coast passing through one National Park or Reserve after another.  We were surprised to see man made structures here.

The Cordillera Darwin is located in Parque Nacional Alberto de Agostini.  Monte Darwin and Mont Shipton reach heights of over 8,000 feet.  The icefield of the Cordillera Darwin covers an area greater then 2,300 square kilometres.  

These mountains cover much of the Southwestern portion of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.  The Beagle's crew named many features of the landscape in Tierra del Fuego.  Obviously the Canal Beagle (or Beagle Channel) but also after individuals.  To celebrate the event of his 25th birthday on February 12, 1834, Charles Darwin was given the honor of having what was believed to be the tallest peak in the mountain range at that time named for him.  There is also the nearby Darwin Sound so named due to his quick thinking in saving their boats while on a shore expedition. When a massive chuck of ice broke off a glacier it created huge waves.  Darwin urgently called out and warned a crew mate to secure their rowboats on the shore.  It was a close call.  As the boats would have been dashed to pieces and how dangerous our lot would have been -- Darwin wrote.  The next day Captain FitzRoy praised Darwin's cool nerves and named the waterway Darwin Sound.  It's within view of the lofty ice capped Mount Darwin. (From NPR's The World, February 11, 2019.)

Although low hanging clouds obscured many of the distant peaks, the growing light of sunrise began to brighten the skies.  It is amazing how much light is available before sunrise.  It is something we learned from multi-night passages in our own sailboat.  The watch between 3 and 6 AM was always my favorite as there was enough light to see the water and horizon about one hour before sunrise.  In astronomy it is called Nautical Twilight and this period of early or lingering light is visible before sunrise or after sunset when on the water.

By 7 AM we were saying farewell to Glacier Alley as the ship turned towards Argentina and Ushuaia our next port.  Our arrival and clearance was scheduled for 11:00 AM and we still hadn't eaten breakfast.  Ray continued to snap photos as we passedTierra del Fuego National Park which would be the site for our hiking later that day.

In order to reach Ushuaia, the Jupiter had to first sail by the town in order to avoid the outlaying islands.

We began to see private sailboats enjoying their gorgeous anchorage or heading out into the new day.  The gal in the first photo below by the red dodger was taking our photograph as we did theirs.

And yes, there is an airport in Ushuaia.  In fact Ushuaia is Argentina's big hopping off point for expeditions to the Antarctic as well as smaller boat experiences through the narrow channels and fjords where the medium and large cruise ships cannot sail.

By the time the Jupiter was cleared into Argentina, we were ready to disembark on our next adventure - a hiking expedition to Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Next up:  Ushuaia, Argentina