Montanas Fjords
This so-called “fjord of the mountains” runs for 60 kilometres (40 miles), and presents a scene so vast that your ship pales into insignificance. Bands of southern beech, Winter’s bark and Patagonian cypress grow along the shores forming a tangled barrier that blocks entry into the interior. As the slopes rise the vegetation becomes increasingly stunted and sparse until finally it stops altogether, leaving bulging slopes of exposed rock. It seems as if it was only yesterday that these slopes were scoured clean by the mighty glaciers that once carved the main channel.
Behind the swollen slopes, rugged peaks tower and disappear into swirling clouds. Amid their mysterious and lofty heights are the sources of those glaciers that still reach down to the fjord’s waters, like cracked and crumbling ice-fingers. They pass like bright white and glowing blue milestones as you venture further into the heart this uninhabited and little-explored stretch of Patagonia.
click on a thumbnail to get a bigger photo
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March 9th
Then a day in the Montana fjord.Had a windy zodiac ride to shore near the Bernal Glacier, then a 20 minute easy walk to get a good view of the glacier. Then a more tricky walk over small boulders to get even nearer; I gave up about 5 minutes before the final destination. Then an hour back aboard ship before a very wild zodiac cruise: Damon was our driver and was not amused by it, a fact that he repeated in his lecture on Chilean birds in the late afternoon. A really super lunch of roast duck and yummy vegetables. Had a short siesta and then a talk by Jackie on the culture of the Yagan people- this the tribes around Thomas Hodges in his book The Uttermost Ends of the World. Afternoon tea and Trivia, again given by Roger; not to my liking!.
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During the afternoon the ship passed by the Herman, Alsina and Paredes glaciers and also some hanging glaciers.
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At the end of Recap we passed through the Kirke narrows, which involved sending a zodiac ahead with 2 of the ship´s officers. A very enjoyable dinner but then a rowdy group in the bar. Then the ship anchored pff Puerto Natales for the night.
on to Puerto Natales