📍Karukinka National Park, Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego translates to “Land of Fire” and is one of Patagonia’s crown jewels. Today we had the privilege of going to Jackson Bay within the Karukinka National Park 😍 Karukinka is a private national park in Tierra del Fuego donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society by Goldman Sachs. There are no roads that lead to this part of Tierra del Fuego so the only way to access it is by water and with special permission.

View we were greeted with when we arrived on shore

When we arrived early in Jackson Bay it was littered with not only elephant seals and their pups but plastic galore (much more on that later.) The population of elephant seals here is actually lower this year due to the bird flu that is harming many animals in this region of the world. The darker ones you see in the pictures are the pups. This is when you really need audio as the noises of these elephant seals are an array of burps and farts on repeat 😂  

Middle 📸 credit: naturlaist Alex Searle

Some fun facts about elephant seals are that male elephant seals are 50% larger than females. Elephant seals have adapted to be able to hold their breath underwater for up to 2 hours! They have a higher volume of blood to store oxygen and they even slow down their heart rate from 90 beats per minute to only 3 by sleeping as they dive!

We hiked through a subantarctic forest up to a waterfall where we found guanaco bones, observed Andean condors flying over the mountains, and enjoyed lots of time on the beach observing the elephant seals.

Andean Condor flying overhead
📸Photo by naturalist Alex Searle

 

📍Ainsworth Bay, Chilean Fjords

Yesterday afternoon we explored Ainsworth Bay, another location in the never-ending maze of the Chilean Fjords. We zodiaced from ship to shore through icy water filled with glaciers and icebergs. We landed on a sandy beach with the Andes and numerous glaciers surrounding us. Truly I don't think I will ever get sick of glaciers, icebergs, or the Andes. As the saying goes these photos don't even do it justice. I find myself numerous times throughout the day just in awe that I get to experience the beauty of this world and contemplating how I can even bring this feeling back to my students. 

At the start of the hike, we made our way to a beautiful weeping willow wall. We stopped for a moment to just listen to the dripping water from the mountains. 

During our hike, we saw the devastation the North American beavers are doing to the beech trees in Patagonia. In 1946, the Argentinian government brought 30 North American beavers to Patagonia in a failed attempt to start a fur trade. In this area, the beavers have no natural predators so they continue to destroy the forests with no one stopping or slowing them down. The Chilean government now estimates that there are more than 100,000 in Chile alone. The government is hunting and trapping them but the beavers have figured out how to set off the snares by placing sticks in them. Not only are they turning forests into wetlands but by flooding the area it causes the CO2 that was trapped in the ground to be released. Another very harmful thing for the environment. This is truly a problem that both governments are working together to try and solve.

As we walked through this area you could not only see the woodchips but smell them too. It looked and smelled like a human had recently used a machine to freshly make woodchips. The devastation to this area by these beavers was evident. 

Left 📸: Southern Cross Right 📸 Jupiter (click to enlarge) 

That evening back onboard, the National Geographic Explorer, we watched the sunset and got a lesson from naturalist Dan on how to navigate by the southern stars. We were able to spot the Southern Cross, Jupiter, and Saturn. It’s interesting to be in the Southern Hemisphere as there are different star groups that we don’t see up north. 

 

📍Aguila Glacier & Agostini Fjord, Chile

Today was an action-packed day on the National Geographic Explorer as we explored the Magallanes Region of Chile at the foot of Cordillera Darwin. After a short zodiac trip to shore, we landed on a pebble beach where branches of southern beech trees reached out to greet us. We hiked along the beach before rounding the corner to be greeted by the Aguila Glacier reflected in a tidal lagoon.🧊 I’m not sure I’ll ever get sick of glaciers or the Andes.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Agostini fjord, which is in the southern Chilean fjords of Patagonia more specifically Punta Baja, by kayak. As we kayaked through icy water we heard the snap, crackle, and pop of the ice and listened for the loud booms of calving icebergs. It was truly a surreal moment kayaking through icy cold water with the view of glaciers surrounding you. 

I even tried some glacial ice 🧊

Tonight we had the honor of attending a lecture by guest speaker, Rodrigo Munzenmayer, who come to find out is native Selk'nam (an indigenous people group of Patagonia), about the important conservation work happening in Karukinka by the Wildlife Conservation Society. A spot we are heading to explore tomorrow.

 

📍Pia Glacier, Chilean Fjords

Yesterday, we set sail back through the Beagle Channel (which is my new best friend since it protects us from the harsh wind we’ve been experiencing). We originally were supposed to travel to Cape Horn, but due to the weather and the ocean conditions, the captain has deemed that leg too unsafe to complete. 

From left to right: 1. Ropes went up throughout the ship night so people could safely walk among the ship due to the intense swells 2. Views of the swells BEFORE we hit open water 3. Attempting to "walk" in the intense wind 

With the change of plans, we spent the morning sailing through the magnificent fjords as the crew worked on completing all the customs requirements for us to enter back into Chile. We had a lecture by naturalist Dan Olsen called, “Magellan, Drake, and the Beagle,” followed by naturalist Javier Cotin’s presentation, “Seabirds of Patagonia and the Southern Ocean. Here are a few shots as we made our way through the Beagle Channel & Chilean fjords of southern Patagonia. I was beyond excited to spot my first glacier! 

Views from the bow of the National Geographic Explorer

That afternoon we took the opportunity to get close and personal with the glaciers as we took zodiac boats right up to the Pia Glacier which is in the Darwin Cordillera. The icy water was littered with chunks of ice and icebergs. We heard the calving (or breaking off) of the glacier which sounds a lot like thunder. It was pretty spectacular to hear and see the natural process of calving up close.

Pia Glacier with the Cordillera Darwin in the background

In true Patagonian weather, we started out dry and ended the exploration having been snowed and then rained on. As the weather moved in and out, we were greeted with views of spectacular glaciers, ice-carved valleys and peaks, and waterfalls cascading down the mountainside.

Middle picture: Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Mcleod two of my Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Partners

Not so fun fact: the ice fields in the southern part of Patagonia which are the 3rd largest in the world and include the Pia Glacier are melting at a rate of 1.9 meters per year. There are a few glaciers that are advancing and scientists are studying these glaciers to try and learn why they are growing and not shrinking.

📍Isla de Los Estados (Staten Island), Argentina

Mother Nature has not quite been our friend since the beginning of our expedition. Severe weather conditions have delayed our voyage through the Beagle Channel and thus delayed our arrival to Isla de Los Estados. In order to head from the Beagle Channel to Isla de Los Estados we headed towards open water. I’m not sure I had a clear understanding of “open water” until last night. I woke up at 2:30 am (just like everyone else on board) to things sliding across my cabin. The door to my closet, which I forgot to lock, was sliding back and forth, back and forth as the boat swayed (this sounds too gentle for what was happening) all night long. When I chatted with the captain the next morning he responded with a huge smile, “9 feet swells. Just a little bit.” According to the Douglas Sea Scale, 9 feet swells are considered phenomenal. I had considered heading out of my cabin to view the swells as I knew they must look truly magnificent. To put it into perspective, it felt like I was on the pirate ship ride at Canobie Lake Park (but the Cedar Point version) and you can't get ooff. Spoiler alert on the way back we reached 12-14 feet swells.

View of the National Geographic Explorer from the Lighthouse at the End of the World

After our eventful night at sea, we made it to Isla de Los Estados and finally took our first zodiac ride to shore. We have special permission to visit Isla de Los Estados which in a conservation effort by Argentina has largely been off-limits to travelers since 1923. It is barely touched and only in recent years has it been visited by a few scientists and the staff of the tiny naval observatory. It’s so remote there is not even a Google Earth view for it. A fact my students could not believe. Google is everywhere, right?

After a short hike, we saw the replica of the Lighthouse at the End of the World which was the one inspired by the Jules Verne novel. We walked in the southern beech forests and experienced the four seasons in a matter of minutes. The weather and wind here are no joke. "Patagonian Weather" truly is its own thing. Do not be fooled by these sunny pictures, we were snowed on and even pelted with hail numerous times.

After our hike, we headed back to the National Geographic Explorer for lunch and our ship headed to another location on the island. For our second landing on Isla de Los Estados, our expedition leader said there was a king penguin waiting to greet us on the beach. We all thought he was joking given it was unclear whether we would see a king penguin this expedition (although I will admit I was really really really hoping too). Seriously, we asked him if there was actually a king penguin statue and some didn’t even bring their cameras out on the zodiac. Sidenote if you are ever on an expedition the motto is definitely, “Always be prepared”. Sure enough, as we zodiaced to shore there he was!

Right 📸 credit: Andy Coleman (our National Geographic photograph expert on board) 

After saying a quick hello, we hiked across the island from bay to bay. Again we experienced a multitude of seasons in a matter of minutes. When our zodiac ship landed we were greeted not only by the king penguin but also by the sun. We hiked and viewed beech trees, tree avalanches, and tons of moss (more on all of these later when I have more time). By the time we reached the other bay we had hail, snow, and wind squalls that all you could do was turn your back to and wait it out. It truly was a magical experience.

PS posts are slightly delayed due to limited wifi which is struggling to upload photos. Check out @explorewithmissklipfel on Instagram for more updates. 

 

📍Ushuaia, Argentina

After a 5:00 am wake-up call, we headed by bus back to Santiago airport for leg three of getting to Patagonia. We boarded our flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, the world's Southernmost city. It's a location I went from not knowing how to pronounce to at this point talking about so much that it feels a little surreal being here. Argentinians call it “Fin del Mundo” – the end of the world. Did I mention our flight took us over stunning Patagonia 😍

Left 📸: Volcano in the Andes mountains seen from the sky

This was by far the best three-and-a-half-hour flight of my life. We saw mountains and not just any mountains but the Andes mountains. Let me just say they compare nothing to the Appalachians or even the Rockies. They have very much left me curious about the Himalayas. Luckily for us, it was a private charter flight so everyone was back and forth all flight between both sides of the plane making sure to get the best shots. There were multiple times during the flight when I was mid-conversation, we’d both look out the window and just stop speaking, the views literally made us speechless.

After landing at the Ushuaia airport, we made it through customs again given we had just traveled from Chile to Argentina. We started with exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park. We again saw stunning views of the Andes mountains, learned about the lack of “dry season” in this region, and saw the beech trees (plus lots lots more). The longest highway in the world, the Pan American Highway runs from Alaska to Argentina so today we stood at the end of Route 3 which is literally the end of the road.

From left to right: 📸1: Tierra del Fuego National sign 📸 2: The end of the Pan-American Highway

Lucky for us the weather was spectacular so we were able to enjoy lunch on a catamaran cruise while viewing the amazing Andes mountains rising out of the Beagle Channel (sensing a theme for the day?). We headed out to the Lighthouse at the End of the World, not the one based on Jules Verne's novel but more on that when I have more time.

From left to right: 📸1: Tierra del Fuego National Park 📸 2: Lighthouse at the end of the world 📸 3: Sailing through the Beagle Channel

Prior to boarding the catamaran, we spotted Calafate berry flowers, something I was excited to see in Patagonia, followed by enjoying some Calafate berry ice cream. Legend says if you eat Calafate berries in Patagonia you are destined to come back. One can only dream.

From left to right: 📸1: Calafate ice cream-yum! 📸 2: Port City of Ushuaia 📸 3: Ushuaua "Fin del Mundo" Sign meaning "the end of the world"

This was all followed by exploring the colorful port city of Ushuaia. Again I have no words for the spectacular Andes that lay behind this port town. Fun fact: In Ushuaia the Andes actually run west to east meaning they span the whole backdrop of Ushuaia. An interesting part of our exploration was visiting the Ushuaia prison which reminded me of Alcatraz. I enjoyed speaking with some locals and learning about what living in this part of Patagonia is really like.

Finally, just before midnight, we were able to board the National Geographic Explorer, our expedition ship for the next two weeks. We are dealing with some troubling weather which has caused the delay so we will see what tomorrow brings.

National Geographic Explorer, my home and classroom for the next two weeks.

📍 Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱

Today’s exploration (a pitstop day) took us around Santiago, Chile's southern gateway to Patagonia. After checking into the hotel, we headed out to explore a local market, Pueblito los Dominicos. We were able to meet all the local artisans as we wandered the shops and explored the market. I was so impressed with how talented these artisans were.

We then headed out for a walking tour where I was in awe of this vibrant city. Just to name a few locations we explored a Pre-Columbian Museum (usually closed on Mondays but opened specially for us), saw the old congress building, and even the Chilean president's house.

Plus we enjoyed some empanadas (which YES live up to the hype)!

With two of my Grosvenor Teacher Fellow partners: Mrs. Smith & Mrs. McLeod

But off to bed as I have an early wake-up call before we head off on a flight to Ushuaia. Patagonia here we come.

 

T'was the Night Before Expedition

T'was the night before my expedition, a dream so grand

To Patagonia's wonders, I'm ready to explore this faraway land

As a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, I was chosen with care,

To explore this vast region, its beauty to share.

The maps are all spread across my classroom wall,

while I have visions of glaciers and mountains so tall.

My bags have been packed with great care,

For Patagonia's wonders, soon would be here.

I'll capture each moment, the wild and serene,

With my Insta360 machine, every vista and scene,

From the glaciers to penguins, the wonders, the scheme,

Patagonia's beauty will sure be a dream.

The fjord, the forests, and the wildlife so rare,

I'll board the National Geographic Explorer, and soon will be there.

I'll learn about ecosystems, conservation too,

And inspire my students to love nature like I do.

I know this will be quite the ride,

An expedition of learning, with the world as my guide.

As I set off on this adventure my purpose is clear,

To nurture a love for our planet, both far and near.

Teachers follow along with these daily activity slides. Students will learn about wildlife, ice fields, and the landscape of Patagonia. Help bring this remote location to your class too. 

 

Immersive Technology🎥

With less than a month to go until my National Geographic Lindblad expedition to Patagonia, expedition prep is fully underway. During my time at National Geographic Headquarters, I was able to participate in a breakout session with the extremely talented National Geographic Storytelling Team where I explored their 360 cameras along with VR headsets and learned how to utilize them for immersive experiences. I was instantly inspired! I headed back to school buzzing with excitement for the possibility of creating an immersive Patagonia experience. I spoke with my principal and superintendent who thankfully supported my zealous ideas and the next thing I knew I had a 360 camera and VR headset being delivered to my classroom.

Flash forward a few months and in my inbox is an email for National Geographic with their exciting news of an Immersive Technology Pilot Program. Seriously, just when you start thinking this can't get any more amazing, it gets more amazing. All the Grosvenor Teacher Fellows were invited to apply but there were only 10 spots plus a quick turnaround given many were heading out on expeditions. Well, I'm in France and not by a computer anytime soon so that night while on the top of the Arc de Triomphe waiting for the Eiffel Tower to sparkle, I typed my essay answers for the application on my notes app. When I got back to my hotel room and finally had wifi, I submitted my application and did a little prayer that even with that tiny phone font my spelling and formatting looked okay.

From left to right 1: Practing with my Insta360 x3 camera 2. Immersive technology gear on loan from National Geographic 3. Exploring the VR headset

A few weeks later, I finally got the news that I was lucky enough to gain one of the coveted spots and be a part of this pilot program. I still can't believe I got to put "Meeting with Nat Geo and Disney Immersive Team" on my calendar. Or that I currently have equipment on loan for National Geographic Headquarters which required me to sign some paperwork addressed to me as a National Geographic Explorer.  I'm telling you just when you think it can't get any better.

Behind the scenes of 360 shooting 

Since the summer I've been watching Insta360 video tutorials, participating in live trainings with the National Geographic and Disney Team, and spending countless hours practicing with my Insta360 x3 camera and VR headset. I’m ready (or as ready as I’ll be) to capture 360 videos on my National Geographic Lindblad expedition to this remote and seldom-touched land to create immersive resources for my students.

Check out your first 360 glimpse and take a look around my 4th grade classroom (a feat that took me a VERY long time to figure out how to code and post here). Stay tuned for much more to come...