📍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.