Having left the port of Ushuaia, Argentina around 5:00 p.m. we finished sailing through the Beagle Channel to the Pacific Ocean. The Beagle Channel is comprised of a chain of islands located in the southernmost portion of South America. The channel is partly in Chile and partly in Argentina. The length is approximately 150 miles long. It is considered a narrow enough passage preventing most larger commercial vessels from passing through to either the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific side.
The scenery is graced by glaciers. In the remaining daylight, which was rapidly dwindling, we saw the beauty of this channel also called Glacier Alley. The icy blue tint (caused by air pockets in the compacted ice) of the Italia Glacier was clearly visible. Small bits of ice chunks floated by as we sailed on. The waters were calm but the temperatures were bitter chilly and the air was still. These were the waters that were once sailed by Charles Darwin, whose ship H.M.S Beagle gave this channel its name.
The land looked preserved and untouched and I found it ironic how this thoroughly modern cruise ship we were on so contrasted with the ancient landscape around us.
As the light failed and dusk set in, we reached the channel end and greeted the Pacific Ocean. Onwards to another land of intrigue.
Next, we visit Punta Arenas, Chile: South American Cruise 2014
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