Day one of our transit of the fiords was blessed with fine weather. Morning low-lying clouds burned off early to give us unimpeded views of green mountains rising up on either side of the ship. Some of the passages are quite narrow and exciting. We were able to go on the bridge to witness the ship operations close up and we spent most of the day on the bridge wing looking for birds we had been told about in a lecture earlier in the morning. I was particularly thrilled to see albatross flying all around us. I spent two hours trying to capture them in pictures to no avail as they blended in too well with the waves.
The ship's course took us for an evening and night into the ocean and as the day wore on we got ever closer to the open Pacific and the winds got stronger as we left the protection of the fiords. By late afternoon we were in a gale and the ship was tossing around. There were fewer passengers at supper that evening!!!
Although the night was rough and windy on the open ocean the second full day in the Fjords was spectacular. The weather cooperated once again and as the ship was on schedule were told that we would have time for two side trips...one to the face of a glacier and one to a small fishing village for a short visit.
We were very excited at the prospect of seeing the glacier and we were not disappointed!!! The ship entered a narrow passage,turned a few corners and there it was...200 metres of ice rising straight up before us!!! It was spectacular. We stayed there for a good hour watching great chunks of ice calling from the glacier face and marvelling at its sheer size. (One of the guides told me that it extends 7 km into the mountains...the enormity is mind boggling).
We were very excited at the prospect of seeing the glacier and we were not disappointed!!! The ship entered a narrow passage,turned a few corners and there it was...200 metres of ice rising straight up before us!!! It was spectacular. We stayed there for a good hour watching great chunks of ice calling from the glacier face and marvelling at its sheer size. (One of the guides told me that it extends 7 km into the mountains...the enormity is mind boggling).
Next we stopped at Puerto Eden, a small fishing village with just 45 inhabitants - the rest having moved away to find work after the red tide affected the fishery. Paul took advantage of this opportunity while I stayed aboard and avoided the walking ashore.
After this excitement we continued on our way South and again watched as the ship made its way through ridiculously narrow passages.
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