White Narrows. . . . . . . .Chilean Fjords

White Narrows - Cruising the Chilean Fjords
March 14, 2018
Temp. Range 38-51F
Mostly Cloudy - Scattered Showers throughout the Day

Assisted by the pilot boat, we left Puerto Natales in the early morning. 
Our journey continued through the vast network of fjords and channels in this
 remote part of southern Chile, including the narrow White Channel which, 
once again, we had to pass through at 'slack tide' during daylight.

"Adiós" pilot boat. . . . . . 

. . . . . .and Puerto Natales.

Magnificent rainbows were frequent in this area - probably due to the
 ever-changing weather.

The White Narrows - passing through the White Channel at 'slack tide'

 in the Fjord of the Mountains inside the boundaries of the 

Alacalufes National Reserve, est. 1969, spanning Canal Concepción

 and the Chilean Sea across both sides of the of the Magellan Strait. 

The only way to access this area is by sea from Puerto Natales, 

hence it receives very few visitors.

Friendly local fisherman - probably not used to seeing small cruise ships in the fjords.

By afternoon we reached the Bernal Glacier. . . . . . and to put things into perspective,
 I was feeling really ill by then with the intense cold bug keeping me coughing and
 almost voiceless. 

It was cold and damp so I made the decision to not go ashore by Zodiac
 at the glacier (something I now regret as others who made the trip
 gave such glowing reports of the beautiful surprises beyond the shoreline
 in front of the now receding ice). . . . . . . .

. . . . . . .this photo I've 'borrowed' from the ship's video of the expedition trip.

It give us an idea of some of the lovely flora hidden hidden along the shoreline.

The awesome Bernal Glacier - draining the south Patagonian Ice Field, it has receded

 up the slopes of the Sarmiento de Gamboa and terminates these days well above 

the tidewater line of the fjord. The highest mountain in this range is La Dama Blanca

(The White Lady), elevation 6,368 feet.

Late afternoon we sailed for Villa Puerto Edén - a distance of 236 nautical miles - a tiny 

but most interesting island village which I'll share next time.