and Into Patagonia

After the stark beauty of Antarctica, the blues and whites of everything, and after spending two days crossing the Drake Passage again -- on Jan 29th, we woke up to greens, yellows, and reds just outside our balcony. We were officially in Patagonia.

Large ice fields abound in this area, although they are shrinking, especially on the north side. The scenery is astounding, with green forested hillsides contrasting with deep blues of glacial ice. This ancient land was lifted by tectonics and carved by heavy snowfall compacted into frozen ice.

In the morning, we went on a zodiac cruise in a fjord around Pia Glacier.

In the afternoon, we kayaked in a fjord near Garibaldi Glacier.

Enjoying an afternoon paddle on our first day exploring Patagonia.

The sky after dinner was particularly stunning that evening.

Sunset over the Beagle Channel, Chilean Patagonia.