As Ostia is the gate to Rome, Italy, San Antonio is the gate to Santiago, Chile. A devastating earthquake in 1985 leveled eighty percent of the city, and a massive quake struck again in 2010. They are just now getting back on their feet.
North up the coast of Chile
Headed up the coast of Chile
Northbound up the Chile coast
Amalia and Pio XI Glaciers, southern coast of Chile
Northbound up the Chilean coast
The Sunday before last the chaplain at worship service suggested that if music indeed soothes the savage beast, mayhap singing loudly will improve the weather as we pass the southern tip of South America, notorious for its savage storms. By cracky, it worked. We had excellent weather throughout that portion of the cruise. Indeed, the weather the whole cruise has been marvelous.
Punta Arenas, Chile
I took my life in my hands today, and was fortunate to have emerged unscathed. From Punta Arenas, you can embark upon a tour to Magdalena Island, a penguin sanctuary and rookery. I almost didn’t go. The vessel was way too rickety for comfort. But the appeal of penguins is just too great to chicken out.
Pass through the Strait of Magellan
Ushuaia, Argentina
Cape Horn
On Cape Horn stands a monument commemorating the many lives lost as sailing vessels from 1500 CE onward tried to thread their way around the end of the world. Rocks and shoals lurk just below the surface, and how do you know which channel will take you through all these islands if you’ve not been this way before? It is a bleak and barren maze.
Southbound in the Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean
There are whitecaps in the toilet bowl.
We are sailing south on a bright, sunny day into swells that vary from four to seven meters. We are going against a strong wind, which means that if you step out onto an open, exposed deck, God will rearrange your hair. We are a bit under nine hundred feet long, and we sway and yaw.
Puerto Madryn
Headed south off the coast of Argentina
Buenos Aires
I have said before that Cunard does it up big. Today, they outdid themselves.
The Bridge—that is, the ship’s brass; captain etc.; invited all the South America cruisers to a big party. Huge buses transported us to the venue, an excellent troupe of dancers and musicians entertained, and the wine flowed freely. The finger foods they served were local beef and produce.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Southbound off the coast of Brazil
Salvador, Brazil
Off the Brazilian coast north of Salvador
One of the hardest jobs on these long-distance cruise ships must be finding stuff for the guests to do when you’re three solid days underway and nothing out there but more water. I’m writing two books and thinking seriously about a third, a book about worms (and it’ll be a real page-turner), so I’m pretty much self-entertaining.
I am not a sailor...
I am not a sailor. I can ride a horse for weeks on end, but waves? Not really. I wear acupressure bands and pop an occasional Dramamine. I do not stagger like a drunk, I’m walking a straight line and the boat is staggering under me. There’s a difference. But so far, praise His holy name, I have not been really uncomfortable, let alone green.