Naturalist Journey to Patagonia and Antarctica
Punta Arenas, Chile on the southern tip of South America along the Straits of Magellan, is known as the city at the end of the world. It was our point of departure for two fantastic journeys: One to nearby Torres del Paine and another to the Falklands and South Georgia Islands and Antarctica. Here is a brief synopsis:
Torres del Paine National Park
The Torres (towers) are massive vertical granitic spires in the southern Andes that literally take your breath away. They are surrounded by a number of large glacial lakes, including one with a calving glacier, and populated by abundant birds and wildlife ranging from herds of Guanaco and two species of fox, to ostrich-like Lesser Rheas and majestic Andean Condors.
Following our Patagonia extension, we met with the other half of our 22-person group for the Antarctic portion of the journey.
Falkland Islands
A walk through the quaint town of Port Stanley with its impressive museum and well-preserved historical buildings gives you the feeling that you’ve just been transported to England. Following this pleasant stroll, we boarded our ship for the next 17 days.
On the next day, we landed on Bleaker Island in the Falkland chain where we first heard then saw a colony of more than 100 Southern Rockhopper 
Penguins. They preened, brayed and true-to-form, hopped onto rocks. Rockhoppers appear to be style-conscious hipster penguins with their flashy eyebrows and sporty behavior. We sat down among them and watched them interact for some time. Magical!
South Georgia Island
At Ernest Shackleton’s grave, we gave “The Boss” a toast of whiskey prior to dumping some on his grave, which is customary. The ship historian spoke respectfully of Shackleton – especially of his 800-mile journey with five crew in the 22-foot wooden life boat, the James Caird, from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island – an epic feat in the annals of sea adventures.
On our second day at South Georgia Island, we awoke to stupendous views of jagged mountain peaks with huge billowing clouds behind them and massive glaciers coming down to the shore. As the Zodiac rafts arrived, small groups of King Penguins and Antarctic Fur Seals lined the shore. Farther down the shoreline was a spectacle beyond belief: more than 250,000 King Penguins arrayed on the glacial outwash known as Salisbury Plain.
At Sea from S. Georgia Island to Elephant Island
While making the two-day crossing of the Scotia Sea, we were notified of the presence of a massive floating ice formation. We came to the bridge to see several 100-foot tall icebergs dead ahead. The crew of our ship expertly maneuvered between the massive, beautifully sculpted by water, bergs.
On a cold, misty morning, those of us on the bridge made out the first glimpse of land in several days: Elephant Island. It was here in 1916 that 22 of Ernest Shackleton’s men camped for 128 days on a rocky, narrow spit of land. This island has huge, vertical peaks with massive calving glaciers flowing down to the coast. It is hard to find any level ground on the shore, much less a suitable campsite.
Large floating icebergs passed nearby, big waves crashed ashore. It is incredible that Shackleton’s men survived here as long as they did — and we were here in the summer!
Antarctica
The crow-like call of Adelie Penguins, the whoosh of spouting whales, and the sudden crack of calving glaciers that sent huge waves crashing onto the beaches… these are the sounds of Antarctica.
Antarctica features layers of exceptional beauty and wildness. Its abundant 
wildlife, from penguins to whales to seals,
comprises one layer; its dramatic snow, ice and ice encrusted mountains are another; its floating art exhibits of giant icebergs another; its rich history of heroic and tragic human expeditions yet another; and finally, its overall wildness and remoteness from the rest of the world leaves a lasting impression. Any of these “layers” would be reason enough to visit Antarctica. Combined, they make for an unparalleled experience.
