Day 14 - Punta Arenas

A sunny, clear day greeted us as we woke in Punta Arenas. We had a tour planned in town so, after breakfast, we took the tender to the port. We met our tour guide, she gathered our busload and we loaded.

Punta Arenas is a city of 170,000 and the embarkation point for travelers to Antarctica. It is the largest city in the region and its commercial hub. That said, there isn't much there. It's a modern city that grew from the original settlers in the mid-1820s. Our tour drove through the city and up to an overlook. It is WINDY! In summer, the winds are constant and strong - speeds up to 70 mph are not rare. Today was no exception and everyone fought to stay upright. The temperature was in the 50s so it wasn't cold.

After pictures at the observation point, we stopped for a tour of the central square with commercial and government buildings on all sides of a green park with statues of the founders and small kiosks. Next to the Regional Salesian Museum to see the religious order's collection of artifacts. The order has done missionary work in the region since the late 19th century and the (often dusty) displays give examples of the history, ecology, and anthropology of the Magallene Region.

Our final stop was the Explorer's Monument on the Straits of Magallen shore. The bus dropped us at the port where we caught the tender back to the Eclipse. Had lunch and relaxed in the cabin until we upped anchor and sailed about 6:00 pm.

We went to the show, a great pianist backed by the house orchestra put on an enthusiastic performance of known standards. After dinner with our table mates, we crashed.

Overnight, some glaciers and into Argentina to Ushuaia.Read more