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Antarctica and Patagonia
  • David and Jane Kirkpatrick

Antarctica and Patagonia

It's been six years since we put a deposit down on this trip! Postponed twice but now finally getting there! Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 27, 2025
    David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Buenos Aries skyline
    The delta is riddled with small waterways.Riverside shacksA lost combi!The original house of one Argentinian President - protected by a glass cube.Building suppliesBoat supermarket - note bottled water as no drinking water on the islands.Random photo for the day - not sure this would get past rego at home.

    Sydney to Buenos Aires via Santiago

    Jan 27–29 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    After a six year delay from first booking our trip, we finally headed off from Sydney to South America. First leg was approximately 12 hours to Santiago where we basically spent the afternoon and evening at the airport hotel adjusting our time clock before heading off the following morning to Buenos Aires.
    BA feels and looks very European - we oriented ourselves with a hop on hop off bus trip introducing us to the wide boulevards, quaint neighbourhoods, extensive gardens and parklands, impressive historical monuments (which laid bare my complete ignorance of Argentinian history - did you know Britain tried to invade BA in 1806/7?) and lots of museums I would like to go back to. A delightful tapas bar dinner with Mendoza Malbec rounded off the day.
    Today we took a boat trip up the Rio de Plate to the delta at it’s mouth and cruised amongst the multiple islands there at Tigre on the outskirts of BA on which are the holiday houses of the city people plus permanent residents - there are no bridges or roads so all transport is via water craft.
    Tomorrow we head of to Ushuaia at the bottom of Argentina where the adventure really begins!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    View over Ushuaia and Beagle Channel from our room
    Cruise/Expedition ships lined upPenguin motifBeer from the end of the world!King spider crabs are the delicacy here - this was a tank of them in the shop windowLamb carcasses roasted for four hours over open flamesStreet sculpture - it's not over until the fat lady ..Weather changes hourly hereEvening light on the hillsSunset view from our room

    BA to Ushuaia

    January 30 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    A 4am start to get to the airport and then onto Ushuaia - El Fin de Mundo (The end of the world) - the southernmost town in South America. Very exciting approach to landing over the mountainous foothills of jagged rock ridges denuded by snow and ice against the backdrop of snow tipped mountains and glaciers - plus the accompanying wind buffeting the plane as we landed!
    Check in with our expedition team Aurora in a hotel high above the Beagle Channel - a body of “protected water” between Ushuaia and a group of islands - which has the most magnificent views over the water from all rooms.
    The town itself is disappointing in that it has become a typical tourist cruise ship stopover - lots of shops selling you stuff you don’t need and no local flavour anymore - inevitable I suppose. It doesn’t detract from the natural beauty of the water and the mountains which we are enjoying whilst watching the sunset at 10pm!
    Random fact for the day - I have now achieved the unique double of having been to the world’s southernmost brewery in Ushuaia and the northernmost in Spitsbergen in the Artic.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Wharf with six cruise ships moored
    The Sylvia EarleCatamaran cruiseUshuaia "foothills"Cormorant Colony and SealionsFlat out!Lighthouse.On our way!Our roomFront Bow windows.Library stairs.Argentinian answer to our TimTam - two biscuits with caramel middle covered with chocolate.Exit route from Ushuaia.Our cruise plan

    Ushuaia and Beagle Channel/Embarkation

    January 31 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    The big day has arrived! After a leisurely morning repacking, we headed out into the Beagle Channel for a 3 hour catamaran sightseeing trip - South American sea lions, lots of cormorants, terns and albatrosses - and a small but cute lighthouse.
    Then onto the boat - the Sylvia Earle - named after the American marine biologist and conservationist. It looked rather small compared to the other five cruise/expedition boats on the marina but that's a good thing - a maximum of 130 passengers on our boat which might sound a lot but it isn't.
    Inside it is an amazing bespoke designed polar ship - our cabin is like a 4 star hotel room with it's own balcony. The bow has a section that covers two floors that is metal latticework with glass inserts that allows you to see out from the lounge and library plus multiple out door viewing decks. Too much to describe but I will post pics as we go along which will highlight the features.
    Currently just about to exit Beagle Channel into the Atlantic Ocean and then a day cruising to the Falklands.
    Weather is calm with not too much wind but I still have taken my TravelCalm anyway and will continue to do so!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    A stormy welcome to Port Stanley!
    Magellanic penguin - this one stood guard outside his burrow as we all trooped pastUpland goose - femaleUpland goose - maleA rather fat Magellanic penguin having a nap!Turkey vultureA rock - my arty shor for the dayRed eye cormorantsBalsam Bog

    Falkland Islands

    February 2 in Falkland Islands ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We spent a full day and night steaming from Ushuaia to the Falkland Islands. First confirmed sighting was in 1592 and it was a base for whalers, sealers and penguin hunters over the years until in 1833 Britain claimed sovereignty (as they did). It has one settlement Stanley and continues to be a self governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom despite the attempted invasion by Argentina in 1982 which Maggie Thatcher put an end to (and consequently has a memorial dedicated to her in the main street). It is mainly a sheep farming economy (there are ~ 550,000 sheep on the islands - 125 per human) and now also includes tourism and sale of fishing licences (there is currently a small fleet of Taiwanese longline squid trawlers here).
    It is a rather windswept and bleak looking place but the main reason we came was to see the Magellanic penguins which we won't see after this. That and a meal of traditional British fish and chips and warm flat ale in the hotel! We got to test out our waterproof gear as well with several rain storms.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Antarctica wind front!
    Bleaker Island BeachTypical countryside of the FalklandsRockhopper colonyRockhoppers have the best haircuts of all the penguins!Inspecting the troopsRed eyes from ?eating krillGrooming time for chickBeautiful blue eye cormorantsForce feeding!Rock shags on a cliff faceGentoo Penguins - live in burrow up from the beachKeeping her chick warmKing Penguins - a couple of pairs first seen here - the most beautiful penguinOystercatcherShags in flight

    Plan B - Bleaker Island (Falklands)

    February 3 in Falkland Islands ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    At our daily evening briefing yesterday we were told that there was a significant wind front that was approaching from Antarctica smack bang between us and our next destination South Georgia (two days sea travel away). The screenshot from Windy app shows the size of it with predicted waves of 4 - 6 metres! So we stayed put here and moved down to an island called Bleaker Island - not an inspiring name but at least it wasn't Bleakest Island! All the crew were actually very excited to have another day in the Falklands because they believe one day isn't enough.
    Bleaker Island is one of the larger of the 778 smaller islands of the Falkland group and is the home to one family cattle farm - it is bleak with no trees, only low lying grasses and shrubbery BUT lots of penguins. We were deposited on a beach and had a 2km walk to the rocky cliffs of a bay which was home to a large colony of several hundreds of Rockhopper penguins - the name derived because they literally hop up rocky cliff faces to their nesting area on the top - in this case about a 40 to 50 m climb. They also have the most amazing yellow feathery eyebrows which makes them look like old gentlemen at a Parisian opera house. They share their rookery with cormorants as well.
    We then walked back to the other end of the island where there were more Magellanic penguins but a bigger amount of Gentoo Penguins plus two sets of King Penguins with beautiful bright yellow markings. We made our way back over the paddocks dodging the returning penguins from feeding in the sea and watched them torpedoing along in the waves and rocketing out onto the beach to then waddle ungainly up the sand back to their burrows or rookery.
    We expect we will set sail tomorrow to South Georgia which will be rough but not what it could of been.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Heading into the waves (C Jamie)Steamer Duck (C Jamie)King penguins have very flexible necks ....see next picture.WTF!1Pony skull - the farms here have sturdy small horses.Penguin tracks

    Plan B+ - Kidney Cove

    February 4 in Falkland Islands ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Well the weather is moving eastwards from us but still the centre is before South Georgia with waves 5-6 metres so we stayed until midday at the Falklands before setting sail after lunch expecting to have some rougher seas over the next 36 - 48 hours.
    So we spent the morning at Kidney Cove - plenty of Gentoo and Magellanic penguins plus a couple more King penguins.
    The procedure for getting on the zodiacs to land is very slick - the "mudroom" is at the stern with our gear in personal lockers - wet weather gear and muck boots which we have to dip in disinfectant before and after landing. Also we keep 5m minimum from wildlife and we don't kneel, sit or put bags etc on the ground. Avian flu has reached Antarctica and has jumped from birds to mammals causing widespread wildlife deaths recently which is very sad.
    On board we have lectures every day about wildlife, photography, geology etc. Food is fantastic - both buffet and a la carte with two restaurants. And I found a guitar on board! So plenty to keep us amused for the next 2 days before reaching landfall again.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Grytviken whaling station
    Moulting King PenguinsSouthern fur sealFemale elephant sealsSeal pupsNote they haven't updated the mailbox!Old whaling boats just left on shoreBlubber boilersReplica of the boat Shackleton and men rowed from Elephant Island in Antarctica to South Georgia.Shackleton's grave - his wife insisted his body be sent back here for burialChurch for the whalers

    South Georgia - Jason Harbour/Grytviken

    February 7 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ 🌫 4 °C

    After 2 1/2 days at sea we woke this morning at South Georgia Island - "discovered" by Captain Cook and claimed by England it became a major sealing and whaling outpost as well a major stationing point for Antarctica expeditions for the likes of Scott and Shackelton - the last settlement before the South Pole.
    It was a misty, wet and cold morning as we alighted at Jason Harbour to be greeted by multitudes of southern fur seals - cavorting in the water, harrumphing at us on the beach and occasionally trying to get a little to close for comfort. The was a huddle of King Penguins on the beach as well showing signs of moulting which they do each year. Most impressive though were the female elephant seals lolling about on the beach and up in the tussock grass - the thought of them dragging those big bodies up into the grass is exhausting!
    We got well and truly soaked by the time we got back on the boat for a hot shower despite our wet weather gear.
    Next stop was the old whaling station at Grytviken - a Norwegian company with Argentinian backing and whalers from Scotland and Scandinavia - they used to process 30 -50 whales a day here. 400 men worked here at it's peak. This is one of three whaling stations left relatively intact - the other two being Albany in WA and one in the Faroe Islands. There was a lovely museum, and historic walking tour amongst the blubber, muscle and bone boilers used to extract oil and a visit to Ernest Shackelton's grave in the cemetery - he died here from a heart attack in 1922 whilst about to embark on an expedition to circumnavigate Antarctica.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Morning mountain view with Mt Paget in the clouds
    Nordenschild glacier and mountain rangeStorm Petrel on beachOcean HarbourFur seal pups - always mischievousBeautiful iceberg linesBull kelpWhale bones scattered over all the beachesTussock grass and moss bogsA leucistic seal pupElephant seal femaleStorm petrelCoal loader shipwreck now a bird rookerySo much blubber!Mum and pup - pup may have avian flu due to milky r eyeBrown skuaCormorant cliff nestsTake off!

    Godthul and Ocean Harbour

    February 8 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    South Georgia Island is 170 km long and 2 to 40 km wide. It is a mountain range pushed up from the ocean floor as the micro tectonic plate of the Scotia Sea subsides under the Atlantic plate - so it has snow covered mountains nearly 3000m high and glaciers flowing to the sea. The west coast is battered by storms and the east coast has the more protected harbours that became the whaling stations. We awoke to see glimpses of Mt Paget 2935m (highest mountain in S Georgia) and the Nordenschild glacier. We visited two previous whaling locations at Godthul ( translation Good Harbour) and Ocean Harbour. Both sites had abundant fur seals (95% of the Antarctic fur seal population is on South Georgia), scattered elephant seals and King and Gentoo penguins.
    Also first experiences with small icebergs floating around the water.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    The massive main rookery at St Andrews Bay. The glacier has receded from the sea allowing more room!
    Glacial river flow - the penguins love fresh waterThe receding glacierThe lookout over the rookery.Where's Wally! Gives you an idea of the sheer mass of birds here.Five wise men9th Hole on the local golf course?!Male fur sealPenguin details - green patch on the head/intricate flipper feathersA raft of penguinsPenguin feathers washed up on river bank.What are they up to?Everywhere you look are glaciers and high peaks.What a backdrop for a hot tub!

    St Andrews Bay

    February 9 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    If there is one iconic site in South Georgia this is it thanks to David Attenborough. The footage of him walking along the beach in front of a glacier surrounded by one of the largest King Penguin rookeries in the world is well known. So to wake up anchored off the shore and to see a 3-4 km long foreshore, with a backdrop of three glaciers feeding down from the mountains, packed with King Penguins plus fur and elephant seals, was an exciting and awe inspiring prospect. We saw some male fur seals for the first time here - significantly bigger but surprisingly less aggressive than the pups! At the peak of the season there are up top 150,000 nesting couples of King Penguins here. We were lucky to be able to land and walk to the high vantage point overlooking the main colony - some crew members had been here on three prior occasions and had never been able to reach the lookout for various reasons such as avian flu outbreaks, a flooded river blocking access etc. It is impossible to convey the enormity of the scenery and the sheer mass of wildlife everywhere you looked and walked - weaving in around seals and petrels, penguins waddling at you as you keep ogling the snowy mountains rising from sea level wrapped around glacial flows. The video shows the breadth of the rookery probably better than the pictures. A morning not to be forgotten.Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Gold Harbour
    Leo - our cool Argentinian guide/scientist1What a handsome chap.Chicks stay like this over winter and then get an adult coat.A cluster of young male elephant seals

    Gold Harbour

    February 9 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    In the afternoon we headed to another smaller but no less dense King Penguin rookery at Gold Harbour. However here we could walk at eye level to the rookery and observe the penguins more closely. Check out the video in which two male penguins are having a slapping contest over who gets a particular female. The highlight here was we saw young male elephant seals for the first time - these blokes are not sexually mature yet which is when they get the enlarged proboscis (nose) but they are still big - maybe 1.5 tonne but they get to be the enormous beachmaster bulls that weigh in at 2 - 2.5 tonne and can rear up to 3m height!Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Chinstrap Penguins
    Macaroni penguins(C Jamie)(C Jamie)1

    Cooper Bay

    February 10 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    An early rise for our last excursion at South Georgia because once again we have a significant weather front coming south just as we head across open sea for two days to reach the Antarctica peninsula. We had a zodiac ride along the beachfront and rocky outcrops to see the Macaroni penguins with their stylish yellow dreadlocks and also the cute Chinstrap penguins. We were the last boat out and just before leaving back to the expedition boat our guide spotted two leopard seals on the rocks - a rare sighting!
    I struggled with the 600mm telephoto lens with the boat bobbing about so my pictures aren’t as crisp as I would like but still okay.
    We are now steaming in open waters - next stop Antarctica.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Huge icebergs.
    Minke whaleGetting our zodiacs readyCrabeater sealLeopard sealKayakers dwarfed by iceMinke blowholesThis Minke swam right up to the back of our boatHumpback silhouetted against the shorelineOld whaling boat.Whale bones aplenty.Weddel sealLong drop with a view.2Grumpy Gentoo - freezing, feathers falling off and surrounded by shit! Whose idea was this!

    Lindblad Cove and Mikkelsen Harbour

    February 13, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ -7 °C

    After 2 and a half days at sea, including 18 hours of high winds and 4 - 5 m waves, we have arrived in Antarctica! A world of white and black terrain punctuated with blue water and bobbing icebergs and brash surface ice.
    We headed out on our zodiacs to explore and what a treat was in store. Straight up we had sightings of whales and seals. One then two minke whales played around and under our zodiacs - I had taken the telephoto lens but really I should have had the shorter one because they were right next to us. The water is so clear we could track them underwater as they swam around us! Then we saw a crabeater seal on an iceberg with a leopard seal attempting to jump and join it, unsuccessfully, but we found a nice leopard seal sleeping on another iceberg. All the time we continued to have sightings of minke whales and then to finish our trip we trailed a humpback for a while. Here they rarely breach or do any of the acrobatics we associate with them at home - here they are concentrating on eating krill so tend to skim along the surface or just breathe then dive down to feed. All around us was the amazing ice formations and the clear still air. An amazing introduction to this almost alien world.
    In the afternoon we had a short shore excursion to Mikkelsen Harbour - another old whaling station which is now a meteorological outpost. Highlight was seeing a Weddel seal which was actually quite cute - otherwise lots of gentoo penguins and lots of penguin poo! Smelly! Also the emergency shed on the site had an outdoor dunny with a great view!
    Addendum - just leaving dinner when the bridge said feeding humpbacks at front of boat - so straight out into freezing cold at 10pm to see humpbacks bubble feeding in front of us! What a day!!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Entrance to the Lemaire Channel
    Large icebergs that the ship had to navigate aroundBetween 80 - 90% of mass is below waterlineAdelie penguinThe red colour is from the krill they eat.Maturing chicks have remaining fluff on head like punk haircutsEvil looking leopard sealsCrabeater seal (Krabbe is German for krill so became Crab in english - they don't eat crabs!)Flying penguin squadReentry dive!Penguins move exceptionally fast porpoisingMore icebergs and icicles.Giant snowconeCute Adelie chick (C Jamie)Mono looks good for ice and snow as well.Ukraine base.Wordie "house" - initial British base.

    Lemaire Channel/Yalour & Argentine Isles

    February 14 in Antarctica ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C

    We started the day navigating the Lemaire Channel - steep cliffs hem in the iceberg-filled passage, which is 11 km long and just 600 metres wide at its narrowest point. Amazing to be so close to the icebergs and see the deep blue of the compressed ice.
    The Yalour Islands allowed us to see the Adelie penguins - one of two exclusively Antarctic breeds (Emperor being the other). Most of the penguins are chicks about to head off into the water for the first time - hence they are all dirty and covered in krill coloured poo!
    Later we visited another set of islands on which is an Antarctic base that was initially British but sold for 1 pound to Ukraine in the 90's. We also visited an historic site Wordie House which was the initial hut built in the 50s for the British scientists.
    All around the waters are filled with groups of penguins porpoising along in the water - all the while being alert for the leopard seals that prey on the new penguin chicks at this time of year. We saw a leopard seal hunting in the water and the penguins just flew out of the water onto rocks and safety. Also a group of crabeater seals came straight at our zodiac and under and around us - the water is so clear we could see them gracefully cruising past us under water!
    Bur the main focus was on the ice landscape all around - the icebergs and snow caps - just incredible shapes , textures and colours.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Wild and windy on deck at the Antarctica Circle
    The circle is not fixed and is currently moving southward at 14.5m per yearThe crew has fun putting circles on everyone's foreheads-note Leo's tattooed head in the backgroundBringing the zodiacs back to be uploadedHuge tabular icebergOur mad farmer from the Eyre peninsula who wore shorts most days!

    Antartica Circle

    February 15 in Antarctica ⋅ ☁️ -3 °C

    We headed south overnight to be able to cross the Antartica Circle - the plan was to land on an island for an excursion but the high winds up to 90km/hr made it impossible to safely load and land the passengers so we had to abandon that plan but not before the expedition team took the zodiacs to attempt to land. We then spent the rest of the day steaming back north but we actually didn't mind a rest day to catch our breath after the last week.Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Cuverville Island
    Whale bones in the snowGentoo chicks trying to catch snowflakesDittoBrown skuaLeopard sealRecess BayOn Antarctica proper!HumpbacksHumpback flukePolar plunge!2Sunset (C Jamie)

    Cuverville Island/Recess Bay

    February 16 in Antarctica ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    After the wild weather yesterday we awoke to a calm bay with flat seas. We landed on Cuverville Island with a gentoo colony - it was snowing and some of the new chicks were trying to catch the snowflakes in their beaks.
    Later we moved to Recess Bay and for the first time actually had landfall on the Antarctic continent instead of islands.
    At both sites we had humpback whales of varying sizes feeding in the waters all around us - we actually had the best sightings whilst on the boat as opposed to the zodiacs.
    Then we ended with the mandatory polar plunge into the freezing -1 degree water - it wasn't as bad I thought - helped by the vodka shot when you were hauled out! Then straight into the jacuzzi and sauna to warm up.
    We finished with a BBQ on the back decks on what is now our last night in Antarctica due to another storm front approaching the Drake passage with the potential for 9m waves! So we are cutting our trip short by a day and heading to the South Shetlands tomorrow before heading back over the passage before the main storm hits (only 3.5m waves apparently!)
    It has been an amazing experience and impossible to describe in its impact as the landscape here is so vast and majestic in its wildness. Pictures can't do justice to it.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Almost mature male Elephant seal
    Big bellow - see the cuts and scars on his neck from fightingPetrel chick - the tube on its beak is for excreting salt water absorbed from fish eatenMale fur sealCombatants(C Jamie)Penguin tracks in the snowHalf Moon CoveChinstrapNote the water beading on its feathersClaw toes for gripping ice and rockThe travails of being a penguin

    Elephant Beach/Half Moon Cove

    February 18 in Antarctica ⋅ 🌬 2 °C

    I was a bit premature saying yesterday was our last day in Antarctica as South Shetland Islands are still part of the archipelago so today was our last expedition day.
    Elephant beach as the name implies is home to a large colony of male elephant seals - the biggest we’ve seen by far. We were treated to a display of fighting by two young bull elephants - rearing up and slamming into each other with their jaws open. Watched the short video to really get an idea of the intensity of the conflict.
    Then in the afternoon a quick trip to a Chinstrap penguin colony at Half Moon Cove.
    And that was a wrap - three weeks of exploring and seeing unique wildlife and landscapes.
    Now battening down our cabins for the Drake Passage crossing!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    1

    Jamie's Photos

    February 19 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We were lucky to have Jamie Lafferty as the cruise photographer - he actually is a travel writer first and foremost and has worked for the most prestigious magazines around the globe but he is also a fantastic photographer. He was very kind in sharing his pictures for our travel books and I have put a selection here (as well as sprinkling some throughout when I couldn't get a reasonable picture at the time). We also has Jarryd and Alesha from NOMADasaurus - two travel bloggers on board who were very easy to talk too and who gave us some great tips on telephoto and iPhone usage.Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Valley views
    A small herd of lambs for lunch!Various pelts of local wildlife.Beaver dam with beaver lodge in the middleWhat one beaver can do overnightDusky Dolphins along side our ship.

    Drake Passage/Ushuaia

    Feb 19–21 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    We headed home across the infamous Drake Passage with warnings of potential stormy weather with 100km/hr winds and 9m waves! However the captain powered across and we escaped the worst and reached the safety of the Beagle Channel early on the 19th. However this meant we had to wait moored off shore for two days. So a shore excursion was organised on the 20th to a local lake via stops at lookouts - beautiful valleys and beech forests along the way. Unfortunately beavers from Canada were introduced in the early 20th C with the intention of starting a fur trade down here - problem was it’s not as cold here as Canada so the the beavers fur was shorter and unsuitable for commercial use. So they just let the 50 pairs of beavers go in the wild! Now there are 120,000 beavers who can chop down a 200 yr old beech tree overnight plus their dams form small lagoons that saturate the roots of the native trees and they die - so large areas of dead trees everywhere - another example of introducing species that ends up a disaster!
    We had a traditional Argentinian lunch of slow cooked whole lamb - huge slabs of meat and potatoes - and then a final night on the boat.
    An amazing trip and now off to Patagonia!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Bull Bay waterfallsCerro Negro hanging glacierCerro Negro glacier waterfallsCalafate berrysRainwater on Calafate bush leafChanging colours in the forestPerito Moreno Glacier

    El Calafarte

    Feb 21–22 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We left Ushuaia and flew to El Calafate which is still in the Argentinian Province of Patagonia but is situated much further north. The town lies on the the shores of Lake Argentino - the largest lake in Argentina at 65km length - and is the gateway to the Los Glaciares National Park. It is filled with blue glacial water and is very popular for kite surfers as it is always windy here being nestled on the eastern side of the Andes.
    Today we drove an hour along the lake before boarding a boat to motor up to the western end of the lake which breaks into several fingers of water filled valleys into which flow several glaciers. We first visited a couple of waterfalls before heading to the huge Perito Merino Glacier - even after being in Antarctica it is still awe inspiring. It is 50 km long originating from the Chilean Patagonian ice fields and it's front is 5km wide pushing into the lake.
    The drive to the boat is interesting in that the area is a steppe - dry being in the rain shadow of the Andes and as such looks a lot like the saltbush plains of outback Queensland and NSW with scattered herds of sheep and cattle sparsely dotted on the horizons. This whole region has historically been poorly populated despite immigration pushes by successive governments but recently very large reserves of oil and gas have been found here which has brought prosperity to some areas.
    The town gets it's name from the Calafate berry bush which is endemic to Patagonia - it's purple, bitter sweet and used for jams, ice cream and wine and beer. Luckily it fruits in February so we have seen it. The local natives said if you eat it you will return to Patagonia so having had the jam and Ice cream who knows!    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Our two yurt set up with bathroom in the middle.Interior of first yurt leading into bedroom yurt via en-suite.Hot tub is great post walk.Rainbow over Lake Argentino when we left El CalafateGuanaco

    Patagonia camp/Torres del Paine

    Feb 23–24 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    We traveled from El Calafate by car to our lodge in Torres del Paine - Patagonia Camp.
    Five hours - not one tree, just brown flat paddocks with occasional sheep - until the last 45 minutes as we headed into the Andean foothills. Not to say it was boring - plenty of guanacos ( local alpaca type beast), choique - birds like small emus or big bustards and several fine looking foxes with magnificent bushy tails.
    The lodge is set in its own piece of beech forest just outside the national park - the accommodation is up market yurts set down the hillside above a lake with stunning views to the Torres Massif on the horizon. The yurts have a Perspex dome in the roof to allow you to watch the clouds and stars. Food is ridiculously delicious and plentiful as is the wine from the owner’s vineyard.
    Today was predicted rain and it did! So I did a simple walk in the eastern side of the park which is drier - a walk in the steppes country to some rock art ( pretty basic compared to the Kimberley) and on the lookout for pumas - none seen unfortunately but some good pics of guanacos. When the clouds did lift at stages we could see the fresh snow on the mountains so exciting for tomorrow’s walk.    Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Paine Massif
    Lake walk en route to French Valley.Approach to the pass into the valleyRefugio Italiano - camping ground in French ValleyGlacial lakes of the park.French Valley BowlGranite rock faces at the back of the HornsCrazyy clouds over the mountains.View from our bedroom

    French Valley

    February 25 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    A big day - I have harboured a long term ambition to do the W walk in Torres del Paine but I realise I can no longer backpack and camp out in tents so I am here doing it in day walks. Today is the central section French Valley which starts with a 25min boat trip across a glacial lake to a camp ground from which we walked along the lake in and out of beech forests until we reached the entrance to French Valley which extends into the central section of the Paine Massif. Picture don't do justice to the beautiful 270 degree view of jagged mountain peaks, hanging glaciers, waterfalls and clouds. It was a challenging walk because we had a deadline to go up and get back in time to catch the 5pm boat back - in the end we clocked 7km in 90 minutes getting home over tough terrain. But just a wonderful landscape of monumental proportions.Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    Paine Massif
    Waterfall near Pingo RiverWild cows and bulls live in the park having escaped in the past from the stations.Grey Glacier - not much compared to what we have seen!

    Pingo River/Grey Glacier Lookout

    February 26 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    After French Valley I opted for an easier day hike with Jane along the Pingo River and then back to the Grey Glacier lookout. Still a 15 km walk but not a lot of elevation.
    I have put some pictures of the Paine Massif here that we took early in the morning to show the various areas we have (will) been to. Interestingly the Paine Massif is not connected to the Andes (they are just across the road on the left!) - it is 15 million years old whilst the The Andes are 65 million years old. So it was an extrusion uplift that was then shaped by it's own glaciers in the past - what is is striking is the black metamorphic rock sitting on top of the lighter shaded granite.Read more

  • David and Jane KirkpatrickAntarctica and PatagoniaTraveler
    The Towers
    You can see the line of walkers approaching the top of the moraineGlacial lagoon at the baseA killer of a walk!

    Base of Towers

    February 27 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Last day of hiking and it's the big one! Base of Towers in Patagonia - One of the world’s iconic walks 22km round trip in 6:45 hrs! Total ascent 1,082m - average heart rate 139bpm, max 159!
    Absolutely awesome granite towers with a glacial pool below them - they are all over 2850m in height.
    Completely knackered by the end but over the moon to have done it - the first hour and a half is brutal straight up, then a reprieve in a beech forest in the middle still with a decent ascent but the last kilometre is just picking your way between the rocks and boulders of the terminal moraine. Then you you reach the top and you have the stunning three granite monoliths above a blue glacial lagoon - just you .......and two hundred other walkers! This apparently wasn't a busy day!
    A bonus on the walk was seeing the native woodpecker - both the red headed male and all black female.    Read more

  • Trip end
    March 2, 2025
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