The Chilean Fiords and Puerto Arenus
Posted on Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 8:59 pm
To travel between Puerto Montt in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina (pronounced Ooshwaya), through the channels and fiords of Patagonia in southern Chile, takes four days and nights of steady sailing with a stop in the middle at Puerto Arenus the most southern city in Chile.
Puerto Arenus
It is very difficult to relate the experience of sailing through the Chilean Fiords in pictures, let alone words, so I’ll start with the easier part … our stop in Puerto Arenus.
Puerto Arenus is cold and windy as we step off the compulsory shuttle bus through the port area. We decide to walk into town and quickly find the main road signposted “Centro”, with its wide central reservation for pedestrians. We are wearing all our cold gear … several layers topped with a down jackets and woollen beanies. As we walk the three or so kilometers into the centre, the reservation becomes more and more ornate; the dirt path replaced with paving; ancient yew trees carefully manicured and finally an avenue of newly sprouting deciduous trees responding to the call of spring.
![Bus shelter in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3768.jpg)
![Street scene in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3771.jpg)
![Street scene in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3777.jpg)
![Park in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3779.jpg)
![Satellite dishes in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3783.jpg)
At intervals along the pedestrian reserve commemorative statues celebrate one event or another.
![Statue in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3788.jpg)
![Street scene in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3794.jpg)
![Mister Snack in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3797.jpg)
![Statue in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3801.jpg)
![building in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3804.jpg)
![Street scene in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3806.jpg)
One of the interesting features of Peurto Arenus turns out to be this cemetery, which we have come across quite by chance. No headstones next to the grave here. Lines and lines of small commemorative alters and huge mausoleums silently celebrate the dead.
![Cemetery in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3813.jpg)
![Cemetery in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3814.jpg)
![Cemetery in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3817.jpg)
![Cemetery in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3822.jpg)
We have made it to town! It is time to find that coffee shop and get inside out of the cold and wind.
![Burnt out shop in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3829.jpg)
![Street stall in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3831.jpg)
![Chocolata in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3837.jpg)
![Chocolate shop in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3836.jpg)
![Penguins in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3838.jpg)
![Port in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3842.jpg)
![Port in Puento Arenus Chile](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1AAH_3843.jpg)
The Chilean Fiords
In one way, the names say it all. The Darwin Channel, the Magellan Channel, the Beagle Channel, Glacier Ally and Cape Horn among others. To thoroughly document the four day and night journey through the fiords of Patagonia would take more time and space than I have here. I trust the following will give some small idea of what is an altogether amazing experience.
The Darwin Channel
We are awoken early the morning after leaving Puerto Montt. We are cruising through the Darwin Channel before a short run back in the Pacific. First light is breaking as we enter the channel.
![Darwin Channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3497.jpg)
![Darwin Channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3556.jpg)
![Darwin Channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3565.jpg)
![Darwin Channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3580.jpg)
The Sarmiento Channel
The Darwin Channel was just a taster. We are reminded of our day spent in Fiordland on the south west coast of New Zealand. But then, after a day and night in the Pacific, we are woken early for the entrance into the Sarmiento Channel. The snow on the mountains and ice on the water gave us a small clue of what was to come.
![The Sarmiento channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3628.jpg)
![Brujo glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3639.jpg)
![The Brujo Glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3659.jpg)
![Shearwaters in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3610.jpg)
![Birds in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3681.jpg)
![The Sarmiento channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3687.jpg)
![The Sarmiento channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3695.jpg)
![Fiord in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3740.jpg)
![Shipwreck in the fiords of Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3760.jpg)
![The Sarmiento channel in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3845.jpg)
Glacier Ally
Another early morning call alerts us to the start of Glacier Ally. Along this stretch of fiord six major glaciers slide down from the Patagonian ice shield. It is spectacular!
Here is a glimpse of just one of these glaciers … the Italia glacier.
![The Italia glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3906.jpg)
![The Italia glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3927.jpg)
![The Italia glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3933.jpg)
![The Italia glacier in Patagonia, southern Chile.](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3943.jpg)
![Ushuaia Tierra Del Fuego Argentina](https://notesofatraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH_3948.jpg)
We reach Tierra Del Fuego early the next day. The most southerly town in South America appears below the mountains as we leave Chile behind. This is our last call before Cape Horn and the southern end of this great continent.
From the Cape, we travel to the Falkland Islands before turning north once more.
Enjoy
Alan
Amazing scenery! Thank you for sharing. x
HI Alan,
Have belatedly enjoyed your photos of the Chilean Fiords and Sarmiento Channel. Particularly interesting to me as I recently enjoyed reading a wonderful book called “Evolutions Captain” about Captain Fitzroy of Beagle/Darwin fame, but also some of the prelude to that famous voyage . I highly recommend it, a truly fascinating action packed history with many twists and turns and insights into the characters involved and the impact that voyage subsequently had on them.
Greetings to you both.
Wow Alan how breathtaking interesting and beautiful. Have just got back from a long weekend in Brisbane you are missing some awfully humid weather there.
Tierra del Fuego – yes, a magical place. Full of images of explorers, amazing heroism and huge seas. Glad to see it was much nicer in the channels!
Lovely pictures that capture the humanity and give us a real flavour of Chile and the Andes.
Thank you both
J n P
Incredibly beautiful glaciers!
Well, what to say…utterly magical and fantastic to see the fjords and for those glaciers. Great to share…thanks. Tierra Del Fuego, now there’s a name!
Cheers to you both, Christina XX!
Really is a gift Alan, thank you dear heart ❤️. The colours and textures of that glacier, the view while u enjoy lunch! Delivering our amazing world, first hand 🙏👏😘
WOW!
An experience of beholding! Wonderful, glorious, powerful.
Im thinking you might be thinking of winter in Didsbury /
What a stunning unforgetable experience!
Best R
Oh! How beautiful. My jaw dropped….