This morning we left Puerto Natales en route to Karukinka Park, on the big island of Tierra del Fuego.
To leave the Almirante Montt Gulf, we had to cross Kirke Narrows. In order to accomplish this feat, the pilots need to wait for slack tide which is the moment when the currents are still and there are no big movements of water in or out of the fjords.
While crossing the narrows we saw southern giant petrels, South American tern, and kelp gulls flying around our ship.
It was a day where we learned about varied topics from our naturalist staff. Eduardo Shaw gave a presentation on Darwin in Patagonia and the incredible amount of experiences and insights that he, and Fitz-Roy, acquired while travelling the southern cone of America.
National Geographic photographer Drew Rush showed us his work with camera traps to capture the life of pumas in North America. It was a very interesting lecture where he compared the behaviours of pumas in North America to pumas in Patagonia, like the one we saw at Torres del Paine yesterday.
We ended the day with a special presentation about Karukinka Park, our destination for tomorrow, by Paula Noe, a representative of Wildlife Conservation Society, the group that manages this natural reserve. We learned about how this park came to be, as well as the achievements and challenges they are facing.
Sailing to Tierra del Fuego, all guests, staff, and crew are looking forward to exploring this unique area. We understand how fortunate we are to be able to visit this remote place.
