Seno Montanas and White Narrows
Having stayed at dock in Puerto Natales all evening, National Geographic Endeavour slowly springs to life this morning, sending a small shudder from her starting engines, gently awakening the guests, who were still in reverie after the long, but perfect, day in Torres del Paine National Park.
Through the morning we retraced our wake that led us into Puerto Natales, and soon found ourselves at White Narrows, where at the swiftest time a 12 knot current courses between the tiny islands that line the channel. Into the Zodiacs we clamored, and set off on our cruise around these islands, eagerly anticipating the grand finale of watching our home, the 90 meter long Endeavour, maneuver gracefully around the islands and slip through the gap leading us to more wide open spaces.
The Zodiac cruise itself would have been enough, as under sunny skies we gasped as Chilean Black Dolphins broke the water’s surface, jumping clear, before flopping back into their underwater habitat. The water, despite only being 7ºC, looked inviting, and as we warmed up in the sun, thoughts of taking a plunge invaded our minds. We peered deeply over the edge of the Zodiac, straining to see what might be down on the bottom or clinging to the giant kelp fronds. Molluscs were abundant, and there were no doubts that the South American King Crab was lurking at the bottom of the kelp.
But perhaps the highlight of the morning was a sighting of the Andean Condor. The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture families. Unlike the California Condor, which is known from extensive fossil remains, the fossil record of the Andean Condor recovered to date is scant, making it the only accepted species of its genus, living or extinct. This condor inhabits the Andes mountains, and is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. The national symbol of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Chile, it plays an important role in the folklore and mythology of the South American Andean regions, similar to the role the Bald Eagle plays in North America. Today we were unusually lucky, as this Condor is most often glimpsed through binoculars high above; instead, our bird sat perched 20 feet away, posing in the sunlight.
Another day has passed, and once again we are astounded by what the Chilean Fjords has revealed. We ask ourselves, “what will tomorrow bring?” and we allow our minds to daydream of graceful albatross soaring through channels, and small whales and dolphins swimming around us. Still we must wait until tomorrow, when more of the Chilean Fjords diversity and majesty is uncovered.
Having stayed at dock in Puerto Natales all evening, National Geographic Endeavour slowly springs to life this morning, sending a small shudder from her starting engines, gently awakening the guests, who were still in reverie after the long, but perfect, day in Torres del Paine National Park.
Through the morning we retraced our wake that led us into Puerto Natales, and soon found ourselves at White Narrows, where at the swiftest time a 12 knot current courses between the tiny islands that line the channel. Into the Zodiacs we clamored, and set off on our cruise around these islands, eagerly anticipating the grand finale of watching our home, the 90 meter long Endeavour, maneuver gracefully around the islands and slip through the gap leading us to more wide open spaces.
The Zodiac cruise itself would have been enough, as under sunny skies we gasped as Chilean Black Dolphins broke the water’s surface, jumping clear, before flopping back into their underwater habitat. The water, despite only being 7ºC, looked inviting, and as we warmed up in the sun, thoughts of taking a plunge invaded our minds. We peered deeply over the edge of the Zodiac, straining to see what might be down on the bottom or clinging to the giant kelp fronds. Molluscs were abundant, and there were no doubts that the South American King Crab was lurking at the bottom of the kelp.
But perhaps the highlight of the morning was a sighting of the Andean Condor. The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture families. Unlike the California Condor, which is known from extensive fossil remains, the fossil record of the Andean Condor recovered to date is scant, making it the only accepted species of its genus, living or extinct. This condor inhabits the Andes mountains, and is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. The national symbol of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Chile, it plays an important role in the folklore and mythology of the South American Andean regions, similar to the role the Bald Eagle plays in North America. Today we were unusually lucky, as this Condor is most often glimpsed through binoculars high above; instead, our bird sat perched 20 feet away, posing in the sunlight.
Another day has passed, and once again we are astounded by what the Chilean Fjords has revealed. We ask ourselves, “what will tomorrow bring?” and we allow our minds to daydream of graceful albatross soaring through channels, and small whales and dolphins swimming around us. Still we must wait until tomorrow, when more of the Chilean Fjords diversity and majesty is uncovered.
