Staten is a mythical island. Nearly impossible to visit but widely publicised in books, pictures, legends, and stories real or fictitious, about epic travels and adventures spanning over the last four centuries. For many of us on board it was the reason to join on this unique trip, finally a real chance to connect with those stories we read since we were kids!
A gray, misty, and slow morning was the ideal setting for our entry to the San Juan de Salvamento fjord, where the “lighthouse at the end of the world” is located. The last adventure novel written by Jules Verne at the beginning of the previous century increased the legend of this remote island, already famous for its bad weather, savage winds, and treacherous surrounding waters. None of that was to be experienced by us today, and by mid-morning the clouds had given up their threat and the sun was once again shining over us for the second day in a row. A delightful hike through the last stands of forests before the Andes sink in the Atlantic Ocean placed us over a knoll overlooking the placid bay where the lighthouse proudly stands. Many wondered what it would be like to live here and experience some of the big storms that shape the rocks and vegetation around the building. The forces of nature are obvious in every direction here.
Cruising around the cliffs we had chances to observe the abundant wildlife that make these islands their home. Perfectly adapted to the weather and the rough conditions, they thrive in places where humans have a hard time at best.
Puerto Cook was our afternoon destination after a totally unexpected and delicious lunch on the sun deck…is this really Staten Island? Many of us wondered in awe after enjoying a luxury more suited for a tropical destination! After exploring the remains of a cemetery and hut built by the Argentinean Commander Luis Piedrabuena with the intention that it would be of help to any wrecked sailor that might end up on these shores, we hiked across the island. At this narrow point, no more than a quarter of a mile of soft peaty trails allowed for an easy stroll to a stunning Vancouver Bay, a narrow fjord surrounded by vertical cliffs on the southern side of the island.
After a few hours ashore we cruised back to the entrance of the fjord where the National Geographic Explorer sits at anchor, a welcoming sight offering a placid night to rest and prepare for our last day in this southern paradise.
