DAYS 32-34 - PUNTA ARENAS & 2 SEA DAYS

PUNTA ARENAS , CHILE - Pop.127,000, Spanish, Chilean Peso 570 = $1. US.

This is another tender port and it's Sunday so not many shops open in town.  Known for it's winds we're lucky to have partly sunny with light breezes.  We wandered around town and again purchased wine.  Chile is the world's 9th leading producer of wine.

Punta Arenas is under 900 miles from Antarctica and one of the shore excursion options was a 2 1/2 hour (each way) flight to visit the research station, maybe hike a little and, hopefully, see some wildlife such as penguins and whales.  This cost a mere $3500. US each - so, no we didn't partake.  It turned out that no one got to go to Antarctica because of fog.

MONDAY - Seas are a little rough again.  There was a big sale of S. America warm gear by the pool but they don't understand the concept of a sale as the prices were the same as in the stores last night.  Every day should get warmer as we're going north but the wind is wicked.

Around lunch time we entered another channel on our way to Amalia Glacier and the seas calmed.  We are in the Chilian fjords.  There is more than 1 glacier here and at first glance they don't appear massive but as we get closer they are impressive.  Aparently, the Amalia Glacier is the largest in the world.   They are quite blue and and we can see the results of the calving in the number of ice bergs around the ship.  One of the little orange rescue boats was put into the water  with photographers, etc. on it and they were able to grab a big piece of the ice to bring back on board.   The Amelia Glacier has retreated 7 km, the most of any glacier in the world. Animals that were spotted were sea lions, a deer-like animal and an albatross.

TUESDAY - Seas are a little calmer, winds a bit lighter and it's a tad warmer.  A quiet day on board- some reading, a screening of the video covering the ports since Buenos Aires with commentary by the Captain and the usual gym work.  Ric Steel a singer from the Grand Ole Opry was the entertainment and there was a country/western party later in the evening.