Punta Arenas and Magdalena Island Penguin tour
After a scenic cruise we arrive the following morning at Punta Arenas, Chile on February 7th. We are greeted once again with rather chilly and rainy weather. Our tour is not until 2:30 and we hope the weather improves. Unfortunately we decided too late to take the morning included tour of Punta Arenas, and there was no space. With social distancing they usually run the tours at half capacity. Hence we enjoy a leisurely morning and lunch on board. The rain has stopped and slowed to an occasional drizzle. We walk off the ship and are guided to another spot on the pier where a huge catamaran awaits us to take us to the Island of Magdalena and to the penguin colony. This catamaran was unlike any I have ever been on and was arranged in what I would say “ferry” transport. Extremely crowded, no place to walk except for outside and since it was drizzling and windy no one was inclined to go out there. It was the most unpleasant 90 minute boat ride I have ever experienced. Not only the crowding, certainly no social distancing, it was also noisy with so much chatter. I had to tune out totally and took a nap. Luckily a skill I had developed during my working days. Not the nap part, but the tuning out of surrounding noises and distractions. However, once we got there and disembarked onto the island, which is an entire penguin preserve, we decided it was worth the torturous ride. There is a functioning light house on the island and rangers patrol the area and study the penguins. I had been on this island before ( that ride over to the island was much more pleasant) so the first thing that struck me there were many more seagulls than penguins. Though, of course there were still plenty of them. Most of the babies had already molted so not too distinguishable from the parents. But what a site to behold. I asked the ranger about the penguin population decline, and she advised that as more seagulls called this island home the penguins decided it was too noisy and busy and many left to settle on a different island of which there were many and most not accessible. It was good to learn that the penguins were still doing well and thriving. Luckily, though it was cold 49 and windy, the rain was barely a drizzle and we rather enjoyed our walk around the island. After re-boarding the boat the rain started and once again I took a nap after consuming their idea of a meal, a very interesting sandwich. I left behind all the sweets. But when you a hungry you’ll eat what is available. It was 6 o’clock and definitely meal time. Our tour got back at 7:30, yes it was still light, doesn’t get dark there this time a year until 9:30. However, instead of finding our ship at the pier, only a tender was awaiting us. Where did the ship go? It had to leave the port and was anchored a ways out and the tender took us back to the ship. By then the waves and rains picked up some and it tool quite a while before our tender was securely attached to the ship in order for us to get from one to the other. Safely back on board, all we could think of was a warm shower and a bed. Oh, and of course a glass of wine to toast the end of a good day.
It was a great trip!
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