From Punta Arenas we travelled to Ushuaia (more about there next post). However, on the way we had a chance to visit Garibaldi Glacier. The captain warned us it would depend on our Chilean pilot, who considers weather, wind direction, tides, etc. The trip was hit and miss – the blue circles on the below map was when we were open to the ocean winds, and things got hard enough that passengers were not allowed outside.

After the second turn the weather started clearing, and we knew we were getting close as more of the fjords were snow capped.

We got to the Garibaldi Channel and were allowed to enter. At some turns you can see the glacier in the distance. I was amazed by the dozens of waterfalls from the melting mountain-top snow. The mist was playing with us: here one minute, gone the next.

We knew were getting close when we spotted tiny icebergs floating down river. I was surprised we kept going.

The situation was good, so the pilot allowed us around the bend and into the glacier bay. Many passengers, including myself, moved to the ship’s outdoor observation decks for unobstructed views. Turns out we didn’t need to – the captain used the ship’s side thrusters to do 360-degree circles in the bay. Everyone got a perfect view no matter where they were on the ship.

But we finally meet the star of the show.

I’m glad we got the chance to see the glacier. The weather was all over the place, but the wind coming down the face of the glacier was vicious.

Three weeks ago, I was visiting the jungles of Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama. Three weeks from now I will be in the jungles of the Amazon. Today I viewed a glacier only hours from Antartica. This is why you do long-distance cruising.