Day 23 – Scenic Cruising and Glacier Pio XI

Tim and I were up bright and early for our first zodiac cruise, but before that, we headed to the Bow for the Morning Crepes Station, served by Viking Octantis Hotel Officers. I went for a sweet crepe, while Tim opted for a savory one.

Executive Housekeeper Goran, Restaurant Manager Alfredo, and Guest Services Manager Selene
Manning the Morning Crepes Station

We are anchored today in Arancibia, Chile, just a short distance from the Pio XI Glacier. Located in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, Pio XI Glacier is the largest glacier in South America. In fact, it is as large as the city of Santiago, and it’s growing every day, unlike most glaciers, which are retreating.

A Beautiful View this Morning

We were informed that we wouldn’t be able to see the glacier until early this evening, however, when Viking Octantis will set sail for Pio XI. 

The Expedition Team Deploys Zodiacs to Assess Conditions Before Giving the Final OK - 
Conditions Were Excellent, and the Kayaks Were Being Towed to the Staging Area

It took a bit of time for Tim and me to get into our cold weather gear and figure out how to wear the life jackets, but we finally got the hang of things and made our way to the landing area where we boarded our zodiac. Our cruise was 45 minutes long, and we motored around, looking for dolphins and other wildlife. It was too dangerous for zodiacs to get anywhere near the glacier, so we stayed closer to the ship.

Tim and Sarah, All Suited Up for the Cold

One of the highlights was a waterfall that our guide took us to, and he nosed the zodiac right up to it. We also sailed around our first iceberg, which was probably just a bergy bit since it was fairly small, but it was still very cool to see it up close.

Zipping Around in our Zodiac and Seeing a Waterfall and Iceberg Up Close

A Great View of Viking Octantis from the Zodiac

Tim had an exciting afternoon when he took a ride on the submarine. A zodiac took him to the submarine, where he boarded and descended into the depths. He saw lots of tube sponges, as well as crabs and rays, and really enjoyed the ride. He shared these photos with me.

Tim's Submarine Excursion

During dinner, Captain Joergen sailed Viking Octantis toward Pio XI Glacier, and we anchored less than 1,500 feet away from its face. I didn’t get a photo as we were sailing in to capture the enormity of the glacier in one shot, but believe me, the size was amazing. What a spectacular sight with shapes and colors that were exquisite.

The Magnificent Pio XI Glacier

Closer Details of the Pio XI Glacier

We were told not to expect much calving, which is the breaking of ice chunks from the edge of a glacier, because it’s so early in the season and the ice is still very hard. Some passengers, however, were very lucky to see this phenomenon, and I was able to watch a few of their videos.

Several of Us Experimented with Taking Photos of the Glacier's Reflection in the Explorers' Lounge Windows

We remained at the glacier until the sun set, which was not until 9:05 pm. What a wonderful end to a wonderful day!

Shortly after I wrote the preceding paragraph, I happened to look out my window as we were sailing away and happened to see another incredible sight. What appeared to be a huge full moon had risen over the glacier. Wow!

Full Moon Over Pio XI Glacier

After googling November’s full moon date, I learned that the peak illumination in Chile will not happen until 10:19 am tomorrow. This will also be the largest supermoon of the year, and what I saw tonight did seem larger and brighter than an average full moon.