Day 28 – Garibaldi Fjord, Chile

Viking Octantis was still sailing when I cautiously opened the blinds this morning. Would it be raining, as predicted, or would we be lucky? Although there were raindrops on the window and the sky was overcast, it was not raining. Hooray!

Today was our day to sail the Garibaldi Fjord. This fjord, as well as the Agostini Fjord which we visited yesterday, is located within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The fjord is one of Chile’s most beautiful and is characterized by towering cliffs that rise from the water. The cliffs are covered with forests at their bases, glaciers at their peaks, and hundreds of waterfall ribbons at their faces.

My First Look at the Scenery along the Garibaldi Fjord

At the head of the fjord is the spectacular Garibaldi Glacier. This glacier is unusual due to its medial moraine, a geologic feature that forms at the union of two glaciers. It appears as if a dark line has been drawn down the center of the glacier, separating it into two halves.

While Tim and I were at breakfast, I happened to look up and saw that the glacier was coming into view. Everyone, including the crew, made a beeline to the outer deck to photograph this beautiful sight. Too soon, however, the ship made a U-turn, and we lost sight of the glacier. We had been advised yesterday that we would most likely be anchoring nearby, which we did. Although it seemed that the Captain just wanted to give us a peek at this majestic glacier, I learned later that he had determined it was not safe to anchor too close to it.

Garibaldi Glacier

Tim and I were booked on a Special Operations Boat (SOB) excursion, so we suited up and made our way to the hanger. Specialist Loreen was our guide, and she provided commentary throughout the ride. The highlight of the ride was the closeup view of the Garibaldi Glacier. It was a magnificent sight.

Tim and Sarah in Our SOB

Our Views of Viking Octantis as We Sailed Away in the SOB

Getting Closer and Closer to Garibaldi Glacier

As we turned back to the ship, we traveled close to the shore, where we saw waterfalls and various birds, including a rookery of Imperial Cormorants, nesting on the steep rock face. When Tim returned a short while later on a zodiac cruise, he saw a hawk feasting on the eggs. That’s nature!

Beautiful Scenery in the Garibaldi Fjord

Rookery of Imperial Cormorants (top) and Hawk Feasting on Cormorant Eggs (bottom)

Lunch today included a special Churrasco Sandwich station. Churrasco is a traditional Chilean dish of thin-sliced grilled steak, and it was delicious, although quite messy.

Churrasco Sandwich Station, Courtesy of Executive Chef Beni, Hotel General Manager Anastasios,
and Executive Housekeeper Goran

When we were on the SOB, virtually all the floating ice in the fjord was located immediately in front of the glacier. By the time Tim and I had finished our lunch, the tide had changed, and Viking Octantis was now surrounded by ice. What a sight!

Garibaldi Fjord Filled with Ice

Tonight was the Viking Farewell Reception for those guests disembarking in Ushuaia, Argentina. Tim and I had not planned to attend, since we’re not disembarking, but we happened to watch the show on our Stateroom TV. I’m rather sorry we did since it may have spoiled the surprise for our own Farewell Reception in two weeks.

At dinner, we sat next to a lovely couple we had met last night. John and Nancy are from Washington State, and Tim and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. It reminded me of the connection we made with Jacquee and Larry, who sat next to us most days on the World Cruise. Unfortunately, John and Nancy will be disembarking in two days.

John and Nancy

As we exited the Garibaldi Fjord this evening, we moved into the Beagle Channel, a strait in Tierra del Fuego that is about 150 miles long and three to eight miles wide and forms part of the Chile-Argentina border. Here, we continued to see many other glaciers. Some were hanging glaciers, while others were tidal glaciers, all of which had that beautiful blue color. We continue to be treated to more and more beautiful scenery every day.

The Beautiful Beagle Channel