At the bottom of the world
The world really is a round top, spinning around the sun. Sunrise is getting later, sunset earlier, but that will start to change now. We rounded Cape Horn this morning just after dawn.
On the way, we stopped at Punta Arenas, Chile, and Ushuaia, Argentina. Punta Arenas was surprisingly large and seemingly prosperous; besides tourism, there is also gas and oil production. We taxied into the Centro of Punta Arenas and had lunch at a small, family run restaurant near the beach. It was quite sunny and warm; later the Captain mentioned that he had never seen the weather there be so nice. In the evening the ship aimed toward Ushuaia. Passengers were allowed out on the bow the next morning as we sailed down Beagle Passage, to see the glaciers, and to watch the various islands and mountains pass by. There it was quite cold in the wind. The ship docked at Ushuaia about noon. Snowy rocky peaks rise directly out of the waterway. The town clings to the slope before it gets too steep, and spreads around the small bay. At Ushuaia, we didn't actually go into the town (it was Sunday), but rather took a short guided cruise around the bay, and visited islands populated with nesting cormorants and bellowing sea lions. There was no wind, it was relatively warm and cloudy, and the trip was quite comfortable.
Our guide told us that Ushuaia gets by because the various Argentine governments have been renewing its tax-exempt status for a decade or so. It's a long way away from anything, it's usually rainy or windy or cold, and the isolation gets to you; having no taxes helps. Besides the gas and oil, several electronics companies have assembly factories here. Parts are shipped in from China, finished products shipped to Buenos Aires, and salaries are relatively high for Argentina.
This morning we were up early again, to watch the rounding of the horn at dawn.
The archepelago of islands is made up of spikey points, some snow covered, or sporting a glacier scarf, sitting on the horizon edge to edge. They are push up mountains, not volcanic, carved from the layered seabed by wind and glaciers. The vista changes second to second, depending on the light. Magical. All day we have been entering and winding through the many islets and rocks, sometimes getting closer to land than I think I would. There was a bit of rain, but by and large this has been a calm, uneventful rounding of the horn. Spectacular.
On the way, we stopped at Punta Arenas, Chile, and Ushuaia, Argentina. Punta Arenas was surprisingly large and seemingly prosperous; besides tourism, there is also gas and oil production. We taxied into the Centro of Punta Arenas and had lunch at a small, family run restaurant near the beach. It was quite sunny and warm; later the Captain mentioned that he had never seen the weather there be so nice. In the evening the ship aimed toward Ushuaia. Passengers were allowed out on the bow the next morning as we sailed down Beagle Passage, to see the glaciers, and to watch the various islands and mountains pass by. There it was quite cold in the wind. The ship docked at Ushuaia about noon. Snowy rocky peaks rise directly out of the waterway. The town clings to the slope before it gets too steep, and spreads around the small bay. At Ushuaia, we didn't actually go into the town (it was Sunday), but rather took a short guided cruise around the bay, and visited islands populated with nesting cormorants and bellowing sea lions. There was no wind, it was relatively warm and cloudy, and the trip was quite comfortable.
Our guide told us that Ushuaia gets by because the various Argentine governments have been renewing its tax-exempt status for a decade or so. It's a long way away from anything, it's usually rainy or windy or cold, and the isolation gets to you; having no taxes helps. Besides the gas and oil, several electronics companies have assembly factories here. Parts are shipped in from China, finished products shipped to Buenos Aires, and salaries are relatively high for Argentina.
This morning we were up early again, to watch the rounding of the horn at dawn.
The archepelago of islands is made up of spikey points, some snow covered, or sporting a glacier scarf, sitting on the horizon edge to edge. They are push up mountains, not volcanic, carved from the layered seabed by wind and glaciers. The vista changes second to second, depending on the light. Magical. All day we have been entering and winding through the many islets and rocks, sometimes getting closer to land than I think I would. There was a bit of rain, but by and large this has been a calm, uneventful rounding of the horn. Spectacular.