This past September, I took a cruise with Cruceros Australis up and down the shores of Chile’s Patagonia. The journey began in Punta Arenas at the main port and disembarked in Puerto Natales further up the coast after taking in some of Chile’s most beautiful mountains. We explored the Fjord of Las Montanas also known as the “Canal de las Montañas” or in English, the Fjord of the Mountains.
Somewhere along the way, we were able to see the “Cruz de Froward”, the Froward Cross, which points to the very last tip of the American Continent. This is the southernmost piece of land in the region as any available land further south are the islands in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago.
I had a chance to meet Captain Enrique Rauch and ask him questions on the deck while we took in the scenery from the front of the ship.
Below is a video capturing the scenery from outside the ship as well as some of my time with Oh Capitaine!
Surrounding us were the breathtaking Sarmiento Mountains, several glaciers and a significant amount of native flora to be seen on both sides.
On the ship, there are a dozen or so cabins with larger rooms and queen beds while the rest are slightly smaller with two single beds, which of course can be pushed together.
Three times a day, the ship serves an enormous amount of food, usually set up in buffet style although a couple of times, we ordered from a selection of meat or fish and they brought both appetizers and main courses to our tables. The food was out of this world and ranged from a variety of salads, ceviche, fruits, and cream soups to main courses, which included roast beef, octopus and potatoes, choritos with salsa verde and seasoned rice with red peppers. I ran into this guy as I was rushing up to my room and well, he was rushing down to the main deck to serve guests. Yum!!
A dessert on one of the nights.
A few dish selections to whet your appetite.
Desserts included double chocolate mousse, papayas with ricotta cheese and nuts, rice pudding, caramel flan and fruit with ice cream. They also served a Santa Rita Medalla Real Carmenere and a Sauvignon Blanc with the meals.
One afternoon, we took zodiac boats over to the Bernal Glacier, while taking in the regional nature and fauna on the way. The area offers a varied flora and fauna from Chilean dolphins, cormorants, cypresses, lengas, ñires, and ferns to countless birds who perch themselves on the islands’ cliffs and in the forests.
My last activity on the ship was a salsa lesson with the ship’s dance instructor on the front of the deck. Is there a better way to end a cruise than to salsa dance outside with stunning views of Patagonia’s mountains and glaciers all around us?
And of course the deck is so serene after the sun sets.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
