Sunday, April 30, we arrive at the anchorage of Caleta Beaulieu, which lives up to its name. The landscape is simply sublime: blue sky, glaciers, cliffs plunging straight into a sea dotted with growlers that resonate against Libertaire's steel hull, vegetation and light in autumn colors, sea lions, the rumble of calving glaciers... There are sometimes magical places, spots that surpass others... Access here is by boat, and it remains the privilege of such isolated locations. The short hike that leads us to a panoramic view of this scenery is quite pleasant. In the evening, ice cubes are within reach for the Pisco Sour, the Chilean cocktail we adore! Definitely one of the most beautiful places we've been to!
We set off the next day for Caleta Cinco Estrellas in the Tres Mares fjord on Gordon Island. Even though the gray weather has returned, the landscapes here are fabulous and enhanced by the snow-capped peaks. We anchor in a highly protected little lagoon in front of a beautiful waterfall, and the centolla fishing is particularly fruitful!
We stay there for two nights, waiting for a small depression bringing sustained westerly winds to pass, and we weigh anchor on May 3 for Caleta Akalush on Chair Island, a few miles to the west. The surroundings are also suitable for hikes, albeit limited due to the age of our two daughters (well, mostly because we each have to carry 15 kilos...), but we still manage to reach beautiful viewpoints. The descent this time is under snowflakes.
Friday, May 5, we leave in the morning (it doesn't get light before 9 AM) to reach the anchorage of Estero Coloane by taking the Barros Merino channel, which connects to the Brazo Sudoeste of the Beagle Channel. The good weather returns, and we take advantage of it to stroll around this anchorage surrounded by glaciers. The presence of beavers is very noticeable here, with many trees felled and clear traces of their powerful teeth. Imported fifty years ago for their fur, the rodent has become a real scourge for the region's ecosystem.
Sunday morning we wake up surrounded by frozen sea almost 1 cm thick, giving us an idea of the temperature here! An otter comes around the boat walking on the ice, whereas the day before it was open water! We continue our little journey by stopping at Caleta del Bosque at the entrance to the Estero Fouque fjord, where the less hilly surroundings are easier for Diane and Nina's little legs. Tonight we are anchored at Caleta Chorlito and should weigh anchor tomorrow morning to reach the Beagle Channel, thus completing our tour of Gordon Island before returning to Puerto Williams by the end of the week and preparing Libertaire for its wintering. Photos will follow in a few days, hoping they will capture the landscapes that have amazed us over the past weeks.
Have a great extended weekend, everyone!