Transiting the Straits

We’re anchored right now in the straits of Magellan, an area of unspeakable beauty. I really can’t describe how amazing the area of Patagonia is, which is why I’ve uploaded a lot of pictures today. We’re headed back north now, having transited as far south as we’ll go. A picture of the “Southern Cross” marking the southernmost point of continental South America (Tiera del Fuego is farther south, but they are all islands) is on the right. That was a fun point for the crew to get out and mill about and take pictures, despite the cold weather.
The Straits of Magellan are treacherous. I conned the ship through the most dangerous part, with only about 100 feet of wiggle room on either side of the ship, where we had to make 2 90-degree turns in a matter of minutes. It required precision and many ships have run aground for not steering it perfectly. As we’ve transited the straits, we’ve seen a number of shipwrecks alongside—an ominous reminder that these straits will swallow your ship if you aren’t careful. While some ships have been half-sunk, others, like the one pictured here, looks like it was just sitting there. I’d love to go on the ship to explore, which I’m trying to finagle today, but I doubt it will happen. We’re anchored only a mile or two from it.
The reason we’re anchored is because of a large storm with 30+ foot seas north of us. We’re waiting for it to pass. In the meantime, we took advantage of the island we’re anchored next to, which shields us from the wind. It was actually pretty warm (30s/40s) so we went out and played catch amid the backdrop of Patagonia. I think we’re probably the only people in history to play baseball in the straits of Magellan… It was also nice because we had our small boat in the water, who made sure to pick up any baseballs that went over the side, so we didn’t lose any. I’ll stop writing and use the time to post more pictures. I’ll try to update again soon, with even more pictures. While pictures are nice, they don’t do it justice—it’s truly an area you need to see with your own eyes.