Planned itenery:
Sail on a comfortable catamaran to Magdalena Island, where you will visit the amazing Magellanic penguin colony and the lighthouse that bears the name of the island, in the Strait of Magellan. Start this unique adventure by checking in at the Laredo dock and then embark on a fast catamaran for an hour and 30 minutes to Magdalena Island, one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies in South America.
In the surrounding skies, we can also see black-browed albatrosses, Skuas, Terns, Cormorants, and Dominican Gulls. After walking for one hour, we start the return to Punta Arenas, where, if you are lucky, you will have the opportunity to see southern dolphins, Commerson’s dolphins, and Sei whales. This is undoubtedly an incomparable trip.
Our Day
Wednesday was promised to be windy and it is. Winds are gusting to 80 mph in the morning, making the temperature feel like 28 degrees. Nickolas met us at the hotel with a car and driver to show us Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas is the capital of Magallanes (this region) and was originally a penal colony and a disciplinary center for military personnel! In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the area drew thousands of Europeans escaping WWI and seeking their fortune in sheep-ranching, gold and coal mining, and the shipping industry. Nickolas took us back to the seaside to take more photos with many whitecaps in the background. The wind was so strong it blew Kimberly’s sunglasses down the shoreline! She was able to catch them! Nickolas added some local color to the story of Ernest Shackleton’s boat Endurance trapped in ice and its rescue by an ill-equipped Chilean Coast Guard vessel piloted by Luis Pardon Villalon, leading to the rescue of 22 castaways. Our second stop was the Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun, the site of many tombs of the elite of Punta Arenas, as well as the statue of Indiecito (Little Indian), representing the deceased indigenous groups, and it is now a totem for good luck. Sara Braun funded the street side facade of the cemetery, but stipulated that she would be the last one to use the central gates. After her death and burial, the gates were filled in and have not been used. We left the cemetery and headed up to Cerro de La Cruz for great views of the city and the Strait of Magellan, as well as a photo of us overlooking the roof of our restaurant from last night. Nickolas recounted the story of a convict who overthrew the area’s government and wrought death and destruction. He was finally turned in by his cohorts and eventually executed for his crimes. A local priest erected a wooden cross on the hill to commemorate the return of peace. It was subsequently destroyed and replaced by another priest, who still had a metal cross. Nickolas took us to Plaza Munoz Guerrero and pointed out the surrounding neoclassical mansions. He showed us the street leading to the sea where the city loops a rope between the poles in the winter so people can safely navigate the sidewalk! He popped into a local bank to help us use an ATM, and we learned that tourism is relatively new to Punta Arenas and that not all ATMs accept international cards. So off to Santander Bank we go! Our tour ended, and we stopped at a quirky restaurant advertising Peruvian food, offering Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc. We toured this fabulous French Beaux Arts style once Palacio Sara Braun opened at 3:30 PM.
