2025_26 Oosterdam, Glacier Alley...

I got up ay 0530 this morning for the scenic sailing through Glacier Alley…  Glacier Alley is a spectacular stretch of the Beagle Channel in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, most commonly viewed on voyages between Ushuaia, Argentina, and Punta Arenas, Chile. As ships pass through this remote corridor, towering glaciers cascade down from the snow-laden peaks of the Darwin Range, each with distinct colors, shapes, and histories. The interplay of ice, rock, and cold southern light creates a dramatic landscape that shifts constantly with the weather—brilliantly blue under clear skies, moody and imposing in mist, and dazzling when touched by sunset. Many of the glaciers are named after European countries—such as the Holanda, Italia, Francia, Alemania while the Romanche glacier was named after a French Frigate—reflecting the international expeditions that once charted these waters. We saw the Romanche glacier first, followed by the Francia, Italia and finally the Holanda glacier.  Waterfalls spill from melting ice, birds circle overhead, and sea lions often gather on the rocky shores, adding to the sense of wildness.  The conditions this morning we wonderful, despite being really, really cold.  Loved every minute of it…