Day 3: Punta Areas to Las Lengas

The alarms went off at 6:00 am this morning – for breakfast at 7:00 am and boarding our ferry to Tierra del Fuego at 8:30 am. We were waking/packing up when Matias informed us the ferry was delayed by 30 minutes. Bonus half-hour of sleep!!! Plus a few extra moments to enjoy the sunrise from our balcony.

Morninghawks

We headed downstairs and the music playing in the restaurant reminded us that Chile is the land of (typically) well-produced cover songs — typically pop songs with a genre twist. This morning we got some female acoustic Coldplay followed by big band Dua Lipa. It’s a bit like the Celebrity Jeopardy clues where Johnny reads the lyrics and you try to figure out the song. Anyways, we ate our breakfast, drank our cappuccinos, and loaded into the van for the ferry.

All aboard!

Matias Guide (who also does the driving for the guest van) dropped us off and waited in line as the rest of us walked onto the boat. While getting settled, expedition coordinator Roberto arrived. Roberto was one of our guides in Torres del Paine in 2019, and is now Explora’s Director of Explorations. We caught each other up on the last six years while we waited for the ferry to depart!

Hi, Mica!!

Once we were on our way, we went outside to enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze on the deck. We even spotted some whales off in the distance. The entire team of staff and guests got together to introduce ourselves. In addition to the five guests and the two guides, we now have with us: Ema – hospitality and server, Alexandra – housekeeping, Alberto – driver, Alexis – chef, Sebastian – manager, and Roberto who is filling in for Sebastian when he leaves for the birth of his child tomorrow. I guess that’s a good enough reason to leave.

So long, mainland Chile!

The weather was beautiful, so we spent the rest of the two-hour ferry ride outside on the deck. We docked in Porvenir which has a population of about 6,900 people. Matias Guide took us on a driving tour of the town, which only took about 10 minutes. On the way out, we stopped at an overlook with a monument to the native Selk’nam people and the Hain ceremony where the boys became men.

Indigenous spirit power rankings as explained by Matias Guide

Our drive continued south along the coast, circling an area they call Useless Bay, named because it is too shallow for boats. However, it is also too shallow for large marine animals, making it perfect for penguins!!!

A colony of penguins lives in an area along the bay. Back in the day, before a conservation area was established to protect the penguins, the guides said some people would pull dumb pranks like grabbing a penguin and driving off with it until the penguin started causing understandable trouble, prompting said morons to leave the penguins on the side of the road. This was obviously bad, hence a reserve was established to protect them.

When in Pinguino Bay…

Found the colony! About 100 strong

Penguin scoping penguins

Close up

The reserve is home to King penguins (and apparently one crested penguin from New Zealand named Hugo that somehow made his way here). Adult King penguins have orange around their heads and on their chests, while juveniles (5-6 years and younger) are all black and white, and the babies are brown and fuzzy. We spent about thirty minutes observing the penguins from the lookout hut before having a traditional Explora lunch (soup!).

Penguin park lunch

Bye penguin friends!

Next stop was Estancia Cameron, a 100,000-hectare ranch with three sectors. We visited the first sector, known for its sheep bearding and shearing. They raise the sheep, shear them, and sell the raw wool. We learned a bit about the process and different types of wool that the sheep have. Most importantly, we met Pillio, the four-year-old border collie. Pillio means naughty boy in Spanish, but that’s preposterous, he was clearly a very good boy.

Thoughts on wool economics, hunting politics, and the best sheep-herding dogs

Good boy!!!

Finally, we drove to our lodging for the night, Estancia Las Lengas. The drive took about an hour and a half, most of it through the other two sectors of Estancia Cameron. We crossed into the Guanaco Pampa area, which is in the Selk’nam territory, in the district Timaukel (no longer in the Porvenir district). The population here is only 300. Everything is very spread out and we didn’t see many other people. Perfect!

We followed a windy dirt road for 11 kilometers off the main dirt road, through a lenga forest until we arrived at the lodge. We settled into our room, and Matt walked to the nearby Lake Blanco.

Our cabins for the night

What’s up, dock?

Tierra del Fuego vibes

Windswept coastline

The group met up at 7:30 pm for the briefing and appetizers (and wine, obviously) before heading to dinner. With the lodge in such a remote area, electricity is provided via a generator, and lights (and internet) are only promised until ~11:00 pm. Looks like the camping lantern we brought will come in handy!

Briefing for tomorrow’s plan

Tomorrow we leave Estancia Lengas and head to Estancia Fagnano with a 11km hike along the way.