Our last day in Torres del Paine and it was again, just like the day before, a calm spring morning with little to no wind. This here is Lago Grey, with Glacier Grey far off in the background. While you will find wind in most place, this part of Torres del Paine, on the west side of the park, is notorious for some really crazy, knock you on your butt winds. But not this day. Our last day in the park, we decided to take it easy after a few days of strenuous hikes. We drove to the south end of Lago Grey and made our way across this spit of land, a mix of sand and large pebbles, that is usually covered in water during the summer months. Three quarters of the way across the lake, an island rises up, with the start of a trail that leads to a lookout point. I ventured on up this stone pebble embankment, to get close to the shore, when I saw these chunks of the glacier. I threw on my telephoto lens and snapped away. The surface was so calm, almost eery to be that still, and the glacier chunks coupled with the glacier off in the back, made for such a great shot. Lago Grey, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile Google Maps Location photo was taken from: https://goo.gl/aesyFc
We could not have asked for better conditions that morning. Getting up super early in the AM to catch the sunrise, we hoped there would be no clouds. The forecast the night before called for clear skies, so our fingers were crossed. We knew of this location from the first day we drove by it and instantly knew we had to get back there. This is right on Lake Pehoe, from a little spit of an island that has a hotel on it called Hosteria Pehoe. It is such a tiny island that there is only a small footbridge to get over to it. My buddy and I were setup along the shore the whole morning, when a guest at the hotel was making her way over the bridge to her car. She told us there was an amazing view on the island that gives you an gorgeous panoramic view of the mountain range. Man oh man she wasn’t kidding! Not only was the sky clear as day, but the howling high winds we experienced mostly every day in Patagonia, were nonexistent. This made for a silky smooth surface with a perfect reflection. It was as if even the fish underneath and potential birds landing on the surface, knew we were here, taking pause for us to grab this shot. Hosteria Pehoe, Torres de Paine, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile Google Maps Location photo was taken from: https://goo.gl/B0xw5f
Peggotty Bluff in King Haakon Bay, our first day on land in South Georgia, was a nippy 28 degrees Fahrenheit. But that wouldn’t stop us from going onshore to get our first view of king penguins, elephant and fur seals. Behind us, the tallest peak obscured slightly in clouds, is the 4,000ft peak of Mount Cunningham. And then three glaciers, two which have receded up the peaks, and the other on the far left coming down from the Murray Snowfield. At the opening of King Haakon Bay, Cave Cove on Cape Rosa, is where Ernest Shackleton and his men first set foot on South Georgia, from their epic 800 mile journey across the Atlantic from Elephant Island. This my friends, was in a 22.5 foot sailboat, on open ocean water in the winter. I repeat, a 22.5ft sailboat, open ocean water, winter time, the Southern Atlantic Ocean of dead winter, no GPS, only wet drenched maps, and barely any food or water. And we thought we were cold, bundled up in multiple layers of clothes with wind/waterproof jacket and pants. Peggotty Bluff at King Haakon Bay, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Google Maps Location photo was taken from: 54°8'45.065" S 37°16'58.805" W
