At "zero dark thirty," as one of the fellow passengers called it, we got up. In our case, that's 5:00 in the morning, and it's no longer dark. We quickly got dressed and grabbed a light breakfast in the Lido Market, which opened early today at 5:00 because the tour to Magdalena Island, to see the penguin colony, departs at 6:00.
After grabbing our belongings, we headed downstairs to gather in Mainstage 1. The procedure was similar to when we went horseback riding because now we also had to disembark using a tender. Everything went smoothly and ashore, we passed by the SAG, who didn't check us, to board the catamaran on the other side of the pier. Many people joined us, so the boat was full, almost 200 people, we estimated. We were given a small backpack with a snack pack: 2 sandwiches, 2 small muffins, a granola bar, a chocolate bar, a juice box, and a bottle of water. We were told that these items couldn't be taken onto the penguin island.
It's a 1.5-hour sail, depending on the weather and what we encounter along the way. In our case, we spotted 3 whale spouts. Earlier, we had seen dolphins, but they are very swift here. With life jackets on, we were allowed to go outside, and of course, we took the opportunity.
We once again secured the best spots. The whales occasionally make an appearance, and the captain turns it into a small whale-watching tour. It's not clear what type they are, but one of the guides mentioned that they never breach out of the water. I'll look up which species that might be.
Then straight to Magdalena Island. The docking process takes a while, as does disembarking, as not everyone is particularly agile. After some additional explanations, we walk the 1.8 km path across the island and witness Magellanic penguins going about their business on all sides. It's very delightful.
There is also a large group of seagulls on the island, and both the penguins and the seagulls have chicks. Most of them are already quite large, but there is one baby seagull that is still tiny. We observe precisely as it is being fed by its mother. The penguin chicks are huge, almost as big and certainly thicker than their mothers. There is a special species of sardines here that is not fished, so they eat themselves round. At the end of the season, in April, the adult birds migrate northward and swim, depending on which current is most favorable, either via the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil or via the Pacific to northern Chile or Peru.
There are also a few brown birds, which are predators, the Chilean Skua. They prefer to eat seagull chicks, but they don't mind a penguin chick either.
After an hour, we return to the boat, where we consume some snacks from the snack pack, and one of the guides tells us about the breeding cycle of the penguins. Gradually, more and more people start to doze off. This time, we decide to stay indoors and tough it out, albeit with some difficulty.
We still want to explore
Punta Arenas a bit, but Jan has forgotten his wallet in the cabin, so we first take the tender back to the Oosterdam and then hop on another tender, which shuttles back and forth all afternoon, to the town. The town center isn't large, and there are only a few attractions.
The central square, Plaza de Armas, looks beautiful with its large trees and a monument for
Magellaan. The trees are truly massive. Along one side of the square, there are stalls selling souvenirs, adding vibrant colors to the scene.
We stroll past several palazzos, which look beautiful, although some could use a bit of renovation here and there. We search for a store that sells sunscreen, deodorant, and possibly insect repellent. The deodorant is for now, while the rest is for later in the trip. We find a pharmacy, where we manage to get the sunscreen and deodorant, but we'll have to get the insect repellent later. At least we're now rid of our small change.
On our way back to the boat, we walk along the waterfront and spot a monument to
Ernest Shackleton, whom Neil also talked about in his lecture. Many birds, which are cormorants, perch on the piers. For the first time this week, our stomachs signal that they're ready for some food, and this time, we listen to our stomachs along with our heads and hearts.
On board, at this time, around half past three, only the Dive In is open for food, so we decide to head there. Thankfully, that's not a problem. We order some food, grab a Budweiser, and once it's finished, we're pretty tired. In the cabin, Jan lies down for a bit and falls into a deep sleep within 10 seconds. I decide to take a nice bath and doze off a few times before I start writing the report.
Almost 2 hours later, Jan wakes up and we get ready for dinner. We opt for an easy option and head to the Lido Market. Luckily, we're on time for the first show of Meagan and Gabe. This time, we're seated right at the front. Unfortunately, we won't make it to the last show. We head upstairs because we feel it would be too embarrassing to leave halfway through or to fall asleep next to them. They deserve better than that. Plus, we have to get up early tomorrow.
