Glaciers, Glaciers, Glaciers

The Skorpios III sailed during the night so we awoke to new scenery.  This was to be our first day of up-close glacier viewing so we were apprehensive.  Following directions we were dressed warmly.  I counted 4 layers on the bottom and 6 on top with outside layers being water-proof.  We were given life-jackets (not the ones in our cabins - those are for emergencies) and assisted on to a small transport boat with an outboard motor.  There were plenty of young strong crew to assist us on and off the boat.  We disembarked on a terminal moraine (where the iceberg had ended and left behind rocks and sand).  We walked a half mile one way: first on sand (ground rock), then moss, lichen, small alpine flowers, and then very rocky, treacherous terrain.  We ended up very close to Amalia Glacier.  After a good look, we started back.  I was lucky to have Chuck help me.  In the meantime, a glacier had calved and the ice field was so thick that our little boat could not get close.  Crew members had to wade out with a pick ax and break up ice so the boat could get closer. We boarded the small boat just as it started to rain.  Off the boat, off with the life jackets, and then lunch.  Around 1:15 PM, we headed out again.  On with the life jackets, get on the boat, and head to ElBrujo Glacier.  Actually we just climbed up a slick rock covered with lichen, had our picture taken by a glacier and got back on the small boat.  Back to our big boat, off with the life jackets, and have a cup of hot tea and some treats, of course.  Around 5:15 PM we boarded the ice-breaker Constantino.  It had two levels and the lower one was covered and heated.  We moved through a very thick ice field.  You could hear big pieces of ice (from the size of a 5 gallon bucket to the size of a car or bigger) hitting against the boat at all times.  During the two hours we were on the ice breaker, we saw dolphins swimming along side the boat, sea lions were playing on the banks, and we saw Cormorants on the side of a cliff.  We saw at least 8 glaciers --sometimes you could look down a fijord and see 6 at one.  We also saw multiple waterfalls.  We were served drinks with glacier ice.  Headed back to the Skorpios !!! around 8 PM.  Dinner at 9 PM.  This has been a full day.