BTimmer's Almost Live Grand South America 10/7/23 -12/19/2023

[mustgo]

Have enjoyed your review so far but really looking forward to the review starting now. We are booked starting in Santiago on Dec 16th

[Btimmer]

We reached Isla Robin Crusoe about 12 hours early after doing a higher speed run than originally planned. Theresa's were about 12 foot swells from a storm near Castro to the south of us.  The plan is to anchor for the night and assess the situation in the morning for the tendering operation.

 

As we approached the island, a pod of whales appeared.  

 

 

[cccole]

What an incredible cruise.  I am enjoying your blog and your cc posts.  We will be boarding the Oosterdam in San Antonio on January 7 for a 21 day cruise.

 

I have a question about bringing flowers and/or fruit on board.  I love fresh flowers and travel with a Modgy vase.  If you have info about bringing flowers on board in ports I would appreciate it.  Cherie 

[Btimmer]

21 minutes ago, cccole said:

What an incredible cruise.  I am enjoying your blog and your cc posts.  We will be boarding the Oosterdam in San Antonio on January 7 for a 21 day cruise.

 

I have a question about bringing flowers and/or fruit on board.  I love fresh flowers and travel with a Modgy vase.  If you have info about bringing flowers on board in ports I would appreciate it.  Cherie 

Thank you for following along.  

 

I don't think you'll have a problem bringing them on board, but don't expect to remove them from the ship (especially fruit is not allowed off the ship).

 

Also please keep in mind that this is a Grand Cruise and not everything (entertainment, food items and port stops, etc.) that I post about will necessarily be on the traditional San Antonio to BA cruise (which we did previously in 2017 on the Zaandam). We're being pampered on this cruise and really enjoying it as it is our first Grand Cruise.

[Btimmer]

Below are a few first pictures of Isla Robinson Crusoe.  We've anchored in the shelter of the island for the night which will help some to sleep better as there will be little motion to the ocean. The lighting is hat gives the black & white look to many of the pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

Also, we had great views of the Andes last night, including Mt. Chaicén.

 

 

We also had a giant Halloween party last night that I'll do a separate post on.

[Btimmer]

1 hour ago, Btimmer said:

Also, we had great views of the Andes last night, including Mt. Chaicén.

 

 

We also had a giant Halloween party last night that I'll do a separate post on.

The Mountain is actually Corcovado based upon further research by my wife.

[Btimmer]

Here's our view after dinner in the Crow's Nest scenic cruising the Chilean fjords.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Btimmer

[cccole]

Wow, these photos are great.  Can't wait for our January cruise.

 

Also, thank you for giving me info re flowers and fruits.  I'm happy I can bring them onboard and will definitely not bring anything food or plant related off the ship.  Thank you again for letting us cruise with you,  Cherie

[Btimmer]

Here's a few more from tonight's almost finished scenic cruising.  Tomorrow is the spectacular day.

 

 

 

 

[bennybear]

On 10/22/2023 at 8:22 PM, Btimmer said:

Thanks for the question.

 

I have a pretty simple setup.  I generally shoot most with my Nikon P900 point & shoot which has an 80x zoom.  I don't shoot in Raw.  My other camera is my iPhone 13.  I transfer most photos from the P900 to the iPhone using Nikon's wireless transfer APP.  I do some simple and limited cropping and/or post processing on either the P900 or in an APP Camera+ on the iPhone.  If snorkeling or more extreme activity is involved, I also have a DJI 3 action camera with me.

 

I don't strive for perfection in my editing, but I do like close-ups of animals or flowers.  I also don't tend to shoot movies as I dislike editing video because it is so time consuming.

 

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

If you see another p900 aboard, it’s likely my cousin!  Have fun! 

[Btimmer]

More than "Almost Live".  Live from El Brujo glacier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

It's been a very wet and low clouds day scenic cruising the Chilean Fjords.  No pictures.  In about an hour there's a special attraction coming.

[scubacruiserx2]

Enjoy Punta Arenas and we pray that you get to see Torre del Paines and the Penguins @ the Falklands . Both are spectacular as is Glacier Alley . 🙏 🙏

 

[Btimmer]

Yesterday's special attraction was the Santa Leonor shipwreck we encountered at 7:10pm after a wet and cloudy day of scenic cruising. It was a former liberty ship that grounded in 1968.  Some steel and the propeller have been salvaged. It was cool to see it again after 6 years.

 

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

Here's a few pictures from today in Punta Arenas.  It was a bit windy today, but dry.

 

I'm behind on my blog, but I'll catch up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

We are just starting our scenic cruise down Glacier Alley..

 

Here's the first Glacier:  Spanish Glacier.

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 Enjoy Glacier Alley and the End of the World - Ushuaia . They have a nice , affortable walk up boat tour around the islands , bay and lighthouse with very closeup photos of many birds and sea Lions . Try the Centolla - fresh King Crab with spikes on it's carapace and claws , best King Crab ever for us . We got within 1 mile from the dock on Christmas Day in 2019 when we decided to aboart  the landing with the Zaandam . Baa humbug .

 

 

[Btimmer]

We just circumnavigated Cape Horn and are making our way across the Drake Passage.  Only one meter seas so far.

 

 

 

Seafarers Memorial

Lighthouse keeper cottage with church to the left.

[0106]

@Btimmer Thank you for your posts.  I am very interested in how you explored Punta Arenas.  Private tour?  I will be on the Oosterdam in February and had hoped to visit the penguins on Magdalena Island while there but have been unable to find a private tour company that I like.  Thoughts?

[Btimmer]

8 minutes ago, 0106 said:

@Btimmer Thank you for your posts.  I am very interested in how you explored Punta Arenas.  Private tour?  I will be on the Oosterdam in February and had hoped to visit the penguins on Magdalena Island while there but have been unable to find a private tour company that I like.  Thoughts?

I'm seriously behind in my blog posts, but thd ship had tours out to the island and I think there were tours bookable on shore.  As for us we took a horrible 3 stop bus  tour of downtown for $75/pp that afterwards we walked plus much more.  The town is quite walkable.  Personally I loved our boat tour out to the Ballestas at General San Martin. Chile where we saw the Magellan penguins.

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

@Btimmer Thank you for your posts.  I am very interested in how you explored Punta Arenas.  Private tour?  I will be on the Oosterdam in February and had hoped to visit the penguins on Magdalena Island while there but have been unable to find a private tour company that I like.  Thoughts?

 

@0106We see that @Btimmer is busy on his web site and cruise and we may be able to answer your question if you would like . We last went on to South America / Antarctica over Christmas/NYE on the Zaandam in 2018/2019 . The first time we went to South America we walked around Punta Arenas . The second time we took the ships cruise from PA to Torres del Paine by plane and bus in 2013 on the Zaandam . Spectactular but expensive . In 2018 we booked our own cruise to the penguin island in PA . It is all shown and described at this link including Antartica . We did stay an extra 9 days in Patagonia which was spectacular before our cruise and stayed 3 extra days in BA after the cruise . Click on the link below if you would like to see it .

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

We've also done this cruise previously on the Zaandam, so we have a fair idea of what to see and do.

[0106]

@scubacruiserx2 Thx, I have previously viewed your entire trip report.  I am looking for a reliable tour operator to see penguins from Punta Arenas.  I would prefer not to use the public ferry.  I have found some that require full payment and will not refund if the ship doesn’t make the port.  I’ve found others that leave early in my the morning, prior to our 10 am arrival.  I’m wait listed for the very expensive HAL tour.  Just st trying to see penguins at every possible port in case we miss some of our stops.

[Ellencruise]

2 hours ago, 0106 said:

@scubacruiserx2 Thx, I have previously viewed your entire trip report.  I am looking for a reliable tour operator to see penguins from Punta Arenas.  I would prefer not to use the public ferry.  I have found some that require full payment and will not refund if the ship doesn’t make the port.  I’ve found others that leave early in my the morning, prior to our 10 am arrival.  I’m wait listed for the very expensive HAL tour.  Just st trying to see penguins at every possible port in case we miss some of our stops.

Have you looked at your roll call? There may be some private tour recommendations. March 23 we landed in Falklands and took a 4 hour tour out to Volunteer Point and I “danced “ with the penguins. It was a lot less expensive than HAL.