March 27, 2016

magellanic penguin

Raivo was very excited to see his first penguin in Puerto Williams. We spotted it at dusk, just along the shore of Seno Lauta, after one of our long days out walking.  He was beside himself with curiousity and could not help but go in for a quick look up close.

He did not remember seeing the Magellanic penguin colony (70,000 mating pairs) at Monte León National Park in Argentina when he was 6 months old or the Jackass penguin colony in Simons Town when he was a year old.

It is quite unusual to see penguins within the area of Puerto Williams, so we figured that there was something wrong with the little guy, and that he was probably sick or injured. 

We heard from some other sailors, Auli & Irjala from SV Manta, that they saw the same penguin a day later, a bit further down the shoreline of the Beagle, with a wound under its right wing.  It was falling over, getting attacked by the vultures. Sad news for my kids to hear, but also a gift for them to learn in real time about the cycle of nature and life.

Raivo takes a look at a lone juvenile Magallanic penquin on the shore of Seno Lauta Harbour.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Magellanic Penquin (juvenile) - Seno Lauta Harbour
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

viviana's puppies


Racing up the hill with their walking sticks to Viviana's house.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016).
Tormentina and Raivo give love to the two puppies left in the litter at Viviana's house.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016).

March 25, 2016

cruising world (usa) / april 2016

Cruising World (USA) / April 2016 print issue
"Finding Home at the Bottom of the World" - Story & Photos by Somira Sao

A destination piece about our in-port life in Puerto Williams (post-shipwreck) is featured in the upcoming print issue of Cruising World (USA). Magazine should be available on stands by April 1st and arriving by mail to subscribers now.

Thanks to editors Mark Pillsbury & Jennifer Brett for printing this piece and to Dave Weaver for the beautiful layout.




March 18, 2016

path to the whiskey bottle forest

Navigating and balancing on a narrow old path through the wetlands.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

flowering winter's bark

Winter's bark / Drimys winteri / Canelo.  Bark ground & used as a pepper substitute. Used by Cook, Winter, and
Drake to fight off scurvy. Also good for treating indigestion, colic, and dandruff.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016) 

last rays of light

Taking in the last rays of light at the end of a long day out.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

antarctic beech

Lichen covered Antarctic beech / Nothofagus antarctica / Ñirre.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

coihue and summer clouds

Coihue and summer clouds. Magellan's beech / Nothofagus betuloides / Coihue de magallanes.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

forest sculpture

Forest sculpture / (Artist Unknown)
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016).

March 14, 2016

magellanic strawberries

The kids have been looking, looking, and looking for the wild Magellanic strawberries on the island. We were worried we had somehow missed them for the season or that they would arrive after our departure for the birth of the baby.

At the beginning of February, we finally spotted a bright red berry hidden beneath the leaves of the Rubus geoides. Once we saw one, there were hundreds. Very tiny and tricky to get to - most are half buried in the soil - so a good task for tiny kids' fingers and a patient picker.

Magellanic strawberries (or rainberries) / Rubus geoides / fruitilla de magallanes (or frambuesa silvestre).
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Magellanic strawberries (or rainberries) / Rubus geoides / fruitilla de magallanes (or frambuesa silvestre).
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Magellanic strawberries (or rainberries) / Rubus geoides / fruitilla de magallanes (or frambuesa silvestre).
Magellan barberry / Berberis microphylla / Calafate.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Wild berry summer harvest.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Magellanic strawberries (or rainberries) / Rubus geoides / fruitilla de magallanes (or frambuesa silvestre).
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

tormentina in flight

Beagle Channel.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

abstract art of yellow lichen

Beagle Channel, Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Beagle Channel,
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Finely speckled. Beagle Channel.
 Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Between the crack. Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Lichen on a wrinkled boulder. Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)
Yellow on white. Beagle Channel,
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

little rock scrambler

Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016)

new fishing co-op & travel lift

In the last two years of living on the island we have not only heard about big government projects to develop Puerto Williams as an Antarctic Gateway, but we have seen before our eyes new infrastructure pop up out nothing.  Here is the nearly completed fishing co-op, with concrete pier & hard-stand, crane, and a 35T Marine Travel Lift.

Puerto de Pescadores
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Puerto de Pescadores
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Puerto de Pescadores
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

March 8, 2016

the great magellan's beech

Pearl with the great Magellan's beech / Nothofagus betuloides / Coihue.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

where the river meets the sea

The part of our river/forest/ocean loop walk where the river meets the sea.
Beagle Channel, Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena 

sunday's found objects

Limpets - Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Southern king crab / Lithodes centolla / Centolla - Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Fish bones - Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Colored algae - Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Fish bones - Beagle Channel
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

new tire swing

Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

rio ukika asado

Amazing how kids really don't miss much. They have been coming with me to all of my pre-natal appointments with the matron at the Navy Hospital. Last visit, the blood-work results showed that my iron levels were low, but I didn't even realize my kids were listening until they suggested having a barbeque on the river to get some extra protein in me.

They planned the menu (honeydew melon, roasted pork ribs, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, & marshmallows), shopped for the ingredients at Sotito's, and carried the food in their packs from town down to the river so I could carry my photo equipment. 

Awesome Sunday in the magical forest and on the river with my beautiful kids: collecting wood, building a fire, playing in the river, and eating grilled food... The only thing missing was James to complete our crew.

Summer asado organized by my three kids to get some extra protein in me before the birth of #4.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Rio Ukika
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Hot ribs fresh off the grill.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Post-asado walk home downriver.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Old man's beard / Usnea / Barbe de viejo
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

Pearl sitting in the middle of the forest dirt road.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Old man's beard / Usnea / Barba de viejo
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
Rio Ukika & the Magellanic forest
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)

pearl's daydream world

My 3-year-old daughter Pearl very often lives in her own space and time. A typical move in the middle of a walk is for her to suddenly lie down anywhere and just stare off into space or up into the sky, oblivious to anyone else. 

Only when she's good and ready does she get up and start moving. Usually not an issue, unless we need to be somewhere, or if she happens to choose to do this in the middle of the island dirt roads with oncoming traffic or wild horses approaching.

Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)
10 minutes later... after my two older kids scream out her name repeatedly.
Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (enero de 2016)