Nova Scotia Nature Trust's Expedition for the Earth Dispatch
February 4, 2013 – Our First Few Days in Photos
Forecast posted at the park entrance – wind speeds, cloud cover and temperatures - looks like we are going to going to be lucky! It’s forecasted to have clear days (our views of the Torres del Paine have already been fantastic).
On our transfer from Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine National Park, we first drove by the lovely port city of Puerto Natales. Then we visited a Chilean National Monument, Cueva del Milodón or “Cave of the Milodon” (an extinct animal).
We all felt the park was maintained very nicely, and with Felipe and Harry’s explanations we enjoyed a brief introduction to the archeology and geology as well as the flora and fauna of this arid eastern side of the mountains.
The team poses for a photo with a prehistoric Milodon before continuing toward Torres del Paine.
Our first view of the “torres” the granite towers across the Sarmiento Lake.
We will be hiking up the valleys approaching these fabulous spires in the days to come.
Our photographs of the spires were not easy to take because of the high winds. Ted embraced Rene so that she could hold her camera steady enough to get a good shot. Patagonia is a wild place!
We arrived at our lodge at about 5:30pm. Laura greatly enjoyed a cold beer after a long bus ride. We are all happy that we will be walking for the next days. No more airplanes and buses.
Deborah, Laura and Earlene toast to being in Torres del Paine National Park.
Just before dinner we sat round a table for a briefing.
Our two Chilean guides, Felipe and Harry (shown here at a highway stop on our drive to Torres), are going to be excellent resources. Their knowledge of natural history and appreciation for the natural world is superb, and we have great deal of fun with them; they are great guys.