Punta Arenas Chile. Any info?

[mi000ke]

Punta Arenas as in where the Antarctic cruises leave from? Yikes.

Yeah. On one right now. Started in Buenos Aires. Currently on our way to Falkland Is., then Antarctica. Yesterday we had 15 foot swells and 20-30 knot winds. Could be interesting trying to get back on a dive boat in these seas. Stopping at Punta Arenas a few days after we get to Antarctica. No diving though. I had checked into it, but I'm strictly a warm water guy. Going hiking in the Patagonian forests instead.

 

[EduFiend]

@FreeFlyFreak quick update, didn't have time to pop by the shop on Monday but managed today. Spoke with them and their daughter is no longer working there but they do know of an operator that is taking bookings in Puerto Montt. I know it's far away and you probably won't visit it (I imagine the focus is on Patagonia), but if you do, let me know.

Sorry I couldn't find out something better. Best of luck down there.

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

@FreeFlyFreak quick update, didn't have time to pop by the shop on Monday but managed today. Spoke with them and their daughter is no longer working there but they do know of an operator that is taking bookings in Puerto Montt. I know it's far away and you probably won't visit it (I imagine the focus is on Patagonia), but if you do, let me know.

Sorry I couldn't find out something better. Best of luck down there.

Thanks for checking.

At this point I am 90% sure that I am going to skip the trip altogether.

My girlfriend is going for work and I was going to tag along.
But it looks like there is no local diving at the moment, and many things are canceled, including the NYE fireworks in Punta Arenas, Chile football season.

It would be nice to see Patagonia, but between the 50 hour round trip travel time to PA, the cold windy cloudy weather, the apparent lack of diving, the recent troubles, and the fact that there is not much else to do in PA itself, number 4 attraction on TripAdvisor is the Municipal Cemetary! (1 is trip to penguin Island, 2 is a museum with replicas of some old ships)
I think Im just going to stay home or go somewhere warm.
Oh well.

 

[karyllgonzalez]

I would go but skip the diving altogether. Drive up to Torres del Paine or Calafate and do some hiking. The scenery is spectacular, very reminiscent of New Zealand south island.

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

I would go but skip the diving altogether. Drive up to Torres del Paine or Calafate and do some hiking. The scenery is spectacular, very reminiscent of New Zealand south island.

If I was 18-35 or even 45 I'd agree with you, but at 53 years old the thought of 25 hours each way, traveling 3 flights by air, and then a 4 hr each way drive to hike some mountains doesn't exactly appeal to me like it used to.
Especially as I spend 20-30 hours every single week in aircraft for work.
I also have the Sierra Nevada, Tahoe and Yosemite all within a 3-4 hr drive of home, and Hawaii a 5 hr flight away

 

[karyllgonzalez]

For what its worth, I live in the rockies and was very impressed by the scenery in Patagonia.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Absolutely beautiful area but I was not remotely tempted to dive there. Torres de Paine etc are beyond description. Petrified Moreno glacier... so many topside wonders.

Super windy and often rough ocean but there’s certainly life in it. Dry suit for sure. Penguins like it though.

 

[Damselfish]

Yeah. On one right now. Started in Buenos Aires. Currently on our way to Falkland Is., then Antarctica. Yesterday we had 15 foot swells and 20-30 knot winds. Could be interesting trying to get back on a dive boat in these seas.

Yeah some friends did this a couple years ago, Sounded pretty gnarly.