Fiordo Peel (Brujo Glacier) and making our way against staring winds and growing seas towards Eyre Fjord.

The bay lies in a privileged location between the entrances of Estero Amalia and Estero Asia, a good starting point nestled in the exploratory region for these two fjords and Peel.

And that is precisely the idea for today. Heaving anchor by daybreak and going deeper into the area, trying to reach the Brujo Glacier. Making way along spectacular narrow and steep inlets, covered in pristine dense forests and festooned by numerous eye-catching waterfalls, it is about an hour and a half later when the Europa reaches the very edge of charted waters in Asia Fjord. Brash ice drifts in the bay, the ship manoeuvres amongst it. Abruptly tumbling down the mountains, the shiny clean ice of Glacier Brujo stretches just a couple of miles in front of us. Precipitous bluffs surround it. Thick woods, jungle-like vegetation and the profusion of lichens and mosses carpeting the rocks give us a hint of the large amount of precipitation that falls here.

Standing right in front of the ice lie a couple of islets, recently emerged from beneath the receding ice cover. Yet another bewitching sector of these enchanting channels. New whereabouts to explore for all of us. The ship has never been here, neither the crew nor our pilots.

The beauty of the head of the fjord reveals itself as soon as a landing spot is picked. Setting foot on untouched ground, in the thick of untamed nature, surrounded by powerful glacial scenery, makes for an intense experience ashore.

The pouring rain gradually fades, leaving behind a window of even sunny weather, long enough to last for our landing.

The glacier front shocks us often with thunderous noises, as it frequently calves. It takes a while though until the brash ice stranded along the coast where we walk feels the ups and downs of the waves created by them. Ashore there are no paths, no signs of anyone ever having walked this spot. Easy rocks to walk on, low round hills to ascend, the thrill of a bit more difficult terrain to climb the highest ones around, the excitement of crossing a densely forested section. All over, a combination of the most enchanting and powerful scenery.

The weather window closes down. Gusts sweep Asia fjord, rain falls again. It is time to board the ship again and resume the way along the Chilean Channels. Around the corner the ship pokes her nose into Caleta Villarica scouting for an anchorage or a landing place. Wind starts blowing in the 30-knot range, waves grow as well. The whole surroundings give the impression of an impenetrable forest. An easy decision to turn around and head northwards, now straight to the distant Eyre Fjord, where we hope to find the mighty Pio XI glacier. Easier said than done, Europa faces again blows that climb up to 50 kn on her nose. Aloft one of the sails that was under repair is bent on no matter the rain and wind. The progress in the evening and first half of the night is laborious and slow. First dealing with adverse seas and weather along the long Pitt Channel, to wake up afterwards at the dawn of the new day at the so-called Icy Channel. Still it will take until the afternoon to get to the planned destination.

For the last couple of days:

A large calving glacier extends along the head of Amalia fjord. Steep rocky slopes covered with mosses, lichens, bushes and old forest surround it on either side. A jungle-like environment. Woods that grow and thrive here thanks to the constant rain.

A chance to set foot ashore at its southern tip. Here round rocky outcrops show up amongst the sands and muds left behind by the receding ice. A braided river flowing from the glacier front crisscrosses a flat large sandy plain.

Steeper and smaller, Brujo Glacier gleaming ice flows down to the sea. Nested amongst bluffs and more abrupt topography, it offers a distinctive panorama, a primordial view, a pristine spot to alight and walk on solid unspoiled ground.

Often, thunderous sounds, calves from the glacier fronts. Gradually the bays fill up with drifting brash ice, the constant comings and goings of currents and tides spread it, drive it in and out, to one side or the opposite of the fjords.

An antediluvian sort of landscape, where ice, rocks, sand, water and vegetation slowly crawl over the new lands that take shape from under the melting cover of ice, combine to create a memorable and dramatic scenery.

A scene which evokes the human incapability to truly grasp a scale of events along extensive periods of time that the landscape reveals here.

Deep long fjords carved by glaciers that nowadays show themselves just as a shadow of what they were, nonetheless still impressive. At their mouth, the sea bottom suddenly rises on the underwater old moraines indicating the extent of an ice field that now can be seen looming above the landscape high up the mountains.

The power of water, the ice carving landscapes, their melting flowing in rivers sculpturing the terrain.

The driving force of nature reclaiming the territory that once was below a thick layer of glacial ice.

Leaving these fjords the tireless powerful headwinds blow, they rush and gust following the channels in company of an unrelenting rainfall.