We are excited to offer a mothership kayaking expedition to the stunning Chilean Fjords. Experience wildlife and wilderness from the seat of your own kayak in one of the most stunning places on earth, all from the comfort and convenience of our personal expedition yacht. There are just 5 spots available on this premium expedition which will take paddlers to remote and beautiful parts of the glacier-ridden narrow fjords where the Andes mountains plunge into the ocean. 2 highly experienced sea kayak guides and 2 sailing crew make up the full team of 9 people on board our 61 foot yacht. We will spend 12 days exploring the nooks and crannies of this magical land of snow-capped mountains, calving glaciers, deep valleys and a lush coastal plain that’s rich in wildlife. We’ll kayak, sail and go for hikes to really get to know the area, coming back to the warm yacht for fine food and wine and a comfortable night’s sleep.

The Kayaking: This is a very rare opportunity to kayak in the Southern Chilean Fjords. Self supported kayaking journeys are no longer permitted and the Chilean Government requires a support vessel for kayaking journeys.  The few cruise ships that pass through the fjords do so in 1 or 2 days, without the chance to stop and explore or kayak.  This is a unique opportunity for experienced kayakers to enjoy the beautiful fjords and glaciers from the seat of your own single kayak. We have the opportunity to kayak in areas where most other vessels don’t go and to observe the seal lions, seals, whales and penguins up close and personal at our own pace. 

Your Guides: This trip is unique in that we have 2 highly experienced kayak guides, giving a great ratio of 2 to 5 on the water. Justine has paddled all over the world, and paddled the Chilean Fjords as part of a 1,000 mile paddling expedition around Isla Grande, Tierra Del Fuego. JF Marleau has been guiding and teaching for over 20 years and holds the highest possible guide and instructor qualifications in Canada. Justine and JF have guided several month-long trips to the Antarctic peninsula and South Georgia on the Spirit of Sydney and know how to get the best from a kayaking trip on the yacht. Both hold current advanced wilderness first aid qualifications. Justine and JF guided this trip last year in the Fjords and are excited to go back to their favourite spots. 

The Yacht: The 61 foot aluminium hulled ‘Spirit of Sydney’ has crossed the Drake Passage over 50 times. She’s a seaworthy vessel that can handle rough waters when necessary. On board, there’s a kitchen, toilet, shower, storage areas, 2 heaters, plenty of tasty food, and accommodation for the 9 of us. Kayak racks secure the kayaks on deck until we need to use them. There will be chances to get involved in the sailing for those interested. More information about the yacht is here.

The food on the yacht is excellent with fresh fruit and vegetables, famous Argentinian steaks, fish, shrimp, chicken and fresh bread with plenty of staples, hot drinks and snacks. We hope to purchase some King Crab from local fishermen. Ample beer and wine are provided to accompany evening meals.

Itinerary: We’ll start and finish in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. Ushuaia was formerly a missionary base, penal colony, and naval base, but has increasingly become a major tourist destination with many attractions, including restaurants, sight-seeing and museums. We recommend spending some time here before or after your trip!

On day 1, we’ll meet in Ushuaia. Come aboard, stow your gear, take in the briefings, and we set off to sail down the spectacular mountain lined Beagle Channel to the tiny Chilean Naval outpost of Puerto Williams. After clearance formalities and depending on weather conditions we could explore the port, go for a paddle, or hike up a hill behind the village to enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.

Day 2-11: We sail West into the beautiful network of Chilean Fjords, where the Andes meets the ocean and where stunning glaciers pour into the sea. Our route over the next 10 days will take us slowly around Isla Gordon, visiting many beautiful bays with glaciers at their heads, kayaking close to the glaciers (keeping a safe distance), weaving our way through chunks of calved ice and along mountainous rocky shores. We’ll do a mix or kayaking from place to place and sailing to the next hot spot so we have more time to explore the most stunning areas by kayak. Magnificent albatross, petrels, prions and dolphins will keep us company as we sail and we usually see whales and Magellanic penguins.

Day 12: We return to Puerto Williams to sign out of Chile and then make our way back to Ushuaia. We usually go out for a group meal in Ushuaia in the evening. 

Click here for a detailed itinerary.

Lush coastal forests fringe the mountains, offering a chance to stretch our legs and go hiking. There are a few beautiful beaches in sheltered anchorages where we can enjoy a relaxing BBQ.

Highlights include the long narrow Garibaldi fjord which contains one of only 3 glaciers in Patagonia where the ice is advancing, rather than retreating. We can kayak up to the glacier and hike through deep mossy forest to a waterfall.  Pia Fjord has 3 glaciers plunging from high mountains into the same fjord. We’ll visit Bay of a Thousand Waterfalls and the calm oasis of Caletta Olla.

We plan to offer paddling or hiking in a new location every day (weather depandant). The yacht is always nearby for anyone not wanting to paddle and there are sometimes opportunities to reboard the yacht after a partial days’ paddle.

DATES: 
Trip 1: March 11th-23rd 2023 FULL

Trip 2: March 28th – April 9th TWO SPACES

Cost: US $ 7,995 per person, payable in instalments.

Includes: All permits and fees, all food and alcohol on board the yacht, hire of kayak, spray deck, paddle, pogies, PFD, crew and guides.

Doesn’t include: Transport to and from Ushuaia, accommodation in Ushuaia, personal insurance.

Kayaks & Kit: The kayaks are Boreal Desgins Epsilon P100, P200 & P300s. There are Werner paddles, Kokatat PFDs, Seals sprayskirts, Pogies and Pumps available for use at no extra cost.

Pre-requesites: This trip is for intermediate to advanced kayakers. You should be able maintain a speed of 3 knots and be comfortable paddling for 6 hours in a day. It can get windy quickly so you must be comfortable in winds of up to 20 knots.

Cancellation policy: If the trip does not fill by 30 September 2022 then we reserve the right to cancel the trip and give everyone a full refund of any money paid so far. We feel confident that we will fill the trip, but we can’t guarantee that.If the trip is cancelled by the organisers (at any time before departure) or if the trip gets cancelled by force majeure (including governmental flight restrictions), you receive a full refund (minus any bank fees). If you pull out of the trip, you forfeit all payments made until that date, unless a replacement is found for you. If a replacement is found you receive a refund, minus bank fees, minus $800 cancellation fee. To secure your place, you need to pay a 30% deposit. The rest is due in 2 further instalments in October 2022 and January 2023.

Interested?: Initially contact Justine at justine -at -cackletv.com. Justine can answer any questions you may have or put you in touch with the yacht owner or skipper.