Sail on your sea kayaks next to the whales scrolling between fjords and glaciers of Chilean Patagonia in the mythical Magellan Strait and Darwin's mountain range in Tierra del Fuego. This is an adventure trip for nature lovers with the additional comfort and safety of the support provided by the “mothership”. A luxury adventure. Kayak with whales between fjords and glaciers mothership mode program is an adventure trip in which you sail to Francisco Coloane Marine Park in the Strait of Magellan. In this trip you will get to interact with humpback whales in the southern fjords of Tierra del Fuego, near Darwin’s mountain range. This trip offers the logistical support of the mothership, so that while you face the ever-changing conditions of the Patagonian nature, exploring it in the kayaks you have the constant support of the ship with all its amenities. This offers the opportunity to have these close encounters with nature to visitors who do not have the time or experience to make an autonomous expedition.

Kayak Agua Fresca is an experienced adventure tourism company which has been operating in the region since 2009. We promote sustainable principles as well as the local development of eco-tourism. We aim to deliver experiences which allow our guests to foster a stronger connection and understanding for our natural environment, history and culture. We want you to have a great and unforgettable time but we must always be respectful of our community and our pristine environment. We offer professional equipment and the best security standards, this means that you can focus on experiencing every moment while our friendly and professional staff insure the safety of all guests. Finally, we are local kind people and we have a love for service, we will always give you the best of us.

This excursion is designed for real adventurers and nature's lovers. Navigate the southern fjords of Patagonia aboard a mothership. Kayak through incredible locations from the comfort of our stable double sea kayaks. We will visit spectacular feeding grounds of Humpback Whales and paddle through majestic fjords between glaciers and waterfalls. This experience will leave you feeling like a true explorer as we paddle in one of the last untouched regions of the world. After you experience the unique weather conditions of Patagonia rest assured that that our mothership will offer provide you with warmth and comfort. Here we will enjoy another adventure, traditional chilean meals with exquisite wine. Now it's a great time to share our stories and experiences from the day. You don't need to be an expert sea kayaker, our guides will share with you professional instruction to insure safety and allow you to develop your paddling skils.

Interest points in our navigation

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL AND HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS OF OUR NAVIGATION

1 CARRERA BAY

STARTING POINT OF THE EXCURSION - SET SAIL POINT

Located 50 km south of Punta Arenas, near from Bulnes Fort.

It is known as an important port of shipment in the city of Punta Arenas.

2 BULNES FORT

REPLICA OF THE HISTORIC FORT, WHERE THE FIRST SONS OF MAGALLANES REGION WERE BORN

In May, 1843 the schooner “Ancud” set sail from Ancud, Chiloé Island, in command of

Captain John Williams. After 4 long months of sailing, the schooner “Ancud” anchored

outside “Hunger Port” on September 21st. Captain Williams took possession of the Strait

of Magellan and its territory. In this place was founded a fort named “Bulnes”, in tribute to

the current president “Manuel Bulnes”.

3 CAPE SAN ISIDRO

OBLIGATORY PASS OF THE GREATEST SAILORS IN MARITIME HISTORY OF MAGALLANES

REGION.

San Isidro Lighthouse is the southern most habitable lighthouse of the American continent.

It has more than 100 years of history that are part of the cultural heritage of the zone.

Pristine environment surrounded by sub-antarctic forests and marine wildlife such as the

Peale's Dolphin, an endemic species of Southern South America. It is also possible to find

Sea Lions and South American Fur Seals.

4 MOUNT TARN

PLACE OF DISCOVERIES.

Charles Darwin was one of the first explorers in the ascent “Mount Tarn” in 1834. He

visited “The Strait of Magellan” and sailed aboard the famous English ship “The HMS

Beagle" commanded by the Captain Fitz Roy during the 19th century. Darwin discovered

the first ammonites that has been ever found in South America. Ammonites are ancient

cephalopod molluscs with rolled outer shells and bilateral symmetry.

5 ÁGUILA BAY

THE ONLY WHALING IN THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO.

Águila Bay is located 75 km south of Punta Arenas, at the beginning of the southeast

coast of Brunswick peninsula. There was the first plant for storage and treatment of

whale oil. There were important facilities for industrial slaughtering of cetaceans. In the

active period of whaling they almost exterminated the species reaching a number of 30

cetaceans. Nowadays, there are approx. 240 whales remaining in the Magallanes Region.

6 CAPE FROWARD 

THE MOST SOUTHERN PIECE OF LAND OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT.

Located 90 km south of Punta Arenas. In this place is the famous “Cross of the seas” in

tribute to all the brave sailors that have sailed this rough waters. Cape “Froward” was

named by the English corsair Thomas Cavendish, in due to his many attempts to sail this

waters. Froward means: difficult to deal with.

7 FRANCISCO COLOANE MARINE PARK

CHILE'S FIRST MARINE PARK

Created in 2003. Located in Magallanes region, in the Strait of Magellan between Santa

Ines and Riesco Islands. The Park was created because it is part of a very important

biological corridor, being the habitat of the famous Humpback Whale and here is possible

to see whales during their feeding season.

8 SHAG PASS

PLACE OF GREAT CONFLUENCE OF WHALES

The Shag Pass is located within the protected area of Francisco coloane Marine Park,

between Cayetano and Santa Inés Islands. It is a place that has a great concentration of

Humpback Whales and it is an essential point in our navigation.

9 SARMIENTO GLACIER

A HUGE SUB-ANTARCTIC ECOSYSTEM

This is a tempered-cold glacier, it is sometimes very rainy and it use to suffer frosts.

It belongs to the mountain range of the southern Patagonian Andes. The area is surrounded

by dense sub-antarctic Nothofagus forests. There are also many islets and rocks covered

with mosses and lichens, charactheristic of the sub-antarctic ecosystems.

The marine ecosystem is determined by feeders and the convergence of migratory currents

of many marine mammals and birds.

10 PARRY FJORD

Here you can find some Cordillera Darwin icefield's glaciers as New

Zealand, Cuevas and others. There are big chances to see marine wildlife species like

Southern Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina), Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) and

birds like Magellan Cormorant (Phalacrocorax magellanicus), Black-browed Albatross

(Thalassarche melanophris), Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus), among

others.

11 MARINELLI FJORD

Here you can find Marinelli Glacier which belongs to Cordillera

Darwin icefields. There are also big chances to see marine wildlife.

12 BROOKES FJORD

Here you can find Brookes glacier which also belongs to Cordillera

Darwin icefields.

Why Whales come to Patagonia

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) undertake seasonal migration between productive high-latitude areas where they feed in summer and low-latitude tropical waters where mating and calving occur during winter. In the eastern south Pacific, the species breeds off Colombia and Ecuador, and feeds primarily in the western Antarctic Peninsula and in the waters of the Strait of Magellan, like feeding ground for humpback whales. The duration of the whale's trip between these migratory destinations is 88 and 99 days. The humpback whale enters the channels of the Strait of Magellan and stayed there for almost five months to eat and rest.

Sub Antartic Forest

The southernmost forests in the world grow in Magellanic Chile, where forest species extend their range to within about 500 miles of Antarctica. The Subantartic Magellanic Evergreen Rainforest Ecoregion runs along the western margin of southern South America, extending from Penas gulf (48°S) to Cape Hornos (56° S). The distribution of this Ecoregion is correlated with an oceanic microthermal temperature regime and high, constant precipitation. The vegetation shows principally two types of forest, mainly evergreen "Nothofagus betuloides" forests to the west and deciduous "Nothofagus pumilio" and "Nothofagus antarctica" forests towards the east. This forests are pretty old, some specimens of Nothofagus betuloides are probably 1500–2000 years. There are other species like "Pilgerodendron uviferum" and "Podocarpus nubigena" that may reach ages of ⩽1000 years.

Even some of the small understory trees are probably several hundred years old. Its varied and majestic landscapes that include high mountain peaks, enormous icefields, and innumerable fjords are inhabited by endemic animal and plant species. Glaciers and icefields predominate toward the Andean mountains zone, while moorland and Tundra formation prevail toward the Pacific Ocean border. You can also find miniature forests covering the rocks and soil of the tundra formations along the coast and alpine zones with a diversity of lichen and moss species. This Tundra formations are characterized by prostate dwarf shrubs, cushion plants, grass-like plants and bryophytes on water-logged terrain that in different combinations form vegetation of scrub or bogs. The bogs comprise characteristic austral species such as Astelia,

Bolax, Caltha, Donatia, Drapetes, Gaimardia, Phyllachne and Lepidothamnus.

Ancestral Canoe Routes

In this adventure you are going to navigate some of the canoe routes where Kawésqar native people used to move hundreds of years ago. As one of the Southern-Chilean Canoe Tribes, the Kawésqar lived a nomadic life, paddling the archipelago's channels in their canoes moving from island to island in search of food. It is said that they even carried their canoes short distances over land to avoid unnecessary sea trips. They used to navigate an extended territory from the Gulf of Penas roughly to the Strait of Magellan as far as the southern end of the Sarmiento Channel. Their canoes could hold a family of up to ten people. The family traveled with its dogs, weapons and tools, and the

leather sheet that was used as a tarp at campsites. 

Some routes Kawésqar used to navigate and we may also navigate are the following

_ San Nicolás Bay - Bouchage Bay

_ Charles Islands - Shag Pass

_ Bachelor River - Rupert Islands

_ Cape San Isidro - San Nicolas Bay.

Recommendations

Considering the rough weather conditions of the zone, we recommend you to dress in layers. You should wear a base Layer made of merino wool or synthetic fabrics. Remember this is your next-to-skin layer. It helps regulate your body temperature by moving perspiration away from your skin. A middle layer (insulating layer) helps you retain

heat by trapping air close to your body. Micro-fleeces, merino wool tops, soft shells and insulated jackets are some middle layers. And an outer layer that protects you from the wind and rain. You should also bring a warm beanie or a bandana, some warm gloves and  comfortable shoes.

Data Sheet

4 cuadruple cabins

2 double cabins

4 bathrooms in cabins deck 

2 bathrooms in main deck

Central heating and hot water