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| Shelly Channeling her Inner Magellan |
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| The Book and the Statue |
They call this part of the planet "the end of the world". The city of Ushuaia, Argentina bills itself as the world's southernmost city, "el fin del mundo". We rounded Cape Horn in a wind and rain storm, rocking this massive cruise ship to the point that the crew put out "barf bags" at the staircases and public areas. (Some got used.) So we can only imagine, and be amazed by, what the voyage must have been like for Magellan's 1519 expedition around the world, with 5 small crafts that could all fit aboard this cruise ship with room to spare. We've been reading Laurence Bergreen's
Over the Edge of the World history of the explorer's circumnavigation of the globe. One of the most important aspects of that trip was the discovery of a sea passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans . . . now known as the Strait of Magellan. We are passing through the Strait as this is written.
The town of Punta Arenas, Chile is on Magellan's Strait, and has lots of Magellanic lore. His statue is in the main town square, and a replica of one of his 5 ships has been constructed on the waterfront. We visited, and made our own discoveries.
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| Magellan Statue in the Town Square |
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| Replica of the Victoria, one of Magellan's fleet |
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Juan has been building the Magellan replica
ship for the last 11 years! |
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| Running the rudder from here |
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| Visiting the quartermaster below deck |
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| Sleeping quarters below deck was on hammocks |
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| Construction with rough hewn beams, accurate as possible |
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| Shelly in the Captain's Quarters |
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| On Magellan's ship, with his Strait behind us |
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| Cannot imagine going around the world in this! |
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| An impressive replica from any angle |
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