All clear on the Magellan Strait

All areas of Chile have now had the tsunami alert lifted (3.30pm-ish, 12th March), it was lifted here in Punta Arenas around 9am. Many places just reported slightly higher than normal sea levels but no major waves, although in some places like Dichato there was some flooding close to the shore and some displacement and capsizing of boats. The extreme caution and large-scale evacuation of the shoreline areas of towns and cities up and down the Pacific coast really was the result of last year’s catastrophic response to ‘no’ tsunami following the Feb 27th earthquake here and an understandable want for nothing to go wrong this time. Lessons learnt. And they'll continue to be.

On a lighter note, the Stella Australis Cruise starts tonight, just waiting to board now, so I'm looking forward to exploring the fiords and islands in and around the Magellan Strait and the Beagle Channel over the next few days. The wind is most definitely fresh down here, and strong, although I think it's probably only been a mere breeze today. Good job I brought my thermals and my beloved Paramo Pajaro jacket. I'd sleep in it if it weren't for the zips and toggles being a bit princess-and-the-pea-like. Some may have seen this picture before, but Zorro was impressed by the Pajaro, I could tell, even though he looks a bit indifferent.........

....he was probably just looking for his beloved Don Luis, looking good in matching 'boina' (beret) and jumper...