Blue skies and wispy clouds whirled overhead as the Southern Icefield grew closer. Each stroke of our paddles brought us nearer to towers of ice that broke away and crashed into the sea creating waves that rocked our boats and reached the entrance of the bay, miles from initial impact. A sight which had once seemed to exist only in Discovery Channel highlights was followed by an enormous roar, our eyes searching the sky for non-existent thunderheads. This spectacle would become commonplace in our Patagonia fantasyland during several days at Jorge Montt Glacier, as would the army of icebergs which surrounded our camp and changed their position every couple of hours. In the presence of extraordinary wonder, it is amazing how quickly our fantasies can become reality.

Wind. In Patagonia the wind and the rain are omnipresent reminders that nature, not man, is in control. Safe travel mandates regular weather checks: type, speed and direction of the clouds, the condition of the sea, and the movement of shoreline trees. Even diligent scrutiny could not accurately forecast daily weather patterns. A sunny morning with glistening seas frequently camouflaged afternoon storms that could endanger even the most intrepid kayaker. 

Patience is indeed a virtue on Patagonian mountains and seas where mind-numbing weeks spent hunkered in tents waiting for even the slightest break in a storm are common. Having been warned that half of our 28-day sea adventure might well be spent on shore, we rejoiced at being blessed with splendid paddling weather during most of our expedition. And then one day that changed. 

As we approached Canal Martinez, our boats fought against overpowering currents and exploding waves.  We pointed our bow into the waves and attempted to subdue Mother Nature, but for the first time, our expedition was forced to retreat. Returning to a sandy beach that had been the prior night’s camp, we pulled our weary bodies from our boats and unloaded our soggy gear. It would be four days before the Patagonia weather would allow us to enter Canal Martinez.

Weather in Patagonia is characterized by its extreme changes and unpredictable nature. Considered by some to have the world’s worst weather, it is said that “all the seasons can be observed in a single day in Patagonia.”  Outside the tropics, western Patagonia is thought of as the region with the most precipitation in the world.  There is not a single month for which official records are available with more than six days without precipitation.These notorious rains would accompany us through the next three weeks of our journey affording us a taste of the infamous Patagonia weather. We cooked in the rain, packed in the rain and paddled in torrents of rain. My head and upper layers were so drenched that each stroke sent water traveling through my paddling jacket, down my pants and into my boots chilling every inch of my body along the way.

These same rains fueled the beauty that surrounded us as we paddled along a coastline of stone-faced cliffs cloaked in vegetation and literally dripping with moisture. Waterfalls tumbled thousands of feet through a blanket of fluorescent rainforests disappearing and reappearing as they searched for a way down to the sea. The waterways cut narrow channels through fjords so steep that the vegetation clung to the mountainside like a frightened climber. Our kayaks drifted upon currents that sucked us effortlessly through luminous tunnels and into a string of crystal clear lakes linked by waterfalls and streams. Set in a fairy tale setting among a grove of forests and bordered by a fantastic wall of granite, we paddled across still fresh water admiring the splendid location before setting up camp at the mouth of a bubbling stream. Never before has it seemed so true that new wonders lie behind every corner.

From our new base camp, we bushwhacked through dense vegetation sinking up to our knees in an abyss of living and decomposing plant life. Hopping from rock to rock, the hiking group followed the spine of stony ridges surrounded by towers of granite and pillars of bubbling rock. We observed new types of trees and bushes, mosses and lichens, mini-waterfalls spilling out of thick undergrowth and the lake below us which cut a narrow channel through the mountain. Standing high above our camp, my friends and I stood and listened to the patter of rain and rush of wind at our backs.  We didn’t speak a word. We could only smile the sweet bliss of being totally alone in the world, seeing something completely new and knowing that moment would forever be captured in a treasure chest of extraordinary memories.

We spent our last night camped at Rio San Martin, just seven kilometers from our launching point in Tortel.  Together our group sat for the last time, huddled under our tarps drinking mate and cooking dinner. Four weeks earlier when we launched our boats into the Rio Baker, not a person among us could steer his kayak, read a nautical chart nor accurately predict the tides. Now we basked in our own glory, both as individuals and as a group. From learning how to paddle to living through harsh weather, reading the tides and currents to camping on sinking bogs, evaluating weather patterns and practicing navigational skills, our group had learned to apply itself in one of the world’s last great remote regions and, in turn, our expedition was rewarded with some of life’s great unforgettable memories.

As we paddled closer to Tortel, I felt the same buzz of excitement that had overwhelmed me as we paddled down the Rio Baker. I remembered the feeling of heading out, where the river met the sea and the fresh water became more salty. Seeing the islands before us, the channels that carved alleys between them and watching Tortel disappear behind us. It was such a fresh sensation - new and exhilarating - and to have come full circle with so many accomplishments and ageless memories in our wake, our expedition returned to Tortel as seasoned explorers, conquering champions and humbled adventurers.

The following articles are Kyle's previous articles for the magazine:
 

• Trials And Treasures In Patagonia ~ Adventures In The South Of Chile
• New Zealand’s Waitomo Caves ~ Explorations
• Living A Dream In The South Pacific ~ In Fiji 
• A Child’s Tale ~ In Peru ~ by Kyle Hammons

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