Bjorn writes from Punta Arenas,

After a long but pleasant flight from Bangor to Patangonia, which took us across the eastern United States, Gulf of Mexico, the equator, and the Andes, we landed in Punta Arenas. Slanted trees and and crooked fences made it immediately clear that the wind has a tremendous impact on the region.

Punta Arenas, population 120,000 and founded in 1849, is the southern most city in Chile and due to it's proximity to the Straits of Magellan was Chile's most important city until the construction of the Panama Canal.

Our scheduled departure for the Cordillera Darwin has been delayed a week due to custom difficulties, in the meanwhile we have been buying necessary field supplies. On Monday we should have access to all our cargo, we will repack and take a truck to Pacos Guanacos a small village on the Chile/Argentina border. We will spend two days there and then if the weather is clear will take a helicopter to the top of Marionelli glacier and access ice core drilling conditions. In addition to drilling an ice core we plan to conduct radar and GPS surveys. Hopefully, the weather will remain clear and the expedition will not be additional delayed.

Hope things are well,
Bjorn

Bjorn writes from Punto Arenas,

We will no longer taking a truck to Pampa Guanacos, instead it has beendecided to take a fishing boat across the Strait and set up a camp nearthe foot of the Marinelli glacier. The major advantage to this plan isfar better accessment of weather conditions on and around the glacier.This is essential for establishing helicopter flight times. The campsite will have to be close to areas suited for both helicopter and boatpick up, along with fresh water availability. Another concern will bewaves created by glacier calving(ice breaking off the glacier andfalling into the water) so our camp will have to be at an elevated pointaway from the shoreline. Today will pack the boat and tomorrow we willleave between 4-5am.