South America, around the horn cruise photo gallery

[MMDown Under]

I googled D200 D40 and it said Nikon. Is that correct?

[BPCooper]

I googled D200 D40 and it said Nikon. Is that correct?

 

Yes, Nikon sorry :-)

[NJBelle]

Hi, I just wanted to add my thanks for taking time to share your wonderful photos - AND to offer my admiration for such high quality and beautiful shots. I am really impressed! My family and I are doing the same cruise (on Silversea) in reverse during the next Christmas/New Year's holiday, so this was a great way to have a taste of what we will experience.

 

THANK YOU. I was going to ask also about the camera, but see that someone has already done that. My 13 year old just got a digital SLR from her grandfather (since it is better than my own camera, and we were not consulted ahead of time, I had to do a little deep breathing when he gave it to her). But the upshot is that she and I are going to learn about digital SLRs together this fall and then take it on our cruise in December. So, your pictures are going to be a wonderful inspiration for her (and already for me!).

 

Best, NJBelle

[scubapro48]

Ben, your pictures are fantastic!!!!!

 

We're doing the Mariner repo Round the Horn in Jan, and I got very emotional watching your pictures!!!! What a privilege to see your pictures--thank you!

 

Mariana

[maritzarogerp]

Which shore excursion is the best for experiencing glaciers and penguis and or other wild life?

[mlbcruiser]

Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous pix! Some friends of ours did an around the horn cruise last March and apparently didn't get nearly the sunshine you had. In what month did you cruise? I found your pictures to show a much more beautiful trip than they were able to capture. Perhaps they didn't choose the types of excursions you did. So glad you took the time to post these photos!

[BPCooper]

We did have very good weather, unusually good in some places. We went in Dec/Jan.

 

I'm not sure what I would recommend for the best wildlife other than the penguins.

[holidayhelen]

Really loved all the photos - they are brilliant - sent link to my friend too and she loved the sunsets.

 

We are going on the Princess cruise in Jan 09 - including antartica - so we are really looking forward to that.

 

We only have a few stops - Montivideo, port stanley - 4 days cruising the antartic, Ushsia, Punta arenas and then santiago. We thought we would do the city tour in monti. A day on our own in stanley - we were thinking about beagle channel in Ushsia but you suggest something different - and your pictures are telling me to try something else!!!! Any recommendations for Punta Arenas? This will probably be a once in a lifetime trip.

 

I love to take pictures - in my eye and mind they look like yours - unfortunately the results on paper don't!!!!!!!! I have no patience - I have a camera that I just click. I do know a little about mega pixels and optical zooms but that is about it.

 

Thank you once again for sharing yours.

[tgh]

The photograps that we are all admiring mostly could have been taken with a point and shoot camera .

They wouldn't have been as good .. but my point is that it is mostly the photographer that made these images.

 

I also have a D200 , ( and a D70 and and .. ) but only carry a compact digital when we travel.. why ??

 

Well , the D200 with all the gear, lenses etc , weighs a tonne and is a real liability.

 

The newer compact camera's do take bloody good images ,as long as the subject is not challenging.

 

I have compared the images from two trips , and the D200 did not justify it's place , given the hassle of lugging it around.

 

I suggest that it is more important to study carefully the "art" of photography , than it is to hope that a big expensive heavy etc etc camera will suddenly lift your output quality.

[cruisy susy]

BPCooper: Thank you for pictures..they are beautiful I'm excited about rounding the horn in late November now. I'd like to make a web site where I could add pictures as we travel..I have my D70 so will try to do the beauty we see justice.Susy

[judy garland]

Any suggestions for land excursions not with the cruise line. Did you use any local guides? For Beagle Channel, etc. did you go on a catamaran? Also, if you stayed in BA longer, what hotel did you use?

[Tchai Latte]

Hi Ben,

 

Those are fantastic pictures. You do have a good eye for framing such gorgeous sceneries. Do you mind if you tell me what other excursions you did. I took note of a couple of excursions you did (1) Ushuaia:Tierra del Fuego National park (2) Puerto Chacabuco: Patagonia nature in depth. We are going on an NCL christmas cruise same thing you did last year. We like to get some help on what shore excursions to book. Once again thanks for sharing your pictures...awsome!

 

 

Thanks guys and I am glad you find them useful. Yes, these are all my photos. It is my personal website.

 

lancelady - I did not have to venture beyond the excursions we did to get any of these photos, actually. In Santiago I had no guide. We toured the city on our own for one day. We did not get to see Valparaiso. The few images I took there were from the bus or ship. I would say that I never felt in any danger in Santiago, but that I did hide my camera sometimes if I felt we were away from where tourists are. For example, we visited their famous market (I forget the name) and did not take it out in there as it was very crowded.

 

Sure feel free to ask more questions I'm happy to help.

 

S&B - In Ushuaia we took the excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. They had one with or without the Beagle Channel boat ride. I opted for more of the park and inland time because we get to see the channel from the boat a great deal of the time. After returning from the park tour there were still 90 minutes or two hours to explore the town itself on our own.

 

In Puerto Chacabuco we did "Patagonia nature in depth" which is in Aiken del Sur park The scenery around that port is spectacular (and we had a very rare sunny day...apparently it rains 300 days a year there as I recall). The hike itself did not provide a lot of that scenery, however, though it ends on a nice lake as seen there.

 

We really did have very good weather for the majority of this cruise, and nothing was canceled.

 

Thanks for the note at the end, too I envy anyone who got to see a Saturn V.

[BPCooper]

Hi Ben,

 

Those are fantastic pictures. You do have a good eye for framing such gorgeous sceneries. Do you mind if you tell me what other excursions you did. I took note of a couple of excursions you did (1) Ushuaia:Tierra del Fuego National park (2) Puerto Chacabuco: Patagonia nature in depth. We are going on an NCL christmas cruise same thing you did last year. We like to get some help on what shore excursions to book. Once again thanks for sharing your pictures...awsome!

 

Thanks, sure thing. Let's see, in Puerto Montt it was Petruhoe Falls and Lake Esmerelda. In Stanley, it was Sparrow Cove. In Puerto Madryn, Great Patagonian Adventure (which is to Peninsula Valdez). And in Montevideo, it was city highlights and lunch at winery. Hope this helps.

[Cruiser Cats]

Your photos are beautiful!!

I am going on a SA/Antarctica cruise in Jan 2009. On our stop in Ushuaia, do you recommend the tour to Beagle Channel pr the Tierra del Fuego National Park? I’m having a hard time deciding. Part of me thinks it might be good to see some land (the National Park) after spending so many days on the sea.

[BPCooper]

Your photos are beautiful!!

 

I am going on a SA/Antarctica cruise in Jan 2009. On our stop in Ushuaia, do you recommend the tour to Beagle Channel pr the Tierra del Fuego National Park? I’m having a hard time deciding. Part of me thinks it might be good to see some land (the National Park) after spending so many days on the sea.

 

They offer just the park, or park plus beagle channel. The ship will sail through the Beagle Channel coming in and leaving Ushuaia, so I felt that emphasizing the park made the most sense. I would recommend just the park.

[Coastaljen]

Your advice is helpful. I think I will go with just the park in Ushuaia too.

 

I still can't decide between Punta Tombo and Peninsula Valdez. I thought someone said you couldn't get that close to the sea lions. Ack..decisions.. :)

 

Do you know anyone that went to Gaiman? I really thought that place sounded cute, but I figured the cruise ship tour might give you ten minutes there and that is it. You never know with cruise tours. I think Gaiman is paired with PV. That is one benefit I see to PV.

[BPCooper]

I thought someone said you couldn't get that close to the sea lions.

 

Do you know anyone that went to Gaiman? I really thought that place sounded cute, but I figured the cruise ship tour might give you ten minutes there and that is it. You never know with cruise tours. I think Gaiman is paired with PV. That is one benefit I see to PV.

 

You can't. I was just using a zoom lens. You will be on a bluff above the beach where they lie. I am unsure of Gaiman.

[tgh]

get close to the Sea Lions.. in fact you can walk in among them.. at a respectable distance of course.

Where : Kangaroo Island , just off the South Australiaian coast.. the lions and the seals come up from the Antarctic and there are lots of resident penguins too.

A ranger takes you out onto the beach among them .. very atmospheric.. big beach big waves..and all the wildlife.

There is a range of accomodation from cosy b&b's to the a new 6 Star Eco lodge

[S&B]

BPCooper.

 

When sailing in and out of the port of Ushusia how much wildlife do you see? Do you pass any of the sea lions? Do you pass Bird Island? When you took the bus tour through the park how many times did they allow you to get off and take pictures and walk around.

 

Thanks for all your help. It seems overwhelming!! We are only 5 1/2 months away.

 

S&B

[BPCooper]

BPCooper.

 

When sailing in and out of the port of Ushusia how much wildlife do you see? Do you pass any of the sea lions? Do you pass Bird Island? When you took the bus tour through the park how many times did they allow you to get off and take pictures and walk around.

 

Thanks for all your help. It seems overwhelming!! We are only 5 1/2 months away.

 

S&B

 

Birds were aplenty on the cruise, but I did not spot much in the way of other wildlife, at least not in that area. As for that excursion, we stopped in three areas and one included a brief walk from one point to another.

[GLBT CRUISER]

Ben,

Thanks for posting the pictures from your trip to SA. I'm going on a cruise in Feb on Radiance of the Seas and am really looking forward to seeing some of the sights you have pictured.

Jim

[Fabian52]

:) To BPCooper:

I found your pictures absolutely stunning. We are going on the NCL SUN on Dec 7- 21st and are hoping for good weather. I absolutely love to take pictures (live for it) but only have a 6 megapixel - 4 x optical zoom lens from Canon. Do you think I will get good pictures?

Also a couple of questions about penguins. We are on the reverse itinerary, Ba, Argentina to SA, Chile. In Puerta Madryn we are signed up for the Punta Tombo excursion to see the penguins. Did the other people on your cruise that took that excursion see alot of penguins and up close?

In Stanley we are signed up for the Rockhopper penguins. Any thoughts on that one. I see you took the Sparrow Cove could you see alot of penguins on that excursion?

Then finally we are also signed up in Punta Arenas for the Magdalena Island Penguin Reserve. Any thoughts on that one?:)

[BPCooper]

Thanks Fabian, I am not sure about Magdalena as I don't know anyone that did that excursion offhand. I think you will get close to them at Punta Tombo to take photos, so that is probably a good choice too. At Sparrow Cove you could not get too close, they had them roped off. As for the Rockhoppers, I am not sure on how close but I know that group is very limited so I would stick to it. It's probably a good opportunity.

 

As for the camera; you can get good photos with any camera :-) If you feel you need more zoom, you could consider increasing that with another camera. The camera itself is fine though.

[WE LIKE TO CRUISE]

thanks for sharing your picture. we book cruise to south america on n.c.l.

sun 32 days from buenos aires to los angeles, california. march, 2010.

thanks the photo are great. take care and keep on cruising.:)

[JuneauGal]

We have never cruised before and have decided to try to do a South America cruise around the Horn in early 2009. Is there any advantage to going from Buenos Aries to Santiago or the reverse?? Do most folks usually purchase directly through the cruise line, online, or go through travel agents or what?? What the advantages or disadvantages of both? Thank you for any tips you can give us Newbies! JuneauGal