As Darwin himself experienced, the landscape of the islands of Tierra del Fuego is magical. The juxtaposition of icebergs, green hills, the massive ominous Andes and a moody sky will set any nature lovers heart and mind ablaze. The most astonishing of all, well, one of the most astonishing sights of this region are the billowing glaciers.

This particular adventure began as we set sail on the Cruceros Australis, which is a smaller cruise ship that takes passengers into the little nooks and crannies of the untouched Fuegian islands. As our ship dropped it's anchor in a fjord, the wind was wailing and the sky had just opened up and was drizzling over the misty waters. The crew announced that all passengers were to prepare for an excursion on the Zodiacs. Zodiacs are tiny dingies that they use to get passengers right up close to the sights.

So we disembarked with our life-jackets, hopped into a Zodiac and took off for what would be the best ride of my life.

As we zoomed into an even smaller fjord, all of the sudden, a bright blue mass of ice popped into the vista. With jaws dropped and fingers purple, our little boat began to creep through the iceberg-filled lake. The glaciers in this area are constantly losing pieces and they crash into these icy waters.

If Titanic, or common sense, had taught me anything, a boat + icebergs= freeze to death. So, clearly I was very frightened. As the chunks of ice multiplied, the boat driver turned off the motor and we continued to crawl through the icy waters, subject to it's whims.

Granted, I didn't breath a full breath until we got safely back on the cruise ship, I must say this was an unforgettable experience that is worth the cost to any adventure traveler who is visiting Tierra del Fuego. These glaciers are melting at an amazing rate and will not be around forever. Don't litter and if you do visit- listen for the pieces that break off- it is a sound that you will feel in your soul.