Published 17 years ago, updated 6 years ago

Noonsite has received the following communication from Skip Novak, who has been chartering in Southern Chile and Antarctica for the past 15 years. Anyone planning to visit the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn should take note of the following: There is a very high likelihood that next season (2008/2009) Chilean waters including Tierra del Fuego will be banned to commercial charter vessels with foreign flags. This is a complex set of circumstances, but something that has been threatened for years – and this time it looks very serious. Although not a foregone conclusion, the mandate defining what is and what is not possible as of next season is expected to be made public in the next few months. A total ban will effectively mean an end to all our Tierra del Fuego cruises, but will not affect our Antarctic cruises using Puerto Williams as a point of departure.

In another development, regulations on sailing to Antarctica are also tightening up, with all boats visiting the Antarctic region now required to obtain a permit in advance from their own country’s Antarctic authority.