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Preamble
by Eric Picheral
From 2009 to 2018, Francesc and Marian travelled around the world via Patagonia on Badoc , their RM 1050 No. 49.
Their blog is fascinating, but for those who don't read Catalan, it can be a little frustrating.
Friends who are planning a trip from Brazil to Chile this winter (2022) asked me for information about the Lemaire, Beagle, and Magellan areas. I translated the relevant section of the blog for them, as they don't read Catalan.
This fabulous journey of a small RM 1050 may interest many readers of our site, so here is an excerpt, with the agreement of Francesc.
Their blog
Badoc , an RM 1050 in Patagonia
from Puerto Deseado to Puerto Montt
Puerto Deseado
Published on 07/02/2011
Well, we've been here for over a week now, in the company of Objectif Lune, waiting for good weather forecasts to head south…
Puerto Deseado is a fairly large fishing port on the Ria Deseado, and since it's not fishing season, the port is full of boats being repaired or maintained. These fishing boats are large refrigerated vessels that sail to Antarctica and stay there for a few months. The quay is obviously not designed for our sailboats… and since the tide here has a range of about 5 meters, you can imagine that mooring isn't exactly easy.
Upon arrival, we tied up alongside Objectif Lune, a 44-foot Sun Magic, which was itself alongside the tugboat Yamana. The Yamana crew was very kind; they filled our water tanks, offered us their shower, and made all sorts of facilities available. Unfortunately, they had to carry out some work at sea, and we had to let them go, sometimes as late as 5:00 a.m.! On one of these occasions, we anchored at a buoy near the shore. We don't know exactly how, but unfortunately, Objectif Lune got stuck in the mud, and Badoc, with all the power of his little Volvo engine, couldn't get it free. Luckily, Yamana arrived very quickly and, with an expert maneuver, swiftly freed it. Of course, we didn't want to go back to that buoy!
For the next Yamana outing, we were advised to moor alongside a fishing boat undergoing extensive repairs and not expected to leave again for several weeks. We felt quite comfortable there; the fishermen even offered us their washing machine! To board this boat, which has a freeboard of about 3 or 4 meters, they provided a rope ladder. Once at the top, you have to climb to the second deck via a tubular ladder, but the best part is that to reach the dock, depending on whether it's high or low tide, the wooden gangway rises or falls, adapting admirably to the situation. It's quite an experience…
Unfortunately, the harbor isn't sheltered from south and southwest winds. So when they pick up, you have to anchor on the other side of the estuary. This happened to us on Friday when we had a southwest wind gusting up to 40 knots, and because the wind was against the current, the sea was getting rough, and we didn't feel like we were 4 miles inside an estuary.
Beyond the port, the entire interior of the estuary is a nature reserve, home to Magellanic penguins, Black-headed and Australasian gulls, the smaller South American gull with a swallow-like tail, various types of cormorants (Grey, Black-necked, and Bigua), ducks (Creston, Vapor), Australasian flamingos, Black-tailed oystercatchers, Black-crowned herons, giant petrels, and sea lions. The landscape is somewhat gentler than at Cabo Dos Bahías; nestled in the ravines are buildings surrounded by abundant trees and vegetation.
About 11 miles away is Penguin Island, which is also part of the nature reserve. It's one of the few places where you can find Yellow-tailed Penguins (Penacho Amarillo); they're very playful, we call them the "punky penguins."
The city is quite large, 12,000 inhabitants, you can find almost everything there, but much more expensive, and it's true that we are already more than 2000 km from Buenos Aires, in other words, we have gone from 35° to 45° South latitude.
The latest ugrib file we received finally tells us there will be 4 or 5 days of calm weather and we have already made a decision: tomorrow we leave for the Strait of Le Maire and then towards Ushuaia.
Ushuaia
Published on 23/02/2011
After so much doubt and uncertainty, we left Puerto Deseado. The forecasts were spot on, and we had a truly calm crossing. We motored so much that we emptied a tank. Dolphins, tuna, and numerous albatrosses kept us company. Several times a day, we spoke on the radio with Objectif Lune to share our strategies, and we also encountered the infamous kelp more than once—those very long strands of seaweed that cling to the keels and slow us down by more than a knot. A few miles from Isla de Los Estados, the 35-knot southerly wind arrived as predicted. It had been a long time since we'd been that fast!
Staten Island ( Isla de Los Estados)
On Isla de los Estados, we took refuge in Puerto Parry, asking permission to moor at the Apostadero Naval buoy. Not only did they grant us permission, but they were also incredibly kind. They let us use their shower and washing machine, and even invited us to an asado (barbecue)! We spent many hours with them chatting and drinking maté. Cynthia, Irene, Daniel, and Armando had landed there with provisions for 45 days, the duration of their stay until their return. They have no contact with the outside world, except for a radio call once a day and the few sailboats that, like us, seek refuge there.
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We also did some hiking, first to Chorrillo, the waterfall that feeds the camp.
To get there there is a small path made of planks placed on roots and stones, and with the humidity it is very slippery.
Another day, we went to the lake at the top of the mountain. This time, there's no path, and you have to be careful not to step in the water because there are streams everywhere, overgrown with vegetation, but the effort is worth it. When you reach the top and look down at the lake, you feel like you're in the Pyrenees, but on the other side, 500 meters below, you can see the sea!
We left our signatures in the guestbook and saw that the crew of Alba II had also signed it a few decades ago!
After a week in Puerto Parry, we finally decided to cross the Strait of Le Maire, but the conditions weren't ideal and the weather seemed to be deteriorating. The weather here is very unstable and forecasting is difficult. There seemed to be a window of opportunity, but the next day, when we downloaded the new GRIB file, it had disappeared. While it seemed impossible, it was actually all good and we had missed our chance!
We were starting to get a little desperate, and on Sunday, when we saw there wouldn't be any wind, we got out of our bunks and abandoned our calculations of the tides and currents. It has to be said that the Mayor didn't seem to be joking, because there was no wind, but the waves were 2 meters high. We don't want to know what it must be like with a strong wind!
In the evening, we anchored in Bahía Aguirre without any problems, as it is a very large bay and the entrance presents no difficulty. In the morning, we were awakened by giant petrels that came to rest beside us.
We've finally entered the Beagle Channel!!! Some very playful dolphins are making us laugh; they leap out of the water like rockets and tumble back in, they could work in a circus!!!
The next stop was Bahía Cambaceres. You enter it through a small, narrow, zigzag passage that resembles a riverbed, and inside there is a small valley with trees; it is very calm.
A few more hours of sailing and we pass by Puerto Williams and the Frontón Gable, we see the boats and finally we arrive in Ushuaia, the city with the snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera Darwin in the background, part of the program is accomplished!
Ushuaia
Published on 04/03/2011
Ushuaia, the end of the world, the southernmost city in Argentina, the southernmost ski slopes in the world, the southernmost golf course… and a touristy street lined with shops that makes you think you're in Andorra, because here too, everything is duty-free. At the commercial port, there are always a few vendors. This is where more than 90% of travelers to Antarctica embark. And these vendors never miss an opportunity to advertise.
But rightly so, because it's a unique city; finding glaciers, forests and the sea all at once is impressive.
We climbed the "Cerro Martial", taking advantage of the cable car installation, the views of the canal and the city are extraordinary and you can continue to the Martial glacier.
We went to Tierra del Fuego National Park with a top-notch guide, Jordi Rabassa, an Argentinian whose father immigrated 100 years ago and who still speaks Catalan, a senior research geologist at the Cadic-Conicet research center, and an acquaintance of Pere and Carles. We admired magnificent landscapes of lakes and forests and learned a great deal about the nature of this unique land and how it was formed.
We are saddened by the fact that the ancient inhabitants of Tierra de Fuego, the Yamanis, sea nomads capable of surviving in a natural environment with extremely harsh climatic conditions, were exterminated in less than 200 years by the so-called civilization.
Pierre has already left us to rejoin his beloved Champ Fleury, which awaits him in Paraty to begin his return to France. We wish him fair winds!
And here we say goodbye to Argentina. To officially enter Chile, we have to go down to Puerto Williams, then come back through here on the glacier road; that's border control for you.
Puerto Williams
Published on 07/03/2011
Puerto Williams is located on Navarino Island, in the Beagle Channel, on the southern side, and belongs to Chile. We're moored in a corner of the bay, alongside in third position next to the wreck of the Micalvi, which, after being decommissioned, serves as a pontoon for passing sailboats. This naval base is a small town of about 2,500 inhabitants—yes, it's the end of the world! But what a small world it is! While we're filling the tanks with 500 liters of diesel to reach Puerto Eden without any problems, we hear someone ask us in Catalan, "Where are you from?" It's Guillermo Altadill—no introduction needed. What a small world!
Today, after preparing the navigation with the prefecture staff, we will have dinner with the Objectif Lune crew in Cala Pati, recommended by Mariolina and Giorgio del Saudade, and tomorrow we will set off eastward through the channels and glaciers, we are already so excited!!!
Estero Coloane – 55º05'S, 69º48'W
Published on 17/03/2011
We lack the words to describe the incredible landscapes and places we are traveling through these days and unfortunately we will not be able to upload any images until we arrive in Puerto Eden, which will be in a few weeks, but at least we want to try to convey our emotions.
Every day, we are happier that we made the decision that brought us to this land. We knew it was magical after seeing reports on television, but we never imagined its grandeur, its immensity, how wild it is, and at the same time the intimacy that can be found in a thousand corners, the diversity, the life that we discover in every place we go.
From Puerto Williams we sailed to Victor Jara Cove (54°54'80"S, 68°12'95"), a very sheltered spot on the east side of Navarino Island, enclosed by small islands and a rocky promontory. It's a beautiful place that pays tribute to the Chilean singer-songwriter who was murdered during the Pinochet era. We took a short hike to a lake, following the cattle trail. The next anchorage was Caleta Olla (54°56'45"S, 69°09'35"W).
We felt the fear of the Fukushima tsunami there, which thankfully didn't last long, as the tide here showed no variation whatsoever. In the dinghy, we went to the eastern end of the cove, intending to get closer to the Holanda Glacier. We had a lovely walk, and it was well worth it. From the top of the opposite hill, we could see the glacier plunge into a lake, and the water then flowed through streams and marshes to the cove. The lake was full of large chunks of ice in different shades of blue depending on the angle of the light—spectacular!
When we leave for the next stage, we hear on the radio Objectif Lune passing the Yamana checkpoint, they are catching up with us! We talk to them and meet up at Seno Pia.
At the entrance to Seno Pia, we encountered pieces of ice. We advanced very cautiously, and they showed us great respect. There were more and more of them, but we managed to reach the first glacier. Higher up, it became very dangerous, so we let them go, even though Lila and Tom were having fun trying to fish out a piece of ice. We anchored in Beaulieu Cove (54º47'85S, 69º37'65W) and had dinner on Objectif Lune. It was a farewell dinner, as Nicole and Hugues decided to move on, while Badoc and I wanted to continue sailing in this area, and we would meet up again in Puerto Montt.
The next anchorage isn't far, at Bahía Tres Brazos. As we enter the bay, southern right dolphins guide us to the anchorage, and we head towards Caleta Cinco Estrellas (54º56'70S, 69º46'10W). The place is very hidden. We find it, because we're absolutely certain it's there, but it's really difficult to spot. It must be said that here neither electronic nor paper charts are accurate, and if you blindly follow the GPS, you always end up over land! The anchorage is very calm, so small that you can't even drop anchor and can only tie up at the stern and bow. While we're taking a break for a stroll in this idyllic setting, we see that a French sailboat has just arrived to disturb our peace… Surprise! It's Françoise and Jacques on Arpatas! We hadn't seen each other since Buenos Aires and we thought they were much further north. But no, they've been cruising the northern and southeastern arms of Gordon Island for a month now and don't plan to reach Puerto Montt before July. Clearly, they've beaten us to it. For dinner, we share our Serra ham and their duck confit with a good Chilean wine on their magnificent boat, which Jacques built himself, while we talk about our latest adventures.
And so this is already the last episode of this chronicle, Estéro Coloane!!! Incredible!!! A huge bay surrounded by walls that rise almost vertically, with peaks reaching 1000 m. An islet closes the entrance, and a low, wooded peninsula provides sheltered anchorage. From the anchorage, you can see dozens of waterfalls, streams, and three immense glaciers!!!!!
We hiked to the nearest glacier, it was fabulous!!! We were stunned by the enormous mass of ice, which would have seemed completely still if it weren't for the ominous noises it was making. We felt so small!!! How beautiful nature is!!! It's a shame that sometimes, like right now in Japan, it rebels against us… it gives us a hard time…
Caletón Silva (54º57'S, 70º46'W), Isla Londonderry
Published on 27/03/2011
After navigating the Seno Ventisquero (54º42'00S, 70º14'85W), an impressive passage of about 14 miles amidst mountains and cliffs, we round a bend and finally reach the glacier that plunges directly into the fjord. It suddenly presents us with a spectacular image of ice, its colors and shapes shifting with the light and the angle of view. On the return journey, we head west, our destination Caletón Silva, where we have now been for six days, waiting for favorable winds to continue westward. It's a pleasant place, though not as dramatic as those we've encountered before. There are some strenuous hikes in the mountains, opportunities to admire the numerous lakes hidden behind the hills, and magnificent panoramas of the Ballenero and O'Brien Channels, with the snow-capped peaks of the Darwin Range in the background. In any case, the weather is not very kind; in addition to the wind, it is quite cold and it is constantly raining.
Since we don't have much else of interest to report, we'll take this opportunity to share our little mishaps with you. Don't imagine that a sailor's life is always a bed of roses. Last week, we also had a few mishaps, from a seawater leak we couldn't locate, to a mooring line caught in the engine propeller, not to mention a broken anchor windlass. None of this would matter if the wind gusts weren't reaching 35-40 knots and the water weren't a mere 9°C and infested with kelp (very long seaweed with enormous leaves that stick everywhere).
The water ingress always occurred after a crossing and never while at anchor. Several times, when we wanted to rinse our fruit, vegetables, jars, and tools, they were completely soaked! We ruled out a problem with the engine cooling system and also with the water purifier. We were worried it might be coming from the keel fittings! In fact, it was a loose flange on the watermaker pump outlet pipe! We hadn't noticed it because the drops were seeping through a slot in a cover located just below without leaving any trace!
The windlass incident worried us more. Upon arriving in Caleta Emilita, when we tried to drop anchor, the lowering button didn't work, unlike the raising button. So when we tried to activate it, it remained stuck. After trying for a long time to unlock it, we decided to drop the spare anchor we had on hand (the one from the Trastito). We finished the maneuver with the usual mooring lines ashore. When we started working on the windlass, we first removed the chain, but in the meantime, the wind picked up, and suddenly we realized that the Trastito's anchor was dragging and we were drifting towards the rocks! We reacted immediately, started the engine, and one of the mooring lines got caught in the propeller, and the engine stopped!! Then came moments of anguish! We reacted very quickly, dropping the first anchor. It seemed to hold well, and we quickly ran a line ashore through the bow to move away from the rocks. Finally, by pulling here and there, we managed to position Badoc in the middle of the cove, securely moored and with no danger nearby. We decided to take a lunch break and see how we would handle the tasks and doubts that arose… In the end, everything turned out quite well, but…
The windlass looked to be in bad condition; it seemed to us that one of the motor windings had burned out, because both relays were working…
To remove the propeller tip, we considered beaching Badoc. We took measurements of the pebble beach at the river mouth, but space was limited, the tidal range insufficient, and the risk high, as the seabed has a drop of easily four or five meters. The only solution was to work in the water! We installed a pulley system using the davits to free the propeller's mooring line, but it still required four dives over three days, during which the captain miraculously escaped hypothermia. Upon surfacing, we lit the stove and took a hot shower!
And since troubles and good times never last forever, the windlass finally started working. The relay was functional, but one contact was slightly rusty; once cleaned, it made good contact with the motor!
We now recall the days spent on Staten Island, opening new GRIB files each day with hope and examining them with disappointment. It lasted eight days, we're already at six, we hope not to break a new record!!
Anse Notch
Published on 03/04/2011
We were so desperate in Caletón Silva that when we spotted a few hours of calm in the GRIB files, even though it was dark and we're not night owls at all, it didn't discourage us, and we prepared to leave in the middle of the night. We untied the mooring lines from the trees and waited in the hold until it was time to depart. We sailed well, sometimes under motor and sometimes under sail, but when we reached the Brecknock channel, the wind was blowing very hard and directly against us, so we had to turn back, this time to Caleta Yahgan (54º38S, 71º49W). Freydis and Uhambo were waiting for us there; we had already met them in Caletón Silva. We had a wonderful time with them.
The next day they wanted to make a long leg of about 35 miles, and according to the forecast, they needed to leave early to take advantage of favorable winds. We were blocking their path and finally decided to leave the anchorage with them. We set off at 6:00 a.m., pitch black; it was so dark we couldn't see a thing. The entrance is narrow and full of seaweed, which also means rocky bottoms, and since we couldn't see them, we were quite worried. Finally, by proceeding slowly and using radar, we managed to get out without any problems, but we vowed never to do it again! After a while, we couldn't tell if the other two boats were following us, and since they weren't responding on the radio either, we went back to see what was happening. They were both stuck in the rocks! Everything turned out alright, but they had quite a scare.
We finally arrived at Caleta Brecknock (54º32'S, 71º54'W), one of the most stunning spots in the area: a small cove surrounded by almost vertical stone walls. There's a waterfall, and you can walk to a lake in just 10 minutes. A small channel, no longer accessible by dinghy, leads to another lake. Unfortunately, it was a gray and rainy day with gusts of wind that caused the water level to rise, and we didn't see any of it. In fact, we were leaving the anchorage the next day because the weather was exceptional, with a southwest wind ideal for crossing the Cockburn Channel. We didn't want to repeat the experience of Caletón Silva.
As we gazed at the cove, a hailstone fell on us, and it wouldn't be the last. This gave us pause for thought: this journey was extraordinary, the landscapes incredible, breathtaking, and the sensations we experienced were unique and difficult to describe. We realized that this wondrous nature gave us so much, but also demanded so much of us. Okay, we weren't making Badoc move as fast as we'd like anymore, and we were anxious because we had to continue our journey. We still had many miles to go to Puerto Montt, our resources were limited—groceries, diesel, gasoline—and the weather was harsh: cold, rain, and a headwind. But it was just introspection; we weren't discouraged!
The weather forecast was correct, as confirmed by the Bahia Azul ferry that runs between Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams. When we passed them in the Occasión Channel, they announced: "Southwest wind 25 to 35 knots and waves of 3 to 4 meters." It was a bit confusing, but we pressed on and had a good sail, with three reefs in the mainsail and the staysail up. We crossed the Cockburn Channel and arrived at Caleta Cluedo in the middle of a hailstorm that turned Badoc's deck completely white!
We left Caleta Cluedo at the calculated time to allow us to pass through the Acwalisman channel at high tide, ideal for avoiding the full force of the current, which can exceed eight knots. It went well for us; there wasn't much rain, and all three boats arrived at Caleta Murray. On Freydis, we once again followed Norwegian tradition to celebrate the good luck that has been with us for the past few days. Once we arrived in port, securely moored and in order, a toast was raised, usually with snaps, to celebrate the successful completion of our voyage. We were happy to have almost reached the Strait of Magellan.
The next day will begin the difficult leg of crossing the Strait of Magellan. The ships ahead of us aren't giving us very favorable forecasts. Contrary winds and currents, fog, rain—many difficulties await us. The last information we have from Objectif Lune: it took them 14 days to cross the Strait of Magellan, from the Acwalisman Channel to the Smyth Channel (106 miles). We've been advised to be patient.
The weather forecast we had for the following days was not bad and we had to take advantage of it, so the very next day, the three boats weighed anchor at daybreak.
Entering the Strait of Magellan from the Acwalisman, we spotted a huge whale. It's a good area, but it was the only one… there might have been others, but with the fog and rain, it wasn't easy to spot them. We spent the night at Bahía Mussel (53º36'71S, 72º18'12W) on Isla Carlos III, which is Chile's only marine park, created to protect humpback whales. We didn't see any there either…
Today we set off early again to keep moving forward, and we've arrived at Caleta Notch (53º22'60S, 72º48'30W). We're happy; we've already covered more than half the strait!
Caleta Dardé (of the sisters Jacqueline and Christiane du Maris Stella)
Published on 07/04/2011
We have now passed through the Strait of Magellan, which is one of the major difficulties of the journey.
We are happy, we were lucky with the winds and we crossed the strait in 5 days, at the end of the journey we met Objectif Lune and they had already put 18 days on us! Since then, we have been sailing together and also with Freydis.
The first stop after the Strait of Magellan was Teokita Bay. We were greeted by some fishermen and managed to strike a good "trueque" trade: a huge quantity of fish for the three boats in exchange for a bottle of wine and a cell phone charge. Big celebration: crossing the Strait of Magellan with fresh fish for dinner!
We have now entered the channel zone and navigation is easier, until we reach the Gulf of Penas…
Puerto Eden
Published on 14/04/2011
Puerto Eden: diesel, petrol, food, internet… for a few days we are immersed in civilization!
We took the opportunity to insert some photos into the latest news mailings, something some of you had already requested, but we didn't have the means to do so.
Puerto Edén is a small fishing village, less frequented because of the red tide, calm and pleasant, and where newcomers are welcomed very warmly.
It is an almost mandatory stop for ships coming from the south that need to refuel, as a large part of the 800 miles from Puerto Williams is done under engine power since the prevailing winds are head-on.
The streets are actually wooden walkways connecting the houses. There are no cars, and supplies arrive by ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales once a week. It's unclear why the ferry didn't run this week, and the next crossing isn't expected until early May. Our hopes of buying fresh fruits and vegetables were dashed…
We made a lot of progress last week, enjoying beautiful weather and favorable winds. Taking advantage of the good weather, we left our traveling companions, Objectif Lune and Ocean Respect, and made a detour to Estero Peel, home to several glaciers. We arrived in the afternoon at Estero Amalia, about 9 miles from an impressive glacier. We spent the night in Caleta Amalia, admiring the glacier from a distance of about 4 miles, intending to see it up close the next day. In the morning, as we left our sheltered anchorage, well-rested after several difficult days of anchoring, the channel was completely covered with chunks of ice of all sizes. Not only could we not approach the glacier as we had hoped, but we also struggled to get through the ice and reach the main channel. It took us over 3 hours to cover barely 3 miles!
Puerto Eden
Published on 18/04/2011
We spent three days in this welcoming town, and in addition to its 140 inhabitants, we had the extraordinary luck to see eleven sailboats and took the opportunity to have lunch together. The people here are delighted; we're an attraction that breaks up their routine. They tell us that the most sailboats they can remember seeing at one time is five, and usually there are no more than two.
Today we plan to leave at noon, to be at high tide in Angostura Inglesa, and to head towards the Gulf of Penas, hoping that the weather will be favorable for crossing it and that we will not have to wait long.
In the end, we left without buying fresh fruit and vegetables because I didn't know when the ferry would arrive, but here people aren't worried; they're used to it and make do with what they have, without looking any further. Hector, the CONAF representative, made us cholgas, enormous 15 cm mussels stuffed with chorizo and cheese—delicious! We were a little hesitant because of the red tide, but they explained how the fishermen ensure the mussels aren't contaminated, and convinced by the method, we didn't hesitate…
Today, we made a final attempt to upload the photos to the web, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible. You'll have to wait until we arrive in Puerto Montt. In the meantime, as before, we'll occasionally send texts to Nerea so she can type them up.
Caleta Lamento del Indio
Published on 18/04/2011
When we left Puerto Edén for Angostura Inglesa, the weather was overcast and foggy. The famous Angostura didn't look so daunting for a small sailboat like ours, despite the opposing current, but we did encounter a cargo ship heading in the opposite direction. It was kind enough to slow down to avoid hitting us, and when it passed between the islets, we understood the difficulty of the maneuver, because it's not easy for these behemoths to make a sharp 90-degree turn in one go…
A few kilometers north of Puerto Edén lies Los Campos de Hielo del Sur. Once again, we wanted to get closer to a glacier and decided to enter the Seno Iceberg trail, even though the day was overcast. Halfway there, it started to rain, and a thick fog almost made us lose our way, but since no ice was coming down, we continued… We were incredibly lucky; just as we arrived at the glacier, the clouds parted, and the sun came out! We enjoyed the view of the glacier in all its splendor: the colors, the roars, the shards of ice in the water—impressive, immense! A 70-meter-high wall of ice, practically right in front of us!
After this exciting excursion, each day we gradually made our way up the Messier Channel to Caleta Lamento del Indio in Puerto Inti Illimani. Here, we wait for favorable winds to cross the Gulf of Penas, the last obstacle on our way to Puerto Montt.
Puerto Aguirre
Published on 02/05/2011
The high-pressure system finally arrived, and we were able to cross the Gulf of Penas. It started well; when we passed the San Pedro lighthouse checkpoint, the Navy informed us that Barça had won 2-0 in Madrid! That's globalization for you, and everything else is nonsense! After that, things didn't go so well, because the southwest wind that was supposed to arrive never did, and with the headwind and very rough seas, it wasn't very pleasant.
Finally, the southeast wind arrived, and most importantly, the sun and blue skies that also exist here!!!
During the crossing of Anna Pink Bay, a group of whales passed us and distracted us for quite a while; it was a splendid day!!
The coves where we spent the night turned out to be very pleasant; one of them had hundreds of sea urchins and starfish of different colors, and the rocks on the shore were pink, creating a very special atmosphere. Despite the sunshine, the temperature inside was 6°C in the morning, and the deck was covered in frost!
The Pulluche and Errázúriz canals are very beautiful, although we saw many fish farms, especially salmon farms. It seems strange, because in Puerto Aguirre you can't buy them, but someone gave us one!
Puerto Aguirre, bathed in sunshine and blue skies, is a picturesque town with colorful wooden houses whose chimneys billow smoke. The almost forgotten scent of wood brings back childhood memories.
The small children playing in the park have two red marks on their cheeks from the cold, very black and straight hair, and they look at us curiously.
The cemetery is located on a small island near the shore; it's very unusual, full of brightly painted wooden chapels and numerous (plastic) flowers. With the snow-capped peaks in the background, it makes for a beautiful photo.
Tomorrow, taking advantage of the good weather and having collected a supply of fruit, we will set off peacefully to reach Chiloé.
Marina
Quinched – Chiloé
Published on 14/05/2011
What a dramatic change! After passing the Gulf of Corcovado (45 miles), we found ourselves in a completely different environment. Everywhere we saw small farms, meadows with cows and horses, and at night we could hear dogs barking. We stayed a few days in the Pailad estuary; on one side there was a church and the kindergarten, on the other a few farms. We went ashore and were able to buy freshly harvested beans, cheese, and a piece of black pig freshly cut into quarters—what a treat!
Since we left Aguirre, we haven't been able to eat a single salad!!
We are almost at the end of this stage and we realize that eating a salad or taking a hot shower without counting the time are reasons for happiness and optimism, are we becoming fools?
We've now spent five days in this marina; it's very sheltered and beautiful. From there, we took a bus to Castro, the capital, where a wooden cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is impressive. The palafitos, these wooden fishermen's houses built along the shore on wooden stilts, are also interesting. Here, as in the rest of the island, practically all the buildings are made of wood. It's also striking to see how the exterior walls are covered with small pieces of wood placed like scales. In each house, the pattern of the wooden pieces is different, and they are built one by one. And since they also tend to be different colors, this creates very original urban landscapes.
The dreaded kelp, which has so often worried us, is finally on sale at the market! Its Spanish name is cachiyuyo, and once cooked, it's used in salads or stews. The intensely green seaweed, once dried, resembles tissue paper and is exported in large quantities to Japan.
With a rental car, we took a short tour of the island: we saw the Fort of Sant Antoni in Ancud, built by the Spanish, and where they eventually surrendered. We had lunch in the fishing village of Quemchi, birthplace of Francisco Coloane, which surely influenced his stories. We also visited some of the famous wooden churches built 200 years ago by the Jesuits, which are also UNESCO World Heritage sites. They aren't as impressive as the cathedral, but they are very pleasant. It was while looking for the way to one of them that we got stuck in the mud on an uphill stretch, as it was raining, and luckily some local farmers came to our aid and pulled us out with a 4x4 loaded with firewood. It was a bit stressful, but we realized how readily the people here are willing to lend a hand.
William, the marina owner, told us he'd grown tired of a good job in Santiago that didn't leave him enough time for his family due to his constant travel. So he made the decision, and took the risk, to leave that job. Later, during the holidays, he and his family fell in love with Chiloé and looked for a way to settle there. In addition to the marina, he has a small shipyard where wooden boats are handcrafted. He's incredibly kind and provided us with all the necessary amenities. We were tempted to leave Badoc here, but ultimately decided to leave him in Puerto Montt, where there's the option of leaving him ashore at a very competitive price. We're sad to leave Quinched, though; we felt almost at home. In any case, we'll definitely be back in the summer.
Puerto Montt
Published on 25/05/2011
In Puerto Montt, we reached the end of a leg of the journey. Until the very last moment, we hesitated to embark on it; this leg wasn't easy—a cold and rainy one, a leg with a headwind and against the current—but it was so worth it that at one point, you even considered doing it all again, no joke! And a single sunny day makes up for two weeks of continuous rain. The landscapes of snow-capped mountains, the secluded anchorages with lush, sometimes impassable flora, the magnificent glaciers, the abundance of birds, dolphins and whales, mollusks and algae, many of which were unfamiliar to us, the nights filled with stars in the Southern Hemisphere (when they're visible), the solitude in this vastness—all of this has a certain something that fascinates and draws you in…
We have been working for several days now to get Badoc out of the water and properly prepare him for wintering.
Emma's birthday in Reloncavi
We're at the Reloncaví Yacht Club with our French friends. Some, like us, are going home to see family, others are continuing on their way, and still others are staying for the season. We have dinner together almost every day, and we hope that somewhere, one day, we'll meet again. Yesterday we celebrated little Emma's birthday on the catamaran Mowgli—she turned six! They're heading straight to Australia…
