Puerto Chacabuco

Day 23; 28 January. Puerto Chacabuco

Another dawn surprise with a view of snow capped mountains not far away. We had entered the Chilean Fiordo Aisén in Northern Patagonia. Slowly we cruised to the Eastern end of the Fiordo and dropped the hook at 0700 off the port town of Chacabuco. This port became the major area port in the 1960's after a tsunami devastated the port of Aisén up the Rio Aisén from Chacabuco. In 1991 there were more devastating fires in Patagonia and then the eruption of Mt. Hudson practically closed the Rio Aikén to navigation. All around us are the mountains of Northern Patagonia. Most are heavily forested with backdrop ranges of rocky snow covered peaks. The Fiords of Chile are magnificent.

Julie went on an excursion along the Simpson River and it's valley to the town of Coyhaique “Gateway to unspoiled Patagonia.”

I went with a group to a private park and reserve Aikén del Sur to hike the valley in this thickly forested range. Our guide pointed out aspects of the flora and fauna This is a temperate forest and can receive 10' of precipitation a year. Following a stream we worked up the hillside learning about the trees, bushes, grasses and birds along the way. From an opening in the forest we could see mountains and valleys beyond, many of which have been untouched and unexplored, at least by modern man, according to our guide. In much of the territory there are no roads or trails so transportation is non-existent except by air. About 70km South the glacial ice fields of Northern Patagonia begin. At the end of our trek was a dining area overlooking Lago Riesco. Split lamb, skewered on iron stakes roasted in a wood fire pit while local dancers whirled and stamped traditional dances to Andean music. The lamb lunch was washed down with Chilean wines and the ever present Pisco Sour. About 1400 the group headed back to the ship.

At 1710 our anchor came up and we began re-tracing our route up the Fiordo Aisén but this time in daylight. Sunset at this time is about 2140. (9:40pm) The trip down the Fiordo was impressive with the mountains flanking us, our passing close to some islands and the observing of the occasional fish pen and always a snow capped peak appearing. There are 3,000 or more islands in this archipelago. At 1945 we entered the Rodriguez channel and passed through that narrow and deep channel with the islands towering over the ship. At 2050 we entered the Darwin Channel and were soon working our Westward toward the Pacific. (Note: We have on board a fiord or channel pilot and an ice pilot.) We watched this panorama until the sun sank beyond the channel and islands ahead of us.

As we emerged late this night into the Pacific we entered an area heavy with krill coming up from Antarctica in the Humbolt current. These small shrimp and a favorite of whales(toxic to people) but posed a problem for our vessel. The pumps for our generators powering our air conditioning and ventilation became clogged with krill and had to be shut down so the filters could be cleared. Engine cooling intake filters had to be cleared out as well. (We were not without propulsion for a minute.) The local ferry Captain reported the same problem. Due to this large area of krill, our Captain decided to take us further offshore in clear waters for our run South.

Noon report: 45 degrees 26.38'S and 072 degrees 49.59'W   Total voyage 5860 nm.

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