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Mountainous views, Tábanos and a World War I hideaway

22nd January 2016

41:48.90S 073:04.00 W

A tern perched on a polystyrene fishing float

Tern on a fishing float

We have had a change of scenery this week from the low rolling islands on the west side of the Golfo de Ancud to the steep fjords of the Andean foot hills on the East side of the Gulf. We had hoped for a nice sail across the thirty miles or so of open water from the Islas Chauques to Isla Llancahue but there was almost zero breeze and therefore we puttered across enjoying the weather and the respite from the Tábanos. Read more ›



An uneventful week, but not for the pig!

Pig being carried on a pole

Piggy transport

After the excitement of last week we have had a very quiet one this time. Leaving Castro the day after the collision we motored on a very quiet and warm day through the islands to Isla Alao where we anchored for the night near a large Salmonera (Salmon farm) that must have had a lot of fairly mature fish in it, if the noisy splashing from within the cages was a reliable indicator of size. Read more ›



Rescue in Estero Castro

Broken

The impact forced the rudder over smashing the tiller

In this week’s blog I was going to write about the Tábanos a huge biting fly, about visiting a church and getting a stainless steel thing made. But instead I’m going to tell you about an incident that happened to us as we were heading out of Estero Castro this morning. Read more ›



A year in, an overnight trip, national parks and a cultural observation

crab claw on the beach

Crab claw on the beach. Pacific coast of Isla Chiloé

Well that is Christmas done and dusted and as I write this the New Year is just a few hours away. This time last year we were slipping out of Stanley Harbour, Falkland Islands, on a quiet evening about to bring in the New Year somewhere off McBride’s Head. This evening we are anchored in front of the palafitos of Castro. Read more ›



Seaweed Pays

The iconic palafitos in Castro

The iconic palafitos in Castro

Still in Estero Pellu on Isla Apiao, we took a stroll along the coast at low tide to visit the community where we found the usual collection of boats on the beach, some in use some under construction and a church. We found several people busy on the beach working with seaweed that was drying in the Sun. They told us that they harvest the seaweed (that light green slightly rubbery sea lettuce type stuff) at low tide and also dive for it. We had seen many of the boats with rudimentary hookah dive systems on the deck but were not sure what they were diving for. Read more ›



Everything including the kitchen sink – comes on the ferry

The church at Metahue, Isla Buta Chauques

The church at Metahue, Isla Buta Chauques

42:36.66S 073:13.15W
We spent a couple of days in Metahue observing life, chilling and doing chores. We saw the ferry arrive one evening bringing half a dozen people home from their travels and unloading their shopping which included not only the kitchen sink but a wood fired range and its chimney. There were sacks of animal feed, sheets of plywood for the new gymnasium and boxes of fruit for the shop.
Read more ›



Taking it easy in Islas Chauques

Olga her big brother Victor and the doll that Paula made

Olga her big brother Victor and
the doll that Paula made

42:17.91S 073:08.20W

We have had a pleasant time so far in the Islas Chauques. We moved from Mechuque to Estero Voigue shortly after my last posting. This was a very scenic motor, of just a few miles, through an uncharted, twisting, passage between Mechuque, Anihue and some un-named islets. Read more ›



Cruising Chiloé – at last!

42:18.78S 073:15.91W

Artesanal fisherman returning to Bahia Corral, the boat is called Sin Piedad (No Mercy)

Artesanal fisherman returning to Bahia Corral, the boat
is called Sin Piedad (No Mercy)

The middle of November saw us almost at a stage where we were ready for sea; almost, I’ll write about the final little jobs in another post soon! So we started scrabbling around making the final arrangements, ordering fuel, paying the marina bill, provisioning etc.. Read more ›



Valdivia

Marina Estancilla

39:50.92S 073:19.01W

CalleCalle by .

Calle-Calle beer label

It’s been a month since I last wrote, and not much achieved. We left Marina Quinched on the 13th of April and navigated our way past many many mussel floats to Estero Tocuihue where we stayed the night before travelling the next day to Bahia manao which it right at the north eastern corner of Isla Chiloé. Read more ›



Chiloé

A dinghy

A dinghy

Marina Quinched
42:34.69S 073:45.36W

The highlight of our last night at Jechica was being disturbed by the patter of tiny feet running around the deck just after we went to bed and Paula seeing a little face peeking in through the portlight over the bunk. I hopped out into the dodger with the torch and found the owner of the face Read more ›



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