Puerto Chacabuco, Chile, 1/27/16

Today we crossed the Andes. We took the 90 minute bus ride from the damp and green coast (4,000 mm of rain per year) up a two lane, mostly except when it was one lane because the road or bridge was under repair, highway to the drier area (1,000 mm of rain per year) and the regional capital city of Coyhaique City.

This is the northern edge of Patagonia, the largest region (like a state) of the country but the smallest population. It's the gateway for outdoor recreation--fishing, hiking, camping, white water rafting, etc. It is also very isolated. Puerto Chacabuco (easily the most fun to say) is accessible by air or ferry, in the summer. Coyhaique is accessible by road or air, in the summer. Both towns (neither is large enough to be defined officially as a city) are virtually closed to visitors in the winter. The weather, rain and wind on the coast and snow in the mountains, wreaks havoc on air and sea schedules.

Our guide, Makarena, is a native of Coyhaique. She went away to university to study translation (her English is perfect, American rather than British) but didn't like the big city so returned home to work as a guide in the summer and wool artist in the winter. She's a walking encyclopedia of the area. As she said, "I grew up here so I know about the people, history, geography and nature." She did concede that the quiet life is not for everyone. The regional government is headquartered in Coyhaique but most of the governmental employees are there for just two years. Too quiet.

We stopped at a restaurant set in a beautiful riverside farm on the way back to the ship for a spread of Chilean wines, Pisco Sours, empanadas (Jim's new favorite food), cheeses, salmon (farmed salmon all over Chile) and sweets. Nothing like a couple of Pisco Sours each to make the ride back to the port jollier than the ride from the port!

It took two days to get from Punta Arenas to Puerto Chacabuco. We sailed through the archipelago of thousands of islands off the coast of southern Chile, past fjords and a few impressive glaciers and saw not one other vessel large or small. The entire area is uninhabitable. Absolutely gorgeous, though, with steep, tree-covered mountains rising straight up from the sea; no beaches at all. Gradually we left the snow-covered peaks behind but not the clouds, occasional rain shower and always, always the wind. It's also getting a bit warmer every day. In fact today the winds subsided and we saw the sun! The heavy coats, scarves, hats and gloves are back in the closet. It's supposed to be in the low 60s tomorrow.