WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 - Puerto Chacabuco

Puerto Chacabuco is a small fishing village at the upper end of a fjord and is the new main port for the Aysen (Ice Ends) region of Patagonia.

We arrive around 10AM and are the third ship to drop anchor today. Also in port are the Silver Whisper (Silver Seas) and the Insignia (Oceania). It is a tender port as the piers are only large enough for the small fishing boats used in the area.

We arrive two hours or more ahead of the times listed in the daily newsletter so we have some time to kill before we head ashore to take our 5 ½ hour afternoon tour. It is raining lightly when we board our bus and start our 80km drive up into the Andes to the town of Coihaique, "The Capital of Patagonia."  We have to agree with the local propaganda when it says that it is hard to imagine area of the world more beautiful than the section of Patagonia from Puerto Chacabuco to Coihaique. Mist and light rain hang low over small farms as we thread our way eastward up into the mountains on a narrow, concrete road. It seems hardly wide enough for two cars to pass without banging their mirrors let alone a big cross country bus but we never hear the sound of breaking glass and bending metal.

We stop to walk a forest trail to see the local flora but, as with most group tours, we cannot hear what is said so we explore on our own and take photos of some of the more interesting plants and flowers.

The road follows the Simpson River first through a rain forest where we stopped and then through the Simpson River Valley where we see rustic lodges, sheep and cattle grazing and some spectacular views down into the valley as the road climbs toward Coihaique.

 

We make a brief photo stop to look down into the valley containing Coihaique, after our climb up to the mountain range divide, and then we descend into the town of some 60,000 people.

They have reserved us parking right on the town square and our two buses unload for a 45 minute stay in the town. There is a well known craft market across the street from our bus but, surprisingly, nothing strikes our fancy.

We walk along a pedestrian area with stores such as The North Face catering to all the hikers heading out to see Patagonia. We attempt to buy some toothpaste and denatured alcohol but the store will not take our dollars or credit cards and we do not have any Chilean pesos. This is the first time our dollars have not been readily accepted. We have some extra time so we sit and people watch in the main plaza. It is filled with children of all ages just have a good summer afternoon.

We board the bus and head back toward Puerto Chacabuco. After reaching the mountain divide, we start descending the Simpson River Valley and reenter the mists and rain of this area. It is like there is a line drawn along the crest of the divide; sun on one side and rain on the other. At a rustic, log lodge near the Cascade of the Virgin we stop for a snack.

After our recent experiences with these "snacks," we don’t expect much and are pleasantly surprised. We are offered pisco sours, red and white wine, orange juice and kiwi juice to start. On the table as finger food are small, grilled meat skewers, truly delicious, small meat and cheese empanadas, fruit and cheese. The empanadas are fresh out of the kitchesn; crispy, hot and delicious.The lodge is also divided up in such a way as to allow each bus group a private space which is also very nice.

After over snacking at 5PM, we walk a quarter mile up the road to take photos of the Cascade of the Virgin. This is a pretty waterfall right beside the road with a shrine for the Catholic faithful to light their candles.

It is beginning to rain harder as we board the bus and start the final leg back to the ship. We arrive at the port at 7PM and head for the tenders in the rain. Fortunately, we walk right on a tender and head back for the ship. The less fleet of foot got to stand in the rain while waiting for the next tender to return from the ship
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It has been a long afternoon and we do not feel like a long meal in the dining room so we order a room service dinner. We both have a Caesar salad and spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. Carolyn goes for a goat cheese and onion tart for an appetizer while Dick has smoked Salmon on a potato pancake. This is topped off with a bottle of Placido Chianti and a pot of mint tea. We eat dinner and watch the sail awy.

Actually this was a very pleasant day and a nice tour. Regent just needs to come to terms with the fact that if they are going to do the complimentary tours they need to only put 20 to 25 people not 39 on a bus built for 42!