Up-up and away
March 28th, 2006
There is pretty much nowhere to go when you are at the end of the world, unless you have three thousand dollars to grab a boat to Antarctica. But as the freezing Antarctic winter was at the door, the last boat of the season left a week ago. Therefore, up-up and away, back North, zigzagging through Chile and Argentina, we go.
Next stop is Puerto Natales, Chile. We crossed the border from Argentina and arrived here with the whole “mishpuha” late at nigh. We even had acquired an addition to the family – I’m not sure where or when exactly, but a very well-mannered and quiet Korean geology student named Jay joined us and now there was even more reason for everybody to speak English in the group. Surprisingly, it only took two hostels to accommodate all of us, but unfortunately none of them were as cozy as Nana Hinam.
Next morning we were on a mission. Most people we arrived here with came to Puerto Natales because this port town was the gateway to Torres del Paine national park and two of the most amazing treks available in the area. We, however, had an alternative in mind. Eden, one of the guys we came here with, has already done the Western Argentina-Chile stretch and was returning to Puerto Natales only to catch a boat that was going North along the Chilean coast navigating through the fiords and islands on Southern Chile’s shores, and in several months returning to New Zealand through Galapagos and French Polynesia. The boat, Evohe, is owned by Steve Kafka, a New Zealander whose boat was hired for dolphin research and mapping. Steve has managed to create a win-win situation, where his whole crew would consist of backpackers with no experience in boating, and no time limit, who would pretty much do everything from cooking and cleaning to sailing, dolphin watching, and partying on the boat as it goes through many exciting places that are normally out of reach of the conventional traveler. Talk about the road less traveled. For us it would mean extending our stay in South America by about another three month through which I would probably battle sea sickness every day, but what a way to travel! Unfortunately though, our sailing dreams were shattered right there in the port when Steven informed us that the Chilean authorities would not allow him more then twelve passengers even though he was more then equipped for twenty. Oh well, if not month in sea, then at least days of tracking by land.
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Tags: people, sailing
Posted in
Places»South America»Chile |
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