blah blah blog: The North

Both “Alea” and “Polo Flat” left Chacabuco last Tuesday and we stopped for the night back in Gato. We had some drinks and snacks aboard little Polo Flat and said our goodbyes. We both left with the dawn the following morning – Alea going south, Polo Flat heading north. That night (Wednesday, May 6), we spent in one of what I think will be our last uninhabited anchorages – Caleta Canal (44,52S 73,42W).

You could town-hop if you wanted up here, which is a major difference from the months we spent down south, where we didn't see anyone else for weeks at a time. I assume there are more settlements because it is just a bit more hospitable than the colder more temperamental southern channels, and also because there is significantly more exploitation of the marine resources. Most notable are the many salmon and mussel farms. Maintaining these farms requires more boat traffic and more people. As a result, the environment is also changing - loads more trash on shore and a lot less marine life. We've noticed in our few times anchored with fishing boats the general lack of concern for where waste goes. Whole styrofoam blocks and garbage bags over the side, diesel in the water – the ocean is treated as a dump. I suppose this is the mentality of most of us humans wherever we are: if we don't see our waste any longer, then it no longer exists or has any impact. Unfortunately, that is very untrue and the effects are rather evident in this fragile Patagonian ecosystem.

Alright, enough preaching and back to our travels. Thursday, May 7 we decided to push up to a very safe spot, a small marina and eco-resort on Isla Jechica (44,24S 73,51W). The resort is closed for winter, but the marina is still useable and it provides excellent shelter in bad weather. It is a gorgeous spot and the resort has been beautifully and unobtrusively built into the surrounding environment. I can imagine that it would cost quite a bit of money to be here in season, but we were very lucky to enjoy the trails and some of the amenities all to ourselves and for free. Though the electricity is off for the winter, the caretaker who lives across the bay from the resort property allowed us to use one of the houses a bit. The showers were hot, wood-fired from the living room fireplace, the couches were cozy, and it was awesome having a little space off the boat to relax and spread out the yoga mat!

We left Jechica yesterday to check out another anchorage just a few miles north, Caleta Valverde (44,20S 73,46S). We spent the afternoon exploring the crazy plant life and rock formations on shore and then tucked in away from predicted bad weather. We had lots of wind and our first thunderstorm of the trip last night! It all passed through, leaving us with a beautiful sunset this morning and some sailable mild wind today. We're covering great ground and will hopefully be in Chiloe just after the weekend. For now, a new village while we wait out a big system.

Current position (Wednesday, May 12): Puerto Melinka, 43,53S 73,44W