Jan. 9 Puerto Chacabuco












Sunny, 16C

In a region that gets maybe 7 days of sunshine a month and only 8 hours in that day, we hit the jackpot! The sun shone gloriously from 6 am until we departed 12 hours later. 
We spent time on the bow of the ship as we sailed through the fjords until we reached our destination at 10. Waterfalls, tree covered islands, massive jagged rock faces and snow capped peaks kept my camera busy. I told Lawrie that it is a good thing we are in a digital era because if I had to develop film, I would have been able to afford the cruise but not the film developing!
Puerto Chacabuco is a small town of 4000 that is the passageway to visiting part of Patagonia. Our tour of Patagonia Nature in Depth began with a 15 minute drive to Aiken Del Sur Private Park. The park covers 625 acres and entry is strictly limited. 
Around 100 passengers had signed up for a 2 hour walk through the forest to a waterfall. We were divided into 4 groups. Our guide was not the best of the bunch but when we could hear him, he provided interesting information about the flora and fauna of the region. It had been devastated by a fire in the 1930’s so most of the vegetation was relatively new. With the amount of rainfall received in this area, the new growth was very tall and the forest lush. The trees do not shed their leaves seasonally. 
One particular tree of interest was the arrayan, a member of the Myrtle family. It sheds its bark to reveal a red, dense hardwood that is cold to the touch because it is full of water  
The waterfall at the end of the trail was much more impressive than the one at Petrohue and in a more scenic location. 
When we had completed our walk, we headed to the lodge where we had a drink choice of either a Pisco sour or a wine made from maqui berries. It was a good thing that the Pisco sour was in a small glass, as it was very potent. 
There was a fire going in the centre of the lodge where 2 whole lambs were roasting. After watching a couple perform local dances, we were served a dinner that started with a kind of empanada and salsa. The main course was a huge portion of roasted lamb, potatoes, corn, beans and asparagus. Dessert was a lovely light cake with a berry strudel topping and a berry coulis. Chilean red and white wines were also on the table. We finished eating at 4:30, so needless to say, dinner was just a snack of fruit and cheese. 
Sunset was at 9:49 so we spent some time in the Crow’s Nest Lounge enjoying the scenery then returned to our cabin and sat on the balcony having our snack. 

Sunset 9:49 pm

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