Curare's Adventures

Bahia Tic Toc

After spending the past three weeks sailing south amongst the islands of Chiloe we departed from the southern port town of Quellon and crossed the Gulfo de Corcovado 40 miles to arrive in a secluded group of anchorages known as Bahia Tic Toc. We chose to stay at Puerto Juan Yates which provides very good protection from all winds. As we were winding our way through the many rocky islets towards the anchorage a pod of blackchin or Fitzroy’s dolphins came by to play(it’s difficult to distinguish the species when they are leaping about). Jessie got into the action and the once peaceful bay was wild with all the raucous barking, leaping and splashing as we looked for the most protected spot to anchor. Fortunately there were no other boats in the bay.

This area is part of the Parque Nacional Corcovado and encompasses the peaks of Volcan Corcovado rising 2,290 metres above us to the north and Cerro Yali at 1,607 metres, visible from our anchorage. As the area is a park, there are no developments such as logging, fish farming or habitation. This was a very welcome change from all of the other developed places we had been to visiting lately. From the anchorage we had occasional glimpses of the cordillera range poking through the clouds which form a majestic backdrop to this pristine area of Chile. We took a lot of dog walks to a nearby islet to look at the geology and at the hummingbirds and a few longer walks through a grassy estuary to view the entance to the many Tic Toc anchorages.

Within the anchorage we had a couple of small colonies of Magellanic penguins swimming around Curare, lots of steamer ducks, an otter or two, a lone pelican and of course the dolphins. In the evenings as the sun was setting we would watch the penguins hop out of the water, up onto the rocks and enter the bushes for the night. In the morning a sentinel would waddle out, check the weather and a few minutes later the group of penguins waddle, trip and hop their way down to the water. This was very humorous entertainment for us.

Dolphins came rushing over anytime we got into the dinghy to take Jessie for a walk on the beach. They jumped very close to the boat trying to splash us and this encouraged Jessie to lean further and further out of the dinghy - they hoped she’d fall in but we kept yanking her back inside. It was hard to get Jessie to concentrate on matters once on shore as all she wanted to do was get back in the dinghy to play with her buddies.

One morning while we were in Bahia Tic Toc we heard an anchor being deployed. Looking out the steamed up windows we could see a large 100+ metre power boat loaded down with every conceivable toy available, including of course a helicopter. In short order the passengers on this pocket cruiser were loaded into kayaks and in true Chilean fashion paddled straight towards Curare oblivious to the fact they were interrupting our tranquil setting. One of the kayakers was a German women who has set out to solo paddle around South America . We didn’t get the whole story but she apparently ran into the cruise ship somewhere and they offered her a bed and food in exchange for telling her story. Not a bad deal for everyone. After a few hours of buzzing around in high speed jet boats and taking rides in the helicopter, the cruise ship departed allowing us to enjoy another colourful sunset in peace and quiet.

We spent three full days at Bahia Tic Toc and could have spent many more. But as usual, we wanted to see what was on the other side of the fence and pushed on again, this time turning north. We expect to arrive in Puerto Montt in a few weeks’ time.

Puerto Quellon

While Linda has been off the boat getting a sore bum from sitting on buses for the past four days, Geoff and Jessie have been staying aboard Curare in the port of Quellon. Quellon is a bustling fish port at the very south end of Isla Chiloe. It is somewhat reminiscent of Port Alberni or Ucluelet in their hay days. At any time the fisherman's wharf is stacked six to 10 deep with beautifully styled wooden fishing boats dropping off their catch or picking up supplies. Many more boats of all sizes are beached along the shore while repairs are made. Given the thousands of migrant fisherman coming through the port it's a boisterous and entertaining place to be.

The town is a relatively new face on the Chiloe Island scene, having been built in 1906 to apparently support a petroleum byproduct production facility. Hence there is no typical chilate church to be seen in this town. However, there are fantastic views of the mountain range to the east with the peak of Cerro Corcovado often poking out through the clouds. The weather has been mixed but on occasion we've had wonderful sunrises and sunsets. The bay itself is well protected from all winds and seas. Curare is tucked away in the northwest corner of a bay formed by the main island of Chiloe and two smaller islands to the south. A hundred metres beyond the boat, the bay shoals forming a mud flat at low tide yet the holding is very good so there is no worry of dragging. It's only a short 5 minute dinghy ride to the dock yet all of the commercial boats do not pass by us so its been quite a pleasant place to anchor. Winds from the south do come into the anchorage though, which can build up a small chop in the shallow bay. If winds are greater than 15knots from the south it will be time to move to the other side of the bay where a sand spit provides better protection.

Jessie has met lots of dogs on her bi-daily walks on this spit so it may be the better place to be, at least for her. There are several grocery and hardware stores throughout the town so of course everything that we need is available - except fresh lamb. What's with that? The island must have a few hundred thousand sheep yet lamb is not offered in any butcher store we've come across. There is abundant fresh produce available at all of the markets so we will again be well provisioned for the next few weeks of cruising.

Chilean Paperwork

Chile is typical in its Latin attitude towards paperwork; meaning lots of it. Every country in the world has immigration visa requirements for foreigners visiting the country. In Chile most foreigners are granted a 90 day (not three months) visa which can be extended by either visiting the immigration office in the local provincial capital or leaving and re-entering the country. It costs $100USD (not Chilean pesos) to renew at the local office but the application can take three days or more and requires multiple visits to the office to see what is happening since this is apparently an unusual request. The more common way to get an additional 90 days in Chile is to exit and then re-enter at any border crossing. There is no requirement to stay out of the country for any length of time, just an exit stamp, an entry and exit stamp from the other country and then re-enter Chile for 90 days.

The point of this story is that Linda has gone off to renew her visa. Our original plan was to return to Puerto Montt at the end of March and deal with it then. This would have corresponded with the renewal of the Temporary Import Permit for Curare. However when we sent the Customs department a request for renewal of our import permit they had no record of us being around which required a flurry of emails, visits to a Notary to authenticate our ships papers and more emails. In the end it was all sorted out over the internet and Curare has a further one year permit to stay in Chile.
Now that we don’t have to return to a main port we have decided to cruise around the islands for a little while longer, hence the need for Linda to renew her immigration status. However this entailed four bus rides totally around 30 hours and three nights/four days. Had there been an immigration office nearby and had it not been the weekend it would have been faster and cheaper to renew the visa within the country.

Next up is Geoff’s turn to renew his visa but fortunately this won’t be for several more weeks when in all likelihood Curare will be back in Puerto Montt. It’s seems very difficult to co-ordinate all of the various paperwork requirements so that they occur at convenient times, but we’re getting closer. At least Jessie doesn’t need to go through all these hassles; she’s had enough of bureaucracy.

Castro

About one week ago we spent two delightful, sunny days at anchor off the Isla de Chiloe capitol city of Castro. The town is built on a small promontory at the head of a 20 km inlet. Reaching the town center from the anchorage required climbing up steep roads or stairs which provided some welcome exercise. Surprising to us the recommended anchorage is directly in front of the Armada base and the area was always full of fish boats arriving and departing. The Armada did not seem too concerned. In fact, while we were anchored in the harbour several pocket cruise ships arrived and dropped their passengers off on the wharf adjacent to the Navy docks.

The town was founded in 1567 and is the third oldest town in Chile after Santiago and La Serena but it never became very important because it is a difficult place for sailing ships to reach. With little wind blowing through the winding inlet and the ebb tide causing a 2 knot current against us we were happy to turn on the iron genny (AKA diesel engine), something that was not possible in the 1500's. Although not strategically a great place, the Jesuits liked the locality and Castro became the base for their missionary work in the area.

Castro has had it's share of misfortunes and disasters. In 1600 and in 1643 it was sacked by the Dutch, who did not get much time to enjoy their conquest because an earthquake destroyed it in 1646. In 1729 there was a fire, followed by an earthquake (1739), another fire (1890) and yet another fire in 1936. The most recent disaster was the earthquake and tidal wave of 1960. As almost all of the buildings (maybe all of them) are constructed of wood there is little that remains of the original city and some of the new
construction is quite hideous. Perhaps the oldest building is the cathedral and it was (re)built in 1906.

One of the most colorful sights, and the one that most often occurs on tourist brochures, are the colourful palafitos built on the edge of the water, constructed on top of stilts. At high tide the basement is the ocean and at low tide it is a slimy muddy mess. Originally these were the structures that the poor people built, and lived in, because they did not have to own any land. Now they are being renovated for the rich people and the poor people have been moved up the hill to small boxes built by the government.

Taking Jessie for a walk through Castro was always a noisy event as every yard had at least one, if not four, dogs who all got excited with a new dog in their neighbourhood. As soon as the dog alarm went off the whole neighbourhood for blocks around erupted into a very loud chorus of barking. Some of the dogs appeared very vicious but with a few well spoken "Bahs" and the threat of a rock thrown at them
they always backed down. Jessie, as always, acted non-chalant about all the rucas which of course enraged the male dogs to even higher fits. It was definitely hard to go unnoticed with Jessie around.

The churches of Chiloe

The 80 or so churches of Chiloé in Chile's Chiloé archipelago have a unique architectural style fusing European and indigenous cultural traditions, and are one of the principal reasons tourist's visit the area. Unlike classical Spanish colonial architecture of stone, brick or adobe the churches of Chiloé are made entirely in native timber with extensive use of wooden roof shingles. It seems that every small town we anchor in front of has one of these churches and we sail past many more.

The churches were constructed in the late 17th to early 20th centuries and by the end of the 19th century over 100 churches had been built. Between 50 to 80 survive to the present day (depending on which guide book or tourist pamphlet you read), and of these 16 are designated as UNESCO world heritage sites. Most of them occur on the eastern side of Chiloé island and this is the area where we are currently cruising.

All of the churches look similar and share common and essential features, expressed in shapes, sizes and proportions, but there are multiple variations. The churches are located near the shore, most of them are protected by the northern mountains and they have southern facing doors which front an open area. In some of the churches this open area has been developed into a central plaza but elsewhere is just a grassy field defined by a fence or trees.  The churches consist of a large horizontal volume with a pitched roof. The most typical feature of these buildings is the tower facade, on the side facing the esplanade, made up of an entrance portico, the gable wall or pediment, and the tower itself.

The portico is a characteristic feature of the earlier churches, but is lacking in those built in the 20th century. The tower is the dominating vertical feature, holding the cross and the belfry and also served as a beacon for fishers and sailors. Most towers are of two or three storeys, with hexagonal or octagonal drums to reduce wind resistance.  The horizontal volume of the church varies, but depth is favoured over width. They conform with a basilican ground plan with three aisles, only the central one extending to the back wall, while the two at both sides go up to a thin wall where the sacristy takes place and the room where liturgic objects are found. The aisles are separated by solid wooden columns on stone pads to avoid humidity; these support a huge beam that forms the ridge. In most cases the main nave is barrel-vaulted, the flanking aisles having flat ceilings.   The characteristic form and materials of the churches show virtually no variation over the centuries.

The population of Chiloé and the neighbouring islands appears to have dwindled during the past 50 years and many of the "small town" churches are in desperate need of repair, but from a distance all of them look whimsical and photogenic.

 

Jessie has a Cold

I woke up this morning with a really plugged up nose and feeling lousy.  I'm NOT getting out of bed today.  Well, okay maybe just for some kibble, then straight back to bed.

Our First Week in Chiloe

After being at Marina Estancilla near Valdivia, Chile for the past  nine and a half months, we finally broke the inertia of the dock lines and departed on February 22.  We spent a couple of nights at the very same anchorage we first made landfall at after our passage from Easter Island last May.  We were waiting for a low depression to pass over so that we could ride south on the southerly winds that develop behind the front.  As there was a kicker high forecast to come in a few days later we got going while the weather was on the wet side.

It’s 120 miles from Bahia Coral near Valdivia to Canal Chacao at the northern end of Isla Chiloe, our destination.  We had an early first light departure to allow ourselves plenty of time to reach the entrance on the favourable flood tide at 1300 hours the next day.   What we hadn’t really counted on was that the depression we were riding south would kick up such strong winds against the northerly flowing Humboldt Current producing heavy choppy seas.  With no time to get our land lubber legs acclimatized, it wasn’t just the water that was green.

We hailed Corona Lighthouse at 0900 the next morning with our position report and requested a weather update.  The system had blown through overnight and we had calm conditions and casually motored on through Canal Chacao with a strong flood pushing us through.  Nice timing!  We continued on around the eastern side of Chiloe looking for a suitable place to anchor for the night.  Unfortunately, the first three places we selected from our guide books were plugged full of marine aquaculture.  These salmon and mussel farms are enormous, covering square miles of water.  Because the waterways are very deep (100 plus metres) the farms are anchored in the shallow water close to shore and needing protection from wind and seas like we do, the farms take up any available secure anchorage.  After a couple of hours looking around we finally found a gap between two sets of mussel farms that allowed us into the center of a small cove that was ideal for a relaxed night of snoring.  It was so comfortable that we stayed two nights.

When we got going again we had favourable winds pushing us further south at a rapid pace.  We didn’t realize how much fun we were having until we checked in with the Armada (Chilean Navy) as we sailed past their post and they told us the port was closed!  What?, it’s only blowing 25 knots.  But as the depths shallowed and the passage between the islands narrowed the seas built up to a fair chop.  It was fine sailing weather we thought.  We anchored in another lovely little cove off of a small town on the island of Macheque where we spent the following day exploring, picking berries and apples for a fresh fruit crumble. All of the other boats in the anchorages are working type fishing boats but we can usually find an open spot

The islands on the east side of Isla Chiloe are analogous to those on the east side of Vancouver Island, although the architecture is different.  The northern islands are similar to the Gulf Islands with lots of small farms and artisanal shops and a larger population base.  Further south the Chiloe Islands become less populated, more remote and much fewer services similar to Desolation Sound.  Our plan is to explore these beautiful islands over the next several weeks.

Jessie's Life

I've been so busy since I returned to Chile that I really haven't had time to update everyone on what I've been up to.  To remedy my lack of postings I have asked the uprights to post some photos of me and my activities  so you can see what I've been doing.

First of all - it has  been a very busy time with lots of visiting and meeting new dogs. During the summer months there have been a large number of  dogs visiting the marina and as I'm free to get off of Curare any time I want I go and check out the new arrivals whenever they appear.   Butt sniffing I've perfected! 

I have also been swimming in a lake and a river, but sadly I did not catch any fish. I think the ocean is much better for fishing but here it is so cold I only go wading!  On another note ----- I have recently acquired a new mattress cover of faux cheetah fur, and with the addition of my blanket every night is snugly and warm.

Apparently we are off somewhere soon, given the level of activity aboard, but as usual nobody ever tells me anything (not that I could hear them anyways - I am getting old!).  Maybe soon I'll be able to chase a rabbit, or better yet, some sheep.

Valdivia

For the past 10 months Curare has had the opportunity to be moored 7 km from the city of Valdivia in southern Chile. Now it is almost time to leave and I realize that we have never written anything about this place we have called home for almost a year. Although in many of our earlier posts we have mentioned events and places of interest we have never really written about the city - so this is it (better late than not at all).

Valdivia, the City of Rivers, was founded on the Bahía de Corral by Pedro de Valdivia on February 9, 1522. This was a strategic, and relatively safe, location for ships rounding Cape Horn on their way to the gold of Peru and it was an enviable asset of the Spanish Crown. It became known as La Perla del Sur and even today is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Chile.

To protect Valdivia and it's river Spanish forces began building forts in 1645 and soon Valdivia was the most heavily fortified port in the Spanish colonies. The five forts overlooking the Pacific have been partially reconstructed and are now tourists attractions but within the city all that remain of the defensive  fortifications are two towers, known as Los Torreones, part of a former city wall. 

Even after Chile separated from Peru and attained independence from Spain, this area of Chile remained loyal to the Spanish crown. It took a surprise attack from Lord Cochrane and the Chilean navy to conquer the city and formally annex it to Chile in 1821. Since October 2007, Valdivia has been the capital of the newly created Los Ríos Region, a holiday destination.

The best place to take a photo of the city, and one that is heavily used during the summer months, is from the sidewalks on the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge. This view is the one what most Chilenos would imagine when you mention Valdivia to them.  The scene is used in most tourist literature and advertising billboards throughout the country.  From the bridge the Feria Fluvial (Riverside market) is clearly seen at the river's edge with noisy fisher folks cleaning their daily catch and throwing fish scraps to the immense sea lions (Lobo de Mar) who use the market as a fast food restaurant. In front of the fish market are the tourist boats wanting to take your money (and you) down the river to have a look at the Pacific Ocean, leaving with clockwork timing at 3:00 P.M. each and every day.  South of the fish market is a glass and wooden tower containing a Foucault's pendulum, one of only four in South America.  The shady Plaza de Republica, in the center of town, is overlooked by the spire of the modern cathedral, and on the east end of the bridge (just out of view to the left) is the modern, white, high-rise, hotel and casino.

Valdivia has several public and private schools and universities, the largest and oldest is the Universidad Austral de Chile (founded in 1954), with a shady campus located on Isla Teja. However the town also is home to  Universidad Arturo Prat, Universidad San Sebastián, Universidad Santo Tomás and Universidad de Los Lagos; not bad for a city with a population of around 200,000. 

During the summer months the Rio Valdivia and the Rio Calle Calle are the focal point of the city, crowded with rowing shells darting back and forth. Rowers have a choice of three rowing clubs and it is a serious sport, with good natured inter-club rivalry. In 2002, at the world championship in Seville, Spain, a team from Valdivia won first place in Men's Pair-Oared Shells. Sadly sailing is not a major Valdivian pastime, despite the International Pirata sailing regatta which was held here in  January 2012 and the lovely marina Estancilla where Curare has stayed for the past 10 months.

In the latter part of the 19th century, an influx of German emigrants moved to the area during a national immigration program and in many ways this is a German town. Everywhere you look you see German faces, German signboards and placards are arranged alongside the Spanish, and there is an abundance of old style German architecture. There is a large German school (Instituto Alemán Carlos Anwandter founded in 1858), a German speaking church, and, of course, breweries. The first German style brewery was founded by Karl Anwandter in 1851 and continually produced beer until 1960 when the famous earthquake destroyed the buildings.  That brewery did not rebuild, but a new one named Kunstmann was established using the same German brewing concepts. Today this beer is internationally known for it's taste, body and colour, and during the short Chilean summer it was a tasty brew to cool your throat.

On May 22, 1960, south-central Chile suffered the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the Richter scale. Valdivia suffered extensive damage and land subsidence makes navigating the local rivers hazardous, with some submerged buildings and walls adjacent to the marked channels. Nearly 40% of the city's buildings were destroyed and 20,000 people became homeless during the night. To put this into perspective the Japan earthquake of March 2011 rated 9.0 on the Richter scale and the devastating Indonesian earthquake of December 24, 2004 ranged between 9.1 to 9.3.

Valdivia has many excellent grocery stores (just like at home), several small hardware stores where you have to ask for items over a counter (we do not always get what we want), one Home Depot like store named Sodimac where you can take items from the shelves by yourself (easier but not as well stocked as the smaller places), at least three department stores for clothing and other items, a mall (complete with a movie theater and food court), numerous banks and restaurants, and of course McDonalds. It has been relatively easy living here but after 10 months we are looking forward to discovering the next place.

 

Signs of fall

It is the end of February and autumn is just around the corner. Summer weather, with it's hot temperatures and sunny days, occurred for about 10 days in January and since then it has been sliding towards fall. For the past two days Linda has been picking blackberries for pies, fresh corn on the cob is on the supermarket shelves and today we saw a chestnut tree heavily laden with it's spiky nuts.  Mornings on the river have been foggy, back to school sales are in full swing and flocks of ducks are flying north. Even though I KNOW that seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere it just does not seem right that fall is already here and we are still tied to a dock.