Saturday, March 14, 2015

North To The Warmth

The very southern part of South America has weather not unlike the summer weather at home. In southern Patagonia I used the jacket and polar fleece vest I brought with me.

Leaving Punta Arenas the other day the weather forecast was for 55 knot winds, and rain. To prevent any passengers getting sea water on them the captain ordered all the outside decks closed. The obedient crew immediately used the remaining pages from our passports to make “Deck Closed” signs and hung them on all the exits.



The ride was quite impressive. This machine that is longer than 3 football fields, and at least 16 stories tall, without counting the phantom deck 13 plowed through 17 foot seas, and did not break in half, as I thought it might.
The crew in a gesture of friendship placed air sick bags most everywhere. How effective air sick bags are on the sea is unknown but I never had cause to use one.

Because of the rough seas the captain had to slow the ship way down to 6 knots for part of the day. Later on as the wind ceased the captain gleefully explained that the slowdown would not allow time to cruise by Amalia Glacier. Well why would you go on a cruise to see anything anyway. Thanks again princess.

 
Right on schedule we anchored off the northern Patagonia city of Puerto Montt.

It rains a lot in Puerto Montt, but none had fallen for 29 days. That was good for us as it was the first sun and warmth we had had for days. But bad for Puerto Montt as fires had started around the area, and the smoke was thick in town, causing major traffic delays. Even our busses were delayed.
Our bus ride took us out to the base of Osorno one of the volcanoes in the Andes range.


We had a boat ride on Lago Todos, Los Santos and a fine lunch at one of the local farm houses.


We even had time to stop in the local town square, and were treated to local flute players who included in their repertoire The Sounds Of Silence


Again time was too short in this colorful town

Ibis

 

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