Boarding Day

Trip Start Mar 01, 2006

308

551

Trip End Dec 01, 2007

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Flag of Chile Puerto Natales, Chile
Friday, March 30, 2007

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As we were checking out of the guesthouse, the sailor there told us the pier was closed and the boat was still waiting outside of the harbour. The landlord made a phone call and confirmed we could still go there and check in. It was another rainy day, with a lot of wind that was the cause of the delay.

We got to the harbour and checked in: left our luggage and got our boarding card. They told us to come by at noon for an update on the situation.

We went back to the guesthouse, as the owners had invited us to stay and use the kitchen and lounge if we had to wait. Lionel and Bruno sat in front of the TV, and I did some more emails. At noon we called Navimag and they said we should come at around 3.30.
More people were arriving at the guesthouse, frenchies that Bruno knew and who had been three days to Tores del Paine under the terrible weather.

We were not doing much, and at around 2.30 news arrived that the boat had moored on the pier, so we went to the harbor again. The boat was there allright, we took pictures... and at the desk they informed us that the boarding would take place at 9pm.
They needed time to unload cargo, and then load other cargo, as this is the only regular cargo line between southern Patagonia and the rest of Chile.
And it was clear that instead of leaving at any time, they were taking the planned schedule, only a day late.

Back to the hostel, where we spent the afternoon, had aperitivo, talked with the people. Alejandro, a Chilean who makes and sells artesanias, showed us his work, and offered me to pick something as a gift, which I did. When I had left in the morning, I had asked him if he needed a sleeping bag, which he did, so I had given him the sleeping bag I had carried all the way from Oz and that I was planning to resell in the Lake District.
His stuff was mainly made of natural components, such as nacre, serpentine stone, and beads, put together into bracelets or necklaces or earings with a serie of tied strings. The technique used is that of knots that give volume to the string canvas, and hold the natural parts.

At 9 we set off for the harbour again. We arrived just in time for boarding. We were led in three groups to the boat: entering on the lower deck, we were all asked to get on a delimited area... that was in fact the lift to the cargo deck. That is, a lift big enough for a big truck. Once up there, we found our rooms, small and cramped but nice and clean. Bruno and I were together sharing a 4 berth cabin with an english couple.

We went on the upper decks to see the other group boarding and get up with the lift, and then some vehicles were loaded and unloaded too. There were trucks full of cattle: veals, cows, and horses, far from looking comfortable. There were straw balls for them too.

The boat was scheduled to leave at around 6 in the morning. In fact they had to sail past a narrow pass (White pass) and wanted to do that during the day. We were invited to get up on the bridge by 6.40 to see the manoeuvres.

In the evening they showed a film (motorcycle diaries, the trip of young che guevara across south america), and a lot of people were filling up their blood with alcohol, starting with Lionel and Bruno, who ended up in a very amusing state. I was taking antibiotics, and still feeling a bit ill, so I didn't join in.

I got a bit depressed to see there were almost only westerners on the boat. I knew from the beginning that this was what I should expect inatagonia, and I went along fine with it... but I guess I was getting a bit tired of it.

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