South American Tour: Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile

Saturday, January 16th, 1965 Iquique, Chile

50 Peso = $0.013 U.S.

Altho we are still in the tropical zone and it is now mid-summer the weather is quite cool with a stiff wind blowing. The ship moved to the dock in Iquique, Chile to unload 42 tons of cargo. As soon as we were cleared we went down the gangplank and walked to town about 3/4 mile away. One half hour was spent in the local post office purchasing stamps for letters and cards. An increase in postal rates had gone into effect that morning stamps seem to be the one product that costs more money than US counterpart. It was Sat. afternoon. "English Holiday" it is called and all stores are closed. The town is a busheling seaport sitting on a narrow plane between the Andes and the sea. The mountains are completely bare and brown in color and start up at the town's edge. Iquique is near the country's nitrate and iodine mining center. We returned by taxi shortly before 5 PM and ship left at 5:35 PM.

Sunday, January 17th, 1965 Antofagasta, Chile

222 miles south of Iquique we sailed into the large crescent shaped bay on which Antofagasta is located and anchored in the harbor at 9:30 AM. Last Thursday a ship on the dock blew up when a cylinder of propane gas was dropped and exploded. The fumes reached the galley stove and that was it. Several men volunteered to cart the liner and then it was towed away from the dock where it burned all night with the cylinders popping like bombs. In the morning it sank and only the top of one of the cranes is above water. Eight men died in the accident and all the other stevedores took a three day holiday. Hence we didn't come.

The passengers were cleared by immigration and 9 went ashore in a water taxi. Millie and I stayed aboard and napped. We will go in tomorrow when the stores are open. The city was founded in 1870 following the discovery of nitrates nearby. It now has a population of more than 100,000. It seldom rains here and the climate is temperate and dry. The tropic of Capricorn passes a few miles north of here, so we are now out of the tropics and in the south temperate zone. The town is built on the side of hills which rise abruptly for miles from the sea into steep mountains. The town extends along this incline for many miles. Antofagasta is a beautiful sight, well lighted and easy to see from offshore due to gradual rise in elevation towards the steep Andes. Tonight it was especially intriguing as a full moon rose over the Andes and flodded the city with moonlight.

Monday, January 18th, 1965 Antofagasta, Chile

When we awoke at 7:30 the ship had firthed at the "U" shape dock that holds at least eight large ships. After breakfast most of the passengers went to town. There wasn't a taxi in sight and believe me most of the taxis in this and the other towns are a sight. Many are pre-war American cars. When they loose a fender it is lost-period. No replacements. New cars cost 2 and 1/2 times original US selling price. We walked a mile to the Antofagasta Hotel an excellent one, owned and operated by the Chilean government. We were looking for Tom and Bea as they did not return to ship last night. The desk clerk told us they were not registered. Later when shown the name "FINNERTY" printed in block letters he recognized it and said they were in room 526. We were concerned because we were told they had gone off last evening with a chap who was "loco." Later we met the "loco." and the was a 200 pound American mining enginer who is building an 8" oil pipeline over the Andes between Bolivia and Antofagasta. 

We were told the ship would sail at 11 am so we ordered a taxi for 10:30. We waited and waited it showed up at 11:50 after bellboy went after it. As usual the ship was delayed and we left at 2 PM. It is rather discouraging when there are so many things we would like to do and strange places to see and then loose so many hours thru poor decisions and errors. For diversion, while waiting, we noticed a cow swimming in the center of the "U" docks. A ship opposite ours was loading cattle and one of them unhappy with accommodations jumped overboard. (Boy, that must have been a strange nautical exclamation in Japanese "Cow Overboard.") One sailor went over the side to bring it back. He didn't dare grab it for the dangers of being kicked but tried to steer it by splashing water in it's face. The main problem being the cow was a better and faster swimmer. Later another sailor joined the water ballet. They finally got the cow between the bow of the ship and the dock and other sailors blocked off escape. We couldn't see the finale of this drama of the cow and sea, but it was different from our nautical adventures.

Back on the Pacific the sea is glass smooth with long rooling swells. The ship is doing quite a job of pitching. At five PM Hazel Lewis and Marian Pease entertained with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Dinner at six, bridge at seven.