South American Tour: Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, Chile

Monday, January 25, 1965 Enroute to Puerto Montt, Chile

The surface of the sea was smooth but there were large swells underneath that caused the ship to pitch this is the first time the sailing has been uncomfortable. Shortly before we left the Pacific and turned inside thru the channels, bays and lakes, the most beautiful panaramas we have seen. At 8:45 PM and the sun is still shining, we anchored off Puerto Montt, a town of 25,000 people. The docks and the town itself were badly damaged in the earthquake of 1960.

Tuesday, January 26, 1965 Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas, Chile

Puerto Montt is the southern terminus of the central (state) railroad (from Santiago and also of the Pan-American Highway. It is a busy port exporting timber, wool, and leather. Last night we were told the agents boat would pick us up at 8:00 AM. All of us anticipated a beautiful scenic show ashore as this is one of the beauty spots of Chile and of South America. At 10 AM we were still waiting. The port has no lighters or barges for loading and unloading ships at anchor in the harbor. (The earthquake destroyed the docks.) The Navy came to the rescue with their navel landing craft and so the commerce moves. Our Captain says "This is the only place in the world where the navy really works."

At 10:30 AM the passengers received word that a small boat was coming out and small it was. Twelve passengers crowded, the pilot and wife boarded it. The women crowded into and filled the small cabin space. The men stood at the half door holding on to whatever was available. There was a fair sized afterdeck but not a seat on it much less a rail. The water was very choppy and there was a stiff wind blowing. As the bay, Seno de Reloncavi, is more than 25 miles across it, the wind can stir it up quite a bit. We landed and walked the 1/4 mile to dock gate and took a bus to main part of town.

The pilot, Manual Montaldo, took us in hand as he is familiar with the town. We window-shipped until 1 PM when we took a modern up-to-date, clean Mercedes Bus to Puerto Varas 20 KM Northwest on magnificent lago llanquihue (pronounced: yankee way). Puerto Varas is a tourism center having as a magnificent background, the most beautiful Chilean snow capped volcanoes- Osorno and Calbuco often called, "Punch and Judy." The lake covers 530 sq. miles and is 200 feet above sea level. It is the largest and best known of the Chilean Lakes. We ate at the Gran Hotel - lobster and fillet. Millie shopped at the gift shop in the hotel and purchased an exquisite vase and woven straw plate.

Walked back to the main street and took bus back to Puerto Montt at 4 PM. and then the street bus to dock area. The tide was out making the small wharf too high so we boarded by crawling on broken concrete and jumping to deck of small launch. The stevadors had taken a three hour sista 11 to 2 so 5 PM sailing had to be postponed. They finished at eight and then the crew began putting the long booms in their cradles - the first time since we left - indicating there was some rough weather ahead. WE sailed at 9 PM.

Wednesday, January 27, 1965

During the night the ship passed thru what is called, 'Canal Moraleda" between thousands of islands and heavily ofrested slopes of snow capped mountains on both sides. Somewhere about 45 S. Latitude the ship turned westward and headed for the Pacific Ocean. It was the roughest sea we had encountered so far. The ship pitched and rolled walking was difficult and the weather was gloomy.

Thursday, January 28, 1965

We rose at 7:30 looking out the window we could see the ship was back in the mountains. They rise sharply out of the water on both sides and we knew we were back on the inside tract. Leaving the Pacific the ship had crossed the Gulfo de Penas and entered Canal Messier. These "Canals" are not canals as we know them, but designated ship channels which have been determined by survey. The passage may be a mile or more wide or it may narrow down to three or four hundred feet. In this maze of fjord, bays lanes and islands, a channel for these large ships is most necessary. Sometimes so narrow that only one ship can pass thru. At 10 am the ship stopped and waited until 11:30 before we received clearance to proceed. In one section where it is necessary to follow on "s" curve thru the "English Narrow" the anchor is lowered to water surface and two crew members stand by ready to drop it electrically should the helmsman lose control of the ship to wind or tide. After we came out we passed another ship the first one we have seen on this run.

In this section of Chile, the sun breaks thru the clouds on the average of 51 days a year. It rains every day, anyway. With this rainfall, the mountains are heavily forested and there is plenty of snow with large glaciers. This has been a day of unique and wonderful scenery. Most of the passengers spent the morning and afternoon up in the bow except when a rain squall came along. Taking pictures and just looking thru binoculars. It was the most beautiful and unusual that we have ever seen.