41:30S 72:59.27W

No sign of life on ‘Quilacoya’ as we sailed off the mooring. The tide was with us and a gentle breeze helped Caramor along. We wove a tricky slalom between mussel rafts, fish farms and other marine structures. 

No sign of life on Quilacoya

As we rounded the western end of Isla Puluqui into Canal Calbuco, a busy fishing port came into view, the home town of ‘Maria Catalina’, the boat we rafted up to at the end of day 84. 

Puerto Calbuco

We passed a yacht at anchor, another one sailing, fishing boats overtook or steamed by in the opposite direction. Not everyone waived back, a symptom of a busy place. Caramor’s name was announced over the radio. It was Anja and Tomas, our Swiss friends from Brazil, sailing across the Golfo de Ancud to the northern end of Chiloe, they had read our blog and guessed we were within radio range. It was good to speak to them.

A novel haul-out place for a sea lion

The wind eased as we entered Paso Guar and our speed dropped below two knots. The yacht we had passed earlier ‘Westerly Serenade’ overtook us under engine but felt compelled to deploy their genoa on seeing us sailing. Caramor ‘pootled’ along, until finally, the wind gave up completely just a few miles short of Puerto Montt. We motored the final stretch and were offered a berth in Club Deporte Náutico Reloncavi. 

Caramor in Club Deporte Náutico Reloncavi

Frank and Jo (Westerly Serenade’s crew) from New Zealand whisked us into town for a whistle stop tour. The bright lights of the giant supermarket, the busy streets, the piles of gorgeous fruit and veg on street corner stalls were all too much to take in. Franco and I felt jet-lagged. Back at the club we met up with Birgit, Tomas, Zoe and Leo, our friends from Piriapolis who sailed ‘Kalibu’ around last summer. ‘Yao!’ is also here but Marianne and Jean-Loup are touring in Peru.

Sailing the Chilean canales has been an amazing experience and I hope to do it again someday, meanwhile we are very much looking forward to visiting inland Chile and countries further afield.

Caramor set sail from Puerto Williams on 22 June and arrived in Puerto Montt on 12 November, a total of 143 days. Thirty-five of these were spent visiting special places, resupplying or having a tooth extracted, a further 36 waiting for less wind / more wind or for the rain to stop. We visited sixty-eight beautiful anchorages and met some amazing people.

Puerto Williams to Puerto Natales (22/6 - 31/7)

Total nautical miles: 593.4

Sailed: 27%

Diesel consumed: 250 litres (motoring and heating mid-winter)

Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt (14/8 - 12/11)

Total nautical miles: 1,378.2

Sailed: 52%

Diesel consumed: 405 litres (motoring and heating spring)

We chose to sail during the winter because the weather is more settled, drier with less frequent strong north-westerlies. Our big concern was how much motoring we might have to do, as ‘canales veterans’ had told us we would motor 90% of the way. We are delighted to say that we sailed 46% of the total distance, though it did require commitment, patience and many hours at the tiller. If we hadn’t diverted to Estero Las Montañas, Tortel and Laguna San Rafael, our score would have been higher. 

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen is the end of the blogathon … a more sporadic service will resume shortly.

Kath

Blogged out!