A Reflection on Patagonia
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sat 22 May 2010 00:07
Patagonia) and head to Argentina to Bariloche Lake District on the other
side of the Andes, we will pass through the Lakes, but we will still be in
the mountains.
Today is the 21st of May a national holiday here in Chile for the Navy to
celebrate a battle they lost, we have 4 Navy Frigates anchored outside the
hotel, and there were parades. We spent the day in rest and getting ready
for the next leg, and doing kids activities and development.
But I wanted to reflect on Patagonia, as exploring this frontier area was
central to this overall trip to South America, both Tracy and I had read so
much and wanted to explore.
They say when you head south of Puerto Montt you do head into a wild,
frontier and isolated area, they are correct, the channels, coast is
mountains to the coast, and the coast is 1000s of islands, channels going up
to the mountains making boat the only transport. So many calm anchorages so
little towns, this is compared with the inside channel in Canada (where you
have many small/tiny settlements) here there are a few but for the most part
it is wild. Still undeveloped as far as tourism, which makes it nice. If you
want explore mountains, and channels, this area really did live up to what
we had hoped, so much so we will return but head south to the Antarctica
next time. Certainly being out of high season helped and I would suggest
doing it a month or so before us eg March/ April.
Now we have 3 weeks in Argentina exploring especially the mountains, the
trip the next 2 days should spectacular if the weather holds.