It is quite amazing how much can happen in 24 hours. Last night I was
assuming I would still be at sea about now but we had excellent winds, a good 15
knots or so from right astern pushed us along at a solid seven knots.
Consequently we have stayed ahead of the weather system and this morning were
only some 20 miles short of Talcahuano. The winds fell light for a while, I was
afraid we were going to end up becalmed but it was only short lived and at 10.25
we tightened sheets to tack in through the narrow western channel into Bahia
Concepcion. It was a lovely sail, the sun was shining, the temperature was mild,
the seas were smooth, and the wind was perfect - a headwind now but I just love
tacking up a narrow channel feeling the edges with the depth sounder.
We were soon through the narrow western channel (the eastern channel is much
wider which all the big ships use) and into Bahia Concepcion proper, a wide open
bay with some very large merchant ships scattered around at anchor riding high
waiting for cargo. I tried calling the port control on the radio several times
but got no response, looking at the chart I decided the fishing harbour looked a
good spot to aim for. We sailed all the way in, I was tempted to sail to anchor
but decided that it would be safer to motor the last bit and just outside the
fishing harbour dropped sail and motored the last few hundred meters to anchor.
No sooner had I anchored and cleaned up a little than an inflatable zoomed up
alongside, it was the Armada. The two guys on board were vrey nice and they had
come primarily to clear me in, but also to tell me that I could not anchor where
I was as it was too busy with the movement of fishing vessels. They directed me
to another spot which on the chart was actually marked as a prohibited naval
area but as it was the navy directing me this was obviously not a problem.
It took no time to weigh anchor and move the short distance to where they had
indicated. In many respects it was better, the shelter was just as good, we were
out of the way of all the busy fishing traffic and we were right under the
watchful eye of the Armada. After a quick clean up I soon had the dinghy in the
water and rowed ashore. I checked in with the Armada but was told no problem, I
was free to go into town. Now I had heard that Talcahuano had been hit by a
tsunami after the Chilean earthquake and before I left Puerto Montt I had asked
the Armada whether there was any problem coming here and was assured there was
not. Consequently I assumed that much of the damage had been tidied up and all
was pretty well back to normal. It became clear however even before I had
reached the shore that this was not the case. Fishing boats were piled up on the
shore, one completely overturned, a wreck lay in the harbour, two masts poking
skyward, not marked on my chart, the wharves were mostly shattered concrete,
loose blocks everywhere, holes gaping for the unwary. I stopped in at the Armada
building to make sure all my paperwork was in order, here all was clean and tidy
but sparse, no furniture, wiring ran across floors, bare slabs of concrete. As I
wandered into town initially I wondered where the town was, empty shops, twisted
shutters bent askew in their frames, pavements broken asunder, empty courtyards,
roads cracked and broken, concrete blocks directing traffic. As I made my way
further into town a little more life could be discerned but not order, my
immediate impression was like the opening scenes in Blade Runner, cacophonous
noises, music blaring from several shops at once, dilapidated gaudy faded signs,
familiar, but unreal, worn out, a post apocalyptic world. May be I am rather
overstating things but I am just trying to convey my initial impression. I
didn’t need much, I just wanted some bread and some wine. It turns out today was
a holiday, no bread so I was directed to the supermarket, one block up, turn
right and two blocks further on. I followed these direction and more of the same
greeted me, mostly empty shops, broken twisted shutters, with odd spaces
refurbished, clean, neat and tidy, trading an assortment of goods, shoes,
women’s fashions, handbags - the essentials of life, or at least of an economy.
I almost walked past the supermarket but recognized it for the all the shopping
trolleys parked outside. The supermarket is housed in a huge tent. I
picked up my bread, wine, and some fresh mushrooms and made my way to the check
out.
I stopped at a restaurant on the way back to the boat and enjoyed a beer and
a plate of fish and chips as I read my book “A Journal of the Plague Year” by
Daniel Defoe and contemplated the synchronicity of what I was reading and the
setting I was in. The connection was loose I admit. I understand from later
questions that there was no loss of life here, hard to believe, just a lot of
damage, whereas in the great plague of London the loss of life was horrendous,
but no physical damage, the connection then is perhaps only one of mood.
As I walked back to the dinghy I passed by a naval rating fanning a fire for
a barbeque, I chatted briefly then continued on my way. As I rowed back to Sylph
I noticed this person waving to me, indicating that I should come back. This I
did and was delighted to find I was being invited to join him and his colleagues
for a barbecue dinner. They were all on duty so I hesitatingly offered my wine
as a contribution, this was not a problem.
So I have just returned from ashore, thoroughly smoked, after enjoying the
spontaneous comradeship of some 20 naval ratings, only one of which spoke any
English, but we all seemed to have a good time and I think it is safe to say
that my two litre cask of cheap vino helped.
All is well.
Bob Cat:
You can try to hide it under that cheap rough plonk and all that smoke
Skipper, but I can smell it - you have been eating FISH! You utter, utter
bastard! I have had it. OK so you gave me a little tuna last night, but all I
ask for is fish (and a lot of sleep) and you rub it in. You, you are a virtual
vegetarian,. Where is mine? Oh I can’t stand it. Oh … something, somehting about
knitting up the ravelled sleeve of care …. zzzzzzzzzzzzz
