Late summer in Valdivia - Warm sunny days, picking berries, laundry out, a pair of grebes courting romantically in the water close by. It’s a peaceful scene. Under the peaceful surface, though, there is a steady buzz of preparation going on. Last minute jobs, testing equipment, preparing food, provisioning, watching the weather. There were 3 boats at the Alwoplast dock, and we were are all planning on leaving to Isla Juan Fernandez within the next few days.
Dave, Dominic and I arrived in Valdivia more than 3 years ago; on April 2, 2016. Who’d a thought we’d be leaving on the same day three years later?! Sans Dominic this time.... Within that time Heart and Soul and her soulmates traveled through the Chilean Patagonian fiords to Puerto Williams and around the horn. So many memories of friends, experiences, and breathtaking scenery.
I recently required a trip home for some medical tests and returned mid March to Santiago. I’m pleased to say that all the tests were fine. Dave was there to meet me and we spent the next few days enjoying Santiago, generously hosted by a friend who lent us her flat. All things felt right in the world again- back with my sweetheart.
We walked for miles in Santiago including about 6 times to the printing shop to make sure we had all our paperwork right to apply for our extended stay in French Polynesia.
2 1/2 weeks later we were off the dock and heading for Isla Juan Fernandez- not bad...
The trip to Juan Fernandez was fast and sometimes furious with winds up to 40 knots from our stern quarter. I usually feel seasick anyways for the first few days when we head offshore so we couldnt have got there fast enough, as far as I was concerned. It is so reassuring to see a fellow sailor out there, and for the whole way, we were close to Galadriel. Liberataire (from Estancia dock) arrived a a day ahead of Galadriel and ourselves. Kini was delayed from leaving arrived a few days later.
Isla Juan Fernandez is also known as Robinson Crusoe Island as Daniel Defoe, an author in the 1700s, wrote a book based loosely on the life of Alexander Selkirk. Selkirk had voluntarily stranded himself on this island rather than continue on with the unseaworthy ship he was on. Apparently he lived there alone for four years before he was brought back to civilization by a passing ship. Interestingly, one of his great great great great...relatives in England was visiting the island when we were there, and gave a talk at the local library.
Anyways, there are fantastic trails all over the island. ( In fact, very few roads). We walked up to Selkirk lookout which is steep and has amazing views from all directions at the top. A group of a dozen or so locals on horseback were on there way back from a camping trip and stopped at the top with us to rest the horses. Isabella, the one year old in our group was a real hit with them as she was born in Chile.
On the night before we left, we had an amazing meal at La Petit Brueilth, a local hostel with a French cuisine with our friends on Kini.
On our trip back to mainland Chile we headed northeast to Coquimbo, a safe anchorage close to the start of the desert region.
After a bus trip to Santiago, we now have our FP visas in hand. BUT of course just when we thought we were finally free to start the trip, our agent tells us the visas were done wrong. NEVER GIVE UP! We are now going to take Heart and Soul up the coast to Antofagasta while the Embassy is otherwise on a week holiday.
More later before we finally go into the Pacific again!