Chile & Argentina: Andes To Patagonia Day 10

Day 10 - Wednesday, March 25, 2015 - Discover Chiloé Island and the Coastal Villages; Puñihuil Wildlife Sanctuary

On the bus by 8:30 am, we were off on another adventure of island hopping. James drove us southward for about an hour to the small villages on the east coast of the island.

As we drove we observed the lush green scenery of the island and the fantastic views of small farms and groves of eucalyptus trees. The major crops are potatoes, quinoa, fruit, sheep, and cattle.

Pillar gave us a History 101 of the first peoples of the island and their relationship to the Polynesians. She continued with the Spanish lineage that financed the explorations to the New World.

Chiloé Island was the closest Spanish possession to the Straight of Magellan and a prime spot for pirates waiting for ships to sail around Cape Horn loaded with gold and silver.

We stopped at 10:00 in the artisan village of Dalcahue just for a bathroom stop. The vendors were beginning to open their shops and put out their woolen goods.

At this village (still on Chiloé Island), we boarded a small ferry that took us to Quinchao Island. The journey across the straight took only five minutes, much shorter than the time it took to load the ferry.

We drove to the tiny village of Achao. On the way we saw many orchards and raspberry bushes, all drooping with ripe fruit. The homes were small but relatively neat and all with fences enclosing the property - Chileans like fences and want their property defined!

The siding on the homes is generally wooden shingles. The shingles were made of red wood but as it is forbidden now, they are made from hickory. The intricate designs of the shingle pattern are a sign of wealth of the family. Most of the roofs are corrugated metal.

At 10:45 we stopped at the overlook for a view of the village of Achao. The tide was going out and when we got out of the bus for our walk in the city we could really smell the seaweed.

One of the major industries of the area is harvesting this seaweed that is shipped to the US and France for use in the cosmetic industry. Because it is more profitable to sell it dry, we could see the plants out in the sun on the beach.

Pillar pointed out the naval station and the tsunami warning system. On the streets we saw evacuation routes clearly marked. It has not been uncommon for the shore to be devastated by tidal waves.

Our hike in Achao took us to one of the famous wooden churches of Chiloé now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Iglesia Santa Maria de Loreto of Achao was built in 1730.

The day was perfect for exploring these small villages. The temperature was 73 degrees and the humidity was 54%.

From the church we walked to the city bus station. There was time to use the public restrooms, buy an ice cream bar, and then board the bus with Ruben as our driver.

We made many stops along the route to pick up and drop off passengers. After about 20 minutes we got off at the village of Curaco de Vélez.

We strolled through the town to the city museum and saw many artifacts from the Spanish occupation. James was waiting for us and at 1:00 he drove us back to the ferry.

Back in Dalcahue we had lunch, sharing an order of empanadas with Al and Sue. We chose the meat and the cheese and Mary gave us a taste of the large apple empanada, for dessert.

While Gennie visited the artisan shops, Vic took photos and found a black-necked swan. This island is famous for wool yarn and hand knit scarves, sweaters, and ponchos. Of course, there were also the standard tourist merchandise, but overall, the products were of a good quality.

The last stop was to learn more about the almost extinct art of boat making. We met Ambrosio, a master builder. Working alone, he does not have formal plans. He looks at a picture, starts with the length, and then builds the boat to match the image in his mind.

After we returned to the hotel, we had about 40 minutes to get ourselves organized and at 4:45 we were back on the bus heading for the fishing town of Puñihuil.

We donned life jackets and boarded a twenty passenger small craft to motor out to the ocean to see the wildlife on the rock sanctuaries. Pillar warned us that we might not see both penguins but we should be able to see a few cormorants. Her hope was to see the Chilean sea otter.

As luck would have it we saw both the Humboldt and Magellanic penguins, rock, red-legged, neotropic, and imperial cormorants, as well as the flightless steamer duck. We also were able to see the American and Magellanic oystercatchers.

And to top off the later afternoon, we saw at least two different sea otters. Pillar told us that they were rarely seen and are protected under Peruvian, Chilean, and Argentine law.

In just 45 minutes we had seen so many inhabitants of this wildlife sanctuary, we could not believe our good fortune. We returned to the beach where we had dinner at Restaurant Bahia Puñihuil and celebrated Cecilia’s birthday with hats and horns and a birthday cake.

It was 9:15 when we returned to the hotel to complete the journal and go through our 350 photos of the day. Picking five of the most representative was a difficult task.

Accommodations: Hosteria Ancud Hotel - - - Meal: B & D

Thanks for picking the penguin picture from your vast library - just love them!! Sunset was stunning!!!

It's wonderful to have such good luck on your trip. The church looked very interesting. You are charmed to have seen all that wildlife! A lovely day.

Day 13: Azores & Madeira: Portugal's Unspoiled Archipelagos

Island Beauties

Island Beauties

Island Beauties

Island Beauties

Island Beauties

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