Feb. 19 I think

I am so far behind I haven't even proof read this one.

A correction....the rapids were in Puerto Montt...


February 19 Puerto Chacabuco
I wrote up this port several days ago and then lost it. Not that there was much to tell about the town itself. The sail up and back was spectacular as Puerto Chacabuco is at the head of the Aysen Fjord. At one time Puerto Aisen was the only port in fjord but in the mid 1950 a series of fires devastated Aisen. More bad luck followed and in 1960 a powerful tsunami struck the town --- three waves within four hours ---making the harbor unusable and by necessity Puerto Chacabuco became the port.
There is nothing in Puerto Chacabuco but containers, docks and a hotel perched on a hill top. Not a store, not a postcard, not a gas station that I could see. It is, however, the jumping off place to the interior and the Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael and other natural parks and areas. One reserve is a popular fly-fishing site and a few of the passengers organized a trip to the fishing area.
After tendering in in the very small harbor (it was like a watery cul de sac) Alan and I walked up the two lane road to nowhere (in the rain) until the top of the hill where I quit and went back to the Prinsendam. Alan continued on….but not for long.
We spent a leisurely afternoon doing next to nothing until we went out on we deck for the sail down the fjord which was reminiscent of Norway but not as stunning. What fjords could top Norway’s?
Today we received notice of ANOTHER PRINSENDAM FIRST!
Many cruise ships, including this one, offer a tour of the gallery. They are usually when the galleries are cleaned up and devoid of both food and crew. Interesting but bland. Tomorrow we will have a chance to tour the “back of the house” including the prep-galley, the bakery, crew’s mess room, garbage rooms, provision storage area and more and see where the “soup magic” happens.
We’ve signed up and will let you know what it’s like below the waterline.