http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnXbEZwMPoc

No – no printing mistake – after I’m back from SantiaGo, now I’m back from SantiaNo!

Yesterday night, I was in Flensburg with Peter,  joining a concert of a new maritime raising star group, based in my own region – SANTIANO! The band leading face Björn Both was even born in my home town Husum!

They play “einfach geile” maritime rock and pop music – “SANTIANO steht für Songs berstend vor Lebenslust und Seemanns Gefühl, voller Träume und Sehnsucht.  Eine starke Mannschaft voller Leidenschaft.” YES!

Just google, play some songs and enjoy! But much better – join one of their concerts! Es ist einfach “Der Hammer”! They are on tour in Germany until x-mas, and Flensburg was their first concert!

Besides their title song “Santiano”, those three are my favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUR3NwfV2i4

Santiano – Es gibt nur Wasser…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SFo4McqXYA

Santiano – Frei wie der Wind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SFo4McqXYA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMoxCgfhhkQ

The final arrival in Valparaiso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxQg2p8REE

Arrival in San Antonio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhgyNiOEqqg

(a bit strange…) Trip preview , made out of old pics and footage…

First of all thank you for a your great birthday wishes on facebook, my blog and in personal e-mails! Sorry if I can’t reply to each of them separately.

It took a while until Valparaiso, due to the logistics in Chile, to get a physical copy of the “Fearless” book” actually into my own hands, though I was able to download a n e-book reader version in Puerto Montt. I may read it again soon and check which of my notes Joe has transferred into the final version. You are able to order it here.

I learnt today “Fearless” is already in the process of being translated into German and is almost finished, and will be on the market in spring 2013. It is published by the renown German sport book publisher Delius Klasing Verlag.

I will work with the same publisher as a co-author on my next book about South America. This time it will be first written in German, and then translated into English and maybe into Spanish! We will work on the first leg of the trip already now in my summer break, and keep it up during the next legs, so the estimated time to have the final product maybe in spring 2015…books take sooooo long to get done! But it will be worth waiting for…

Juan Paulo Ceron, owner of Universal Kayaks and Rockside Expeditions

Friday, after I got the gear cleaned and organized which I used on my trip, Cristian, Ignacia and I drove to Santiago to pick up the luggage I had left in Buenos Aires with Virginia, Alejandro’s wife.

THULE organizing a ground transport to Mendoza, thanks! Juan Paulo Ceron was so nice to drive over the border to pick my bags up, as flying them in would have been trouble with customs.

A staff member pours plastic powder into the mould

We took the chance to visit Juan Paulo’s Universal Kayak rotomold factory, where he produces a wide range of plastic kayaks and other plastic products. Basically, making a plastic kayak looks like a simple process: Pouring the plastic powder into the mold, and then baking it in the oven. Surely, it requires a lot of knowledge and preparations plus finishing work on the product.

The moulds and oven at the Universal Kayak factory in Santiago

Juan Paulo also runs “Rockside Expeditions” to organize kayak trips. He also offered to store my kayak in his factory while I’m home. Thanks, Juan Pablo!

Cristian and Ignacia on our lunch in Santiago

My lovely hosts Cristian and Ignacia went really out of their way to help me along with all my needs on my last days. They are not only giving me a private room in their fancy apartment building in the 17th floor with a great view over Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, but Ignacia was also cooking great food at home, Cristian was taking me out several times for lunch and dinner, was driving me around to Santiago and sightseeing in Valpo/ Vina, they will store a few gear bags in their home until I’m back late August, plus will look again after me on my new start!  They are really great hosts! I started with a veterinarian host in Buenos Aires (Alejandro), and finish with two dentists in Valparaiso. God save the doctors! – as long as they don’t have to work on my body…

Thanks very much, Cristian and Ignacia!

My lovely hosts in Valparaiso/ Vina del Mar Ignacia and Cristian

I like to thank the following people and institutions for their help, support and friendliness on my first leg of my circumnavigation of South America, in kind of the order they “appeared”.

Please, please forgive me if I forgot to mention YOU and please send me a quick note so I can to add you to this maybe incomplete list!

online and at home:

- my partner Peter Unold in Denmark for setting up all online stuff, maintaining a great website, helping me patiently with all IT questions and to be on the phone and in my heart every day for mental support.

- Karel Vissel in Israel for sending my the weather forecast every day

- my shop managers Ilona Sierks with her husband Udo, and Andrea Höhn, with all my many employees in Husum for keeping my ice cream shops and X-mas market running smoothly while I am away

- my son Helge Hoffmeister and his father Werner Würger for keeping my house and cars in a good shape

- all my online readers and followers for sending me motivational comments and greetings

- all journalists and press people doing a great job on public relations

my sponsors:

- THULE Sweden and South America for financial and logistic support and providing my car with great roof racks

- epic kayaks for giving me the 18x sport expedition kayaks and the full carbon small mid wing paddles

- Kokatat for giving me the expedition dry suit, Ronin PFD, Tec Tour paddling jackets, Gore Tex pullover and surfskin pants for this trip

- Hilleberg for giving me Allak and Staika tents

- Global Marine Networks for giving me the Iridium Motorola 9555 satellite phone and their x-gate satellite email service for posting my updates in the field

- ACR for giving me the SAR link view PLB – just in case…

- ICOM Europe for giving me the M23 VHF radio

- Brunton for giving me a solor panel

- Current Designs, with their brands MSR, Thermarest and Seal Line for giving me a great range of expedition gear. Please check out the links!

- Aquapac for giving me a great range of dry cases for my electroncis

- Snapdragon Design for giving me a range of spray decks, cockpit covers and back rest

- Bluewater Kayak Works for installing an electrical pump in my kayaks

- Native Eyewear for giving me some pairs of Nano 2 sunglasses

- North Water for giving me a range of their great gear

- Skwoosh for giving me a bunch of great gel seat cushions

- Immersion Research for giving me some fleece pants and shirts

- TEVA for giving me a range of sandals and sport shoes

- Nigel Foster Designs for giving me the spare paddle bags

- YAK Paddling gear for giving me the Open Palm Mitts

- Blue Bandoo for giving me the great cooling visors I use ever since

- Sport Zölzer for giving me a bunch of socks, boats and things

- Franklin for giving me a Spanish translator

Argentine:

- Alejandro Daniel Carranza (RIP) for organizing simply *everything* in Argentine!

- his wife Virginia Anton Crespi for her logistic help

- Juan Pablo Dacyszyn and all people on the trip to the Esteros del Ibera for giving me great company

- Ricardo from SDK Kajaks for assisting with kayak repairs

- Osvaldo, Jutta and Theo for their advice and help in the Cape Horn area

- Prefectura Naval Argentina, especially Nelson Castro Beignier for the permit process

- Juan Carlos Nisticio and Carla Balado from THULE Argentinia for organizing the lauch and logistics

- Dolores and Alberto for hosting me in Mar del Plata

- Santiago for helping me with logistics in Balneario Los Angeles

- Norberto for helping me with logistics in Balneario Los Angeles

- Susanna and all the locals for giving me a holiday apartment in Balneario Los Angeles

- The Prefectura in Bahia San Blas and the owner of the house I was staying in in his absence

- Roberto in Balneario El Condor for letting me stay in his holiday house and helping me with repairs and logistics

- my nice “incognito” assistants for helping me on the stupid carriage over Peninsula Valdez to avoid the permit stuff

- Ariel “Arito Pesca” for hosting me in Puerto Rason and Trelew

- Prefectura Naval Argentina in Camarones for hosting me

- Martin and his three fishermen friends for getting me off the beach and to Comodoro Rivadiva with my broken kayak

- All people from the Club Nautico in Rada Tilly for hosting me in Comodoro Rivadiva/ Rada Tilly

- Martin and Daniela for hosting me in Caleta Oliva

- Nicolasn and Ceasar at the light house at Cabo Blanco

- Marcus Oliva Day and his wife for organizing things in Puerto Deseado

- Prefectura Naval Argentina for hosting me in Puerto Deseado

- Prefectura Naval Argentina for hosting me in Puerto San Julian

- Prefectura Naval Argentina for hosting me in Puerto Punta Quillla

- Lisu, David and Pablo from the campsite in Monte Léon for looking after me

- The Prefectura Naval Argentina in Rio Gallegos to organize the pickup from the beach with my broken kayak

- Horatio and Mariela for hosting me in Rio Gallegos

- José Jaramillo in Rio Gallegos for organizing escort

- Fabian Leiva and the Club Nautico in Rio Grande to take care of me there

- The Prefectura Naval Argentina in Almanza and Ushuaia for otganizing my passport stuff and hosting me for a night

- Julieta from the Prefectura Naval Argentina in Ushuaia for taking special care of me

- Atilio and Eva for hosting and helping me in Ushuaia

Chile:

- The Chilean Navy in Puerto Williams for helping me on the Cape Horn loop

- Miguel and his father from the Hostel Yagan for looking after me

- all the nice yachting people in the Micalvi Yacht Club for being great company around x-mas

- Cristian Donoso for giving me a lot of advice for paddling in Chile

- The Chilean Navy with Ivan and Paula hosting me at Isla Hornos

- The Chilean Navy with Cristian and Pamela, hosting me at Isla Wollaston

- The Chilean Navy with Gaston and Jessica hosting me at Puerto Toro

- The Chilean Navy with José and Nancy hosting me at Timbales

- Kiko from Punta Arenas for helping a lot in Chile and organizing my hosts

- Ricardo and Eli hosting me in Punta Arenas

- all people in Puerto Eden helping me along

- The Chilean Navy with José and his crew hosting me at Isla San Pedro

- Andres Ergas with his friends and staff hosting me on the “NOMADS of THE SEAS”

- Meike Michalik online from Denmark with her mother Helga, brother Jörg and Sally at the “Restaurant Kiel” in Puerto Montt hosting and helping me

- Cecilio for looking after me in Caleta Quedal

- Gina and Harald for hosting me in Quidico

- The fishermen at Quidico for landing and launching me through the surf

- The Chilean Navy in Lebu for hosting and escorting me through the night

- Jeimy for hosting me in San Pedro/ Talcahuano/ Conception area

- The Chilean Navy Talcahuano for looking after my kayak one night in Caleta Lenga

- The four guards from Pingueral letting me camp on the private beach

- The Chilean Navy for hosting me in Constitucion

- The fishermen in Constitucion for landing and launching me through the dangerous river mouth

- The fishermen in Caleta Duao for launching me through the surf

- The fishermen in Pichilemu for picking me up and landing me through the surf

- The Chilean Navy for hosting me in Pichilemu

- Rodrigo, Loreta and Mercedes for looking after me in San Antonio/ Santo Domingo/ Algarrobo

- The Chilean Navy in Algarrobo looking after my kayak one night

- The Chilean Navy in Valparaiso organizing a great reception

- Cristian and Ignacia for hosting and helping me in Valparaiso/ Vina del Mar/ Santiago

- Juan Paulo Ceron form Universal Kayaks Santiago for helping me on logistics and organisation

"Freya" - Goddess of Love to the Seas...

I booked my flight for leaving in Santiago on Tuesday, and will be

arriving in Hamburg on

Wednesday, 9 th of May, 11.50 h, TP562!

Section ONE DONE!

Pos: here
Loc: Valparaiso
Acc: Cristian and Ignacia’s home
Dist: 0 km

This will be the last blog entry in this format – my “official” arrival day! This doesn’t mean I won’t write anything in between…but not all days any more, sorry…

The Capitán de Navío Sr. Fernando Román Farina, chief of Naval Zone 1, and Capitán de Fregata Sr. Antonio Garriga Varela, Captain of the Port of Valparaiso.

Cristian drove me to the Capitania in Valparaiso, and it was scheduled to have the press and “official” arrival at noon. I got on the water at 11 am, with a complete empty boat, nice hairstyle, a bit of make up and rather in my THULE rain gear than in my dry suit! Who knows what I am *usually* looking like when I arrive from a day’s long paddle…

Thanks, Chilean NavyThe Capitán de Navío Sr. Fernando Román Farina, chief of Naval Zone 1, and Capitán de Fregata Sr. Antonio Garriga Varela, Captain of the port of Valparaiso, are giving their greetings.Thanks very much to the Chilean Navy!!

I paddled out to the harbor entrance light house, escorted by two small Navy zodiac boats. The third boat, the big Navy patrol zodiac boat, drove back and forth twice to pick two times a new bunch of reporters with TV and photo cameras to get pictures from off shore before I “reached” the coast. SMILING, WAVING, PICTURES…business as usual.

"Arriving" in Valparaiso harbor

Eventually I was “allowed” to paddle in, where a music ensemble from the Navy was already playing some marches. I wonder if anyone noticed I was paddling perfectly with the marching rhythm…

The first batch of journalists on the navy boat

The music was obviously attracting a bunch of onlookers, and besides the plenty of  journalists and many, many Navy officers, a lot of tourists and locals were crowding the stairs.

More journalists...

Arrival in Valparaiso harbor

Once arriving full, the same game again, SMILING, WAVING,PICTURES…more business as usual. getting yourself into the best angle for the cameras, and taking care not to fall in…glad the swell on the same staircase was much less than yesterday where I could not really get out of my heavy loaded boat. Today, they installed a brand new nice hand rope, my kayak was empty, and with a helpful hand of a Navy officer I could get out of my boat easily and get the kayak lifted on the stairs with no problems. I will always like to arrive with an empty boat and freshly styled!!! This is so much nicer…I will do the same in Georgetown after the second stage and in Buenos Aires on the 10th of May 2014!

The Capitán de Navío Sr. Fernando Román Farina, chief of Naval Zone 1, and Capitán de Fregata Sr. Antonio Garriga Varela, Captain of the port of Valparaiso, are giving their greetings.Thanks very much to the Chilean Navy!

The Commander was greeting me in nice German (sorry I did reply only with a few words of Spanish…this needs to be improved!), and more official pictures were made. I handed out my cards, but was only able to sign just a few in between the many interviews following.

Many, many cameras!

Once the whole buzz was done, I washed my kayak with a handy water hose (as Cristian is living in an apartment building…), jumped into civilized clothing, and organized with the agency lady from THULE my stay and press work in Santiago.

Many, many more cameras!

After a nice Chinese luch with Cristian, a lot of work in my room sorting out my gear was waiting, plus the usual online stuff.  Not much time to relax yet!

My "unofficial" arrival at night in Valparaiso. landing via zodiac!

Pos: here
Loc: Valparaiso
Acc: Cristian and Ignacia’s home
Dist: 53,8 km
Start: 8:45 End: 18:45

Ick bün all dor...

(Low German, from “Der Hase und der Igel” – meaning “Hehehe, I am already there…”)

Sorry, landing in Quintay as planned was impossible today…will write more tomorrow.

“Official” arrival as planned in Valparaiso Thursday around noon on the position above.

——————————————————————————————————-

Now – how was that day? Forecast was massive 4 m+ swell, but low winds in the morning. In the afternoon, winds around 12 knots. I could paddle that! Conveniently in the morning, with a bit more chop on top of the big swell in the afternoon…

But I was actually not really planning to paddle also in the afternoon. I was supposed to paddle only 20 km to Quintay, where Rodrigo told me would be a  ”safe” old whaler’s village landing spot…but what is “safe” in 4 meters swell?

I saw already on Algarrobo’s beach this morning getting out is more tricky than yesterday’s easy getting in on 2,5 meters swell. I had to cut diagonal through a narrow gap of unbroken waves and had to obviously follow two red buoys, which were marking the channel, I assumed, where “most likely” were no breakers. On “normal” days…today, there was no one on the water!

I had to wait a bit until the heavy morning fog was lifting, and once I thought I could go the young local Navy officer in Algarrobo where my kayak was stored at the Capitania court didn’t want to let my kayak out of the fenced area! He had to make a bunch of phone calls to get his own personal “ok” to let me go. My god!!!! No action without a chain of officials to reinsure him…

I launched well through the channel, and once off the coast, the swell was BIG, but no problem to paddle. I was just wondering about the landing…

Coming around the headland into Rada Quintay, I realized already due to the breakers, the narrow beach open to the north may be not possible to land on today – but I had my Plan “B”. The breakers around the entrance were so scary and I guessed I thought I saw huge waves rolling into the beach also.

I quickly made my decision – no way to land here! And kept on paddling another 30 km toward Valparaiso. Daylight for this distance was enough! I notified on calling my boyfriend Peter about my changed plans, and he emailed the Navy to forward my new plan to the relevant places. But still some other Navy office started to miss me at some point! Too many men working on one women…

We were requesting no “official” reception, as the “official” arrival was scheduled for tomorrow around noon, with a bunch of press and other efforts. I’ll make an “official” arrival tomorrow!

I obviously had to paddle now into the afternoon’s wind, but once I was around the two long jutting out north western points and into the Bahia Laguna Verde, the water, which was on top of the big swell very choppy reflecting back from the steep cliffs, became a little calmer. Thank goodness…But I had now the wind and swell directly from behind, and occasionally got surfed down with more than 20 km/hr! But it was not really breaking, and got more and more calmer approaching Punta Angeles.

I called Peter again about two hours before my estimated arrival at 4.30 pm, to get in touch with my host Cristian Araneda, if he’d be already available tonight to pick me up. Yes, he was! I was planning to either land on the small beach before the harbor, or to paddle into the harbor.

No beach in any Caleta was a landing option today. I turned around the headland into the Bahia de Valparaiso, and the water became calm, just a swell rest was moving up and down.

Cristian was calling me on my cell phone just after Punta Angeles, and told me he was on a safe beach past the harbor, where I could easily land. Ok……I wanted to be polite and to see where he was. As he had no GPS position, but only sent me a link to his position, I first couldn’t read it on my phone, and he was calling me frequently 12-15 times to guide me to his spot. Time was proceeding on all those calls, and once I was paddling past a huge Navy boat anchoring outside the harbor, the Navy harbor authorities started to also call me three times about my whereabouts…I tried to make them understand a friend was waiting for me on some beach, but I didn’t know where yet…

I should not have my phone on on the water, as I can’t make progress in this way and paddle safely! But water was calm in the bay, just it got later and later…

Eventually, I was reaching the beach where Cristian was waiting for me all across the bay of Valparaiso, and soon realized surely this one was a very steep dumping beach! The wash up was about ten meters – too dangerous to land!

He guided me to a staircase on a metal jetty where he guessed I could land, but sorry, I have a heavy loaded carbon fiberboat, and no empty plastic boat to drag it up here on the swell moving up and down the sharp edged staircase!

I told Cristian, sorry, I need to paddle the 2 km back into the harbor! See you there! Cristian eventually got in touch with the harbor authorities, and I saw they eventually sent out a fast zodiac patrol boat to findme and to guide me in. But the driver was powering in high speed from his spot out to the false beach, close to the shore, and surely I was cutting directly across the 2 km to the port entrance…! I let them go, if he is rather speeding along than *looking* out for me – well…he came also back at highest speed, and even more close to the shore.

It eventually turned dark, and this magnificent red sky sunset including the beautifully to watch increasing city lights of Valparaiso rewarded me for all the hazard about getting guided to a beach not possible to land on!

At the harbor entrance lighthouse, I called the Navy on channel 16, and the patrol boat eventually found me and guided me in. Thanks!

The landing was a concrete harbor wall staircase…in today’s condition still the water was moving up and down about a meter! Nothing for me and my kayak, sorry!

I decided to do a detour via the big zodiac rubber boat – I was landing on it, we pulled up the boat, and the zodiac pulled up to the harbor wall where we could push the kayak over to helpful Navy officer hands! This was eventually working all right.

No big arrival buzz, and I was quite happy about it after this stressful last paddling day in biggest seas!

Cristian was taking me home to his fancy apartment in Vina del Mar, where his wife Ignacia was already having a nice dinner ready, and I could relax a bit. Thanks! A lot of press work is waiting for tomorrow!

The most beautiful house in Valparaiso - home of the Chilean Navy!

I will paddle tomorrow, Wednesday, to Qintay, and will

arrive in Valparaiso on Thursday around noon!

I will stay in Valparaiso probably until Sunday, and probably get a lift on Sunday night to Santiago. Monday is press work in Santiago, and Tuesday, I will fly HOME! Yahoo!

My hosts Loreta, Rodrigo and Mercedes, the great cook, with many family members for lunch at the round table.

Pos: here
Loc: Algarrobo
Acc: Lloreta’s house
Dist: 38,8 km
Start: 7:00 End: 12:45

I didn’t sleep long enough nor well enough, as we had set the time to leave the house at 6 am, to be on the water at first light at 7 am. The one and only day on the trip I was paddling with an almost empty boat, as I would be picked up by Rodrigo in Algarrobo again, to be back to Lloreta’s house for one more night. Thanks for the effort of driving me!

It was the first launch in weeks, I think, without the Navy being present! But instead, there were about 25-30 of those huge fat seals I spotted already yesterday, occupying the empty city beach for the night. They look to me like all are males – can that be? I’m wondering if during the day the tourists are spreading their towels and running bare foot in the same sand…

I paddled out of the quiet port in first light, but there were already a bunch of pilot boats getting a loaded freighter out into the sea. No pilot boat for me though this morning! And I really don’t need one…

The sea was calm on the very low wind in moderate to big swell. But as the wind stayed low all day, paddling was no problem at all. No breaking waves out there! I just didn’t want to land on one of the open beaches! Big spray fountains were crashing on the shore everywhere.

I was crossing  to Punta Talca with not much view of the shore in the morning sun, but as the distance was not even 40 km to Algarrobo, I was already at home with my thoughts!

Soon I was nearing the headland, and the Navy deployed their toys – a small zodiac with two guys enjoying their ride out, but after asking me a quick “ok”, they stayed wherever away. Good. A helicopter came out to use me as an exercise target, glad they were not practicing shooting UFO’s (unknown floating objects…) – ok, I was probably well known, as they gave me a loud honk once and buzzed over my head twice!

I turned into the Rada El Algarrobo, and noticed why this corner is supposed to be *the* water sport center of Chile! It could have also been any other modern holiday beach and bay, with a small port for sail boats, a huge beach resort with probably one of the biggest pools I’ve ever seen (on Google Earth…), but with the most ugly concrete apartment houses around. It had also a natural sheltered harbor behind a small reef, where I was supposed to land to to be picked up by Rodrigo and his family again. The Navy was also present, and this time we took them up on the offer to take care of my boat. Thank you!  Driving it around in San Antonio’s traffic back and forth would be more dangerous for my baby… thanks to the Navy in Algarrobo!

Mercedes and her stylish table with great food!

I also quickly changed there, and on a maut highway, we drove back to Lloreta’s house to enjoy a long lunch with 10 family members until 3.15 pm. Mercedes was cooking again, fish in all variations – steamed, and raw and smoked in two salads, plus friend rosmary potatoes. Yummy! I ate more than I needed again…I was actually today throwing a few pieces of older and eaten too often food out of my kayak into the sea…sea birds – enjoy!

For tomorrow, Rodrigo showed me on the map a secret very sheltered tiny landing bay in Quintay, only 20 km away. Easy going! Better than Laguna Verde…Then I have 30 km left to arrive relaxed in Valapraiso on Thursday around 1 am! This is better than paddling these two half days in one rush, as the swell is huge tomrrow, and it breezes up in the afternoon. The mornings are all right, with no to low wind on the big swell. Plus, I am not as tired as after a 50 km day, and may be more happily smiling into the many expected cameras…