Pos: here
Loc: Calbuco
Acc: Restaurant Kiel
Dist: 0 km

Helga was back this morning, and we headed to town to do some chores. Starting with picking up my clothes form the “NOMADS of THE SEAS”, but the office was closed and I got the bag at the gate. Still I logged again on their wifi network from outside the office and downloaded a bunch of upcoming satellite pics from the coast on my own computer. The modem stick can’t deal with such a bunch of data. Thank you very much for that!

Next was a stop at the Gobernacion Maritimas/ Harbor Master’s office for my paddling permit for the next leg.Though I had a later date at 3.30 pm with Jaime Gatica, the officer in charge for issuing my permit, we tried to get things already on the way. Sure no paperwork was ready yet, so I should be back later at 3.30 pm as planned.

Next stop was the Gobernacion Provincial to extend my visa about three months. This worked reasonable fast and all right, as Helga came upstairs with me, and though the fee of 100$ US we had to go pay at a bank and to come back to the office…in Germany they take the money on the spot, which is a bit easier! But I took the chance to draw a bit of cash as well. We found a small fishing shop for getting two more gas cans, and then back home, as Helga’s leg was hurting a lot – sorry!

In the afternoon Helga drove me back to the Gobernacion Maritimas/ Harbor Master’s office, and the paperwork was still on the way to be issued…but they took my old permits from Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams – justy make a copy, guys, and don’t forget to change location, date and signature 😉 …as long as it works out fast…we should come back at 6.30 pm, after my hairdresser’s visit! Oh well…yes. Their first idea was the Harbor Master’s office on Calbuco would be in charge, as I was stopping there and
would launch again from there…no! But before I left, the Gobernador Maritimo de Puerto Montt, Antonio AMIGO Jimenez, liked to see me, and we had a nice chat in (fortunately) English. I am always pleased when the “big boss” takes interest in my trip! (…or rather being curious about a woman doing such trips?)

The hairdresser Mary was Helga’s friend, but unfortunately spoke few English (or unfortunately I didn’t speak much Spanish…), so I ended up at least with the right color covering my regrown gray hair and not with deep red or such, but with a haircut as short as I can’t even remember I had the last decades…well, it looks actually quite nice and fancy! And it grows again if I may not be comfortable in the long run…

I’m sure when I was eventually back at the Gobernacion Maritimas Jaime Gatica, the officer in charge for issuing my permit, got irritated…was that the same woman? This one is ten years younger… 🙂 But he was almost ready with typing my new permit (copying the Punta Arenas one…) – but issued until Talcahuana only. I shouldn’t have told him I’m going to stop there for resupplying, maybe the permit would have been issued until Valparaiso then if I’d be planning to paddle in one go… 🙂

But I’m already allowed to skip the Goibernacion Maritimas in Valdivia, and hopefully later in San Antonio as well, which is very close to Valparaiso.
All over I actually like dealing with the Navy guys! They are all very nice men!