Sat 25/02-2012 Day 180

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The small shop in Puerto Eden...people seem to prefer to get supplies by the ferry

Pos: here
Loc: Puerto Eden
Acc: tent
Dist: 31,7 km
Start: 7:35 End: 13:40

Another sunny, windless day – I’m getting so spoiled! But today it was only 30 km to Puerto Eden, where I urgently had to stop and to shop a bit and to recharge my batteries.

The paddle up to the small fishing village was easy, a lot of whales again, and a few signs of civilization came up. First I saw another “smoke signal” out of the bush – but unfortunately it was again on the other side of the channel which was here 4-5 km wide – no extra crossing to say “hi”. And as I’m not speaking Spanish – there’s not much point.

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Another inhabited hut with a pile of old mussel shells

In another bay I saw in the distance an open fishing boat with people chopping wood out of the forest with a chain saw – why that far from Puerto Eden? It were still 20 km left…soon I saw the solution – at the end of the bay was another “inhabited mussel pile” with a hut and a pile of freshly chopped wood at the front door – some one was working hard for his supplies in this living place! The “hut” was again nothing more than a tin roof with tarp curtains – really basic…

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An inhabited hut before Puerto Eden...

Another of those places came up inside the next island – but there seemed to be no one home. Soon I heard a motor noise at the end of the island, and behind a rock I saw a young guy in an open fishing boat, working a bit strangely with the oars to move along. He was rowing standing up, and didn’t really seem to make sense in his movements. The engine I heard was obviously an emergency engine sitting inside the boat, and it had a hose hanging outside – was he pumping the water out of a leaking boat? The small out board motor was not switched on and lifted out of the water. I came close and we waved at each other, and then I made the “thumb up” sign to ask if he was ok, but he responded in the same way…so I kept on paddling along, slowly, if he changed his mind and would need a tow to this – probably his – nearby housing site…

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Puerto Eden is located in a gentle smooth area of the high mountains of Fjordland

Puerto Eden came soon in sight – a small fishing village of 176 inhabitants, with no road access. It lays in a wide open Fjord valley, which was really a friendly inviting “paradise” place. Maybe the bright sun and warm dry weather added a bit to the impression?

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Approaching the small village of Puerto Eden (200 people) with the inviting ferry landing

I didn’t really know where to land – no one seemed to wait for me. I chose the newly built ferry terminal, which had an easy concrete ramp to land on. No one took notice of me.

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My nice camp under the open roof...

I changed on the ramp, unloaded and brought all kit up to the “passenger terminal”, which was an open space with a roof over concrete surface. An ideal campsite! My tent was soaking wet anyway, so the first thing was to pitch it and to get it dry in the sunshine. Before that, I asked a young guy walking past if he could help me with the boat, as I really didn’t want to drag it up the concrete ramp. Thanks, Fabian! I rather would have unloaded it fully and carried it on my shoulder to the place I chose for my tent, if there would have been no one to help!

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The modern ferry port in Puerto Eden

I made myself at home, and tried to talk to Fabian, obviously living in the house next door. It was kind of a hostel for temporarily workers in town, and I was not sure if the bunch of young men living in there wouldn’t be up for a “wet” Saturday night…bad time to arrive…

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The nice and friendly guys from the hostel in Puerto Eden allowed me to charge my electronics after 6 pm when there was electricity
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The hostel from the guys, the first house besides the ferry port

But they friendly offered me the shower in their bathroom, and I felt much better soon! Thanks! Hot water was working well, though the wooden house was basic. I kept on organizing my kit, and asked if there would be a washing machine anywhere, which was available in one of the next houses with a friendly local family. Susanna did a quick job on my laundry and hung it up in the sunshine – all dry and done! Thanks very much!

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"SUPERMERCADO EDEN" :-)"Bebidas alcoholicas"

My next walk, about a kilometer on a wooden, more or less well maintained board walk, was to see the “super mercado” – a real experience! I had to ring a bell, and the old lady of the house came into the shop looking as old as her, and I could chose from what was available…I was allowed to walk behind the counter, and to pick what I liked. Spaghetti, one package of cheese, a few sweets, potato chips, not really much else there besides liquor…and no oats or any cereals 🙁 – I will have to go on half breakfast rations the next days, as I have 10 breakfast parcels left, and I may take about 20 days until Puerto Montt…will do with a few additional leftover cereal bars which I cleverly kept, and with additional many white chocolate… I had about 16 dinner left, so the few additional Spaghettis did the job as well. But she had no fruit or vegetables besides potatoes, onions and two lemons…well…I got a bunch of raisins, and at least the fruity tasting drink powder for my bottle, which replaces at least the yearning for fruit. I will survive…

Besides the missing oats and fruit, I am all set…a food parcel would have had to be packed in time for the ferry, so fruit shipping won’t be really easy…but I had my last apple today! And I’m still healthy…”one apple a day keeps the doctor away”…

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Puerto Eden just recently got an upgrade by the goverment

I could charge my batteries for two hours at the police office, then the officer shut down his office at 6 pm and kicked me out…but the guys in the hostel had electricity from 6 pm to midnight – not all day! I got all sat phone batteries and two laptop batteries charged – and have still 5 full ones left. Should do until Puerto Montt…

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Small fishing boats at Puerto Eden

I think I’ll keep on paddling tomorrow – there is no one who is really taking care of me here, and I found only one guy in this young men’s hostel who spoke reasonable English – Umberto, who was an engineer working on the water supplies here. The government invested recently a lot of $$ in the infrastructure of Puerto Eden – including this brand new ferry port I’m camping on!

7 comments on “Sat 25/02-2012 Day 180

PAULA OPAZO CADIZ

HELLO DEAR QUEEN OF THE SEAS .. ALREADY IN EDEN PTO.,. …. WELL THAT HURT YOU STEP BY THAT TOWN IS NOT WELL RECEIVED, .. IS PESCADORE FEW THINGS PEOPLE THERE ARE FEW MODERN, PURPOSE .. IN .. YOUR GOOD NOW .. You did STRENGTH TO GET TO PUT PTO. MONTT, YOU TAKE CARE WITH SEAFOOD poisoned by eating MANY, THERE’S SUPERMARKET SHOPS OF ALL .. WE’RE ALWAYS THINKING HOW ARE YOU? And where are you? MUCH HAS ADVANCED? WE ARE HERE FOR GOOD AND GROWING MU LESS TOURISTS ARE INCREASINGLY ON THE WINTER, shorter days, DARK AND COLD
MANY HUGS AND LOTS OF TRAVEL VERY GOOD LUCK!
GREETINGS IVANCITO, DANIELA, IVAN, GUFFI AND I 🙂

Edda

You have entered another world without internet, or regular modern communications.
I wonder who the divers are working for? Each for themselves, a cooperative or are they selling to the one and only buyer in town?

The divers of Central America are exploited in a seriously bad way, due to the pressure to produce at all costs, many of them either die or a re disabled from the bends.

Any one know more about the mussel economy?

Shame about no fruit, but if you arrive just before the supply boat, there often is nothing fresh left.
The picture of mostly booze on the shelf is an indicator of a deprived society, and if they are deprived in such a fertile land and sea, you, well I start to wonder…

marka

freya, try the conaf station green and white house at the entrance of the bay, usually friendly people around (Hector maybe?)! There is also another visit-friendly Conaf station in fiordo témpanos, half way between you and caleta tortel? Probably off your track though.

Meike

Amir hat recht, wird ein Taucher gewesen sein. Tut mir leid mit dem Einkauf, aber vielleicht bekommst du etwas in Aysen oder du triffst evt. ein Passagierschiff ( Skorpios ) in der Laguna de San Rafael. Vielleicht können sie dir mit Obst weiterhelfen. Ûbrigens sehr spannend wie du da hin kommen willst! Ich habe einen Bericht von Cristian Donoso gelesen wie er zur Laguna ( vom golfo de penas aus) gepaddelt ist. Eine tolle Expedition! Er hat sogar Bilder auf seiner Internetseite”Patagonia incognita”. Da begibst du dich ja auf eine spannende Tour und auf uralte Wege der Indianer. Bin gespannt was du berichten wirst. Weiterhin viel Spass und super Wetter 🙂

Amir Nadel

I think the small boat was A diver boat collecting Mussels. The engine was a compressor and the pipe is supplying air to the the diver underwater.Saw some of the same kind in Peru.

Ken

If supplies are an issue then go to Puerto Aisen. There is regular bus service to the large town (40000) of Coyhaique where you can get whatever you need including gas canisters.

Castro is another sizable town for resupply if you go Chiloe way.

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