Pos: here
Loc: Antofagasta
Acc: Pedro’s and Vicky’s house
Dist: 26,5 km
Start: 7:45 End: 12:40

Tomorrow:
No paddling tomorrow!

This “nice little beach didn’t like Peter…I got out easy on launching, Peter got washed back up, got the kayak full of water, and had to start over again after pumping it out easily. Just 25 km to go to Antofagasta!

The night was still very windy, though it probably calmed down from last afternoon’s 25 knots gusting even higher, to maybe 15-20 knots. We had for the change some new neighbors in two tents, playing some lovely flute around 10 pm…it could be worse…

This morning on the water started with some little wind left, then it was dead calm and warm again. It lasted until we arrived into the Yacht Club beach around lunch!

The skyline of Antofagasta came closer soon, and it was a bit entertaining to watch the city rolling out of the misty sky.  Some smaller fishing boats, two pilot boats, a tow of two mid-size boats and two large freighters or whatever they were were floating offshore outside the safe harbor.

It was a bit wobbly paddling along the long harbor wall for the big boats, and we had to give a reef a wide berth before we could enter the safe yacht and fishing harbor. There the Yacht Club had made a lovely artificial beach for landing a kayak (well, maybe rather for swimming…), and we could again enter mother earth safely and easily.

This Yacht Club was rather a fancy one, more a “Club” with pool and restaurants than having lots of sports activities. We got greeted by a Navy officer, who already wanted to know the usual…we have to see the forecast first, Senor! First we enjoyed the best shower ever, *hot* and a with lot of water and in a very clean bathroom – in the Yacht Club facilities. thanks!

Soon our local host Pedro, a dentist, with his friend Juan picked us up to drive us about 30 km north of town to the air force base where he lives with his family. For the change now the Air Force and not the Navy! But first, we had to strap safely our kayaks to his bare roof! Our PFD’s and spray decks had to serve as padding (for his roof and surely also for our kayaks…), and the straps Pedro brought just about did the job to drive slowly out to his house. Just when a big truck came by fast, I got a bit concerned about the slip stream…there is nothing like a THULE rack (which we didn’t have…).

Our entry to the base still took about 1/2 hr waiting time, despite having already sent our passport copies, but obviously the responsible guy was just not there.

But patience…soon we could drive up to his nice house and make ourselves at home. Thanks to Pedro and his wife Vicky with their lovely 3-year old twin girls for hosting us! We were allowed to kick the twin girls out of their room and felt a bit sorry for them, but they seem to love to spend the night in their parent’s bed! Who can blame them…

Just now imagine Peter’s 1,95 m tall frame queezed into a three-year old girl’s bed…but he was relieved to discover it was a regular size one… 🙂

We drove for dinner back into town and had some nice food at a Brazilian restaurant around 10 pm. Thanks! But on the way, back, sorry I fell asleep..