After a long day out and a forecast with a lot of wind for the night, what we needed was a good Caleta to provide a sheltered anchorage for a night.
Caleta Villarica can be recommended for that purpose. It starts a bit like Deception Island: you approach a steep coast, a narrow entrance with rocks in the water, steep cliffs on both sides (a bit greener here than on Deception Island), everybody starts placing bets if the ship will actually fit through it – of course, it works, the skipper knows what he is doing. Then, a lovely bay opens, a real pirate hideaway. A lovely place to make a ship stormproof for the night.
Will it fit? It will! Caleta Villarica
Walking in these forests is not for the faint-hearted. We could have used a chainsaw, ropes and a ladder for that little walk which in open terrain would have taken maybe 10 minutes. Indiana Jones would have been amazed by the density of this rain forest.
As always, the view was worth it!
Indiana Jones would have enjoyed this: Dense forest in the Caleta Villarica
The amazing view over Caleta Villarica was worth the struggle through the bush
Puerto Bueno lived up to its name and gave us a beautiful and calm night. Very pleasant. Which was followed by a stunning sunrise and a new weather forecast, which gave us some more time before the next period of strong wind is supposed to come. So we could set course for the Amalia Glacier, which was great, because we had all been looking forward to it. We went under sail and sunshine with the view of the Campo de hielo, the inland ice of Patagonia, in the distance. Great sailing.
Sunrise in the “Good Harbour”, Puerto Bueno
We were followed by dolphins on the last miles to the famous Amalia Glacier, a stunning blue ice cliff leading up the the snow- and ice-covered mountains in the area of the inland ice. Again, we were lucky with the weather and had great views; often the whole mountain scenery is hidden low clouds. Another great day!
So, tonight it is supposed to be windy. We have set course for a small bay where the wind should not bother us too much. All these great anchorages here in coastal Patagonia are really a treasure. A great convenience and always a scenic pleasure.