Back then we were told that there would be a brand new ship on which we would be travelling. In summer we received an email that the new ship was not ready and still being built, so we would travel on the old Evangelista instead.
On the trip we learned that the Evangelista had been built in 1977. There were truly some things on board that didn't work well, but we were lucky with our double cabin. Everything worked, the shower was producing warm water, everything dried quickly, the beds were comfortable and we even had a table, a chair, a tiny couch and a window.
There was just one disadvantage: the cabin was directly under the bridge in front of the ship. In stormy weather it moves way more than in the middle or the rear end of a ship. And that we would come to experience first hand.
But first things first. We started the trip at Puerto Montt. The day before the start of our boat trip we arrived in town, checked into the Holiday Inn, which was situated on top of a large shopping mall. We left our luggage in the hotel room (a pretty luxurious room after all those wooden cabins) and went to give back the car a few streets behind the hotel.
Then we walked to the mall, had dinner there and wanted to leave the mall. We followed a few people outside through an open emergency exit onto the boulevard in front of the hotel. There was a big demonstration going on. The hotel entrance which should be exactly here somewhere was nowhere to be seen. So I called the reception.
I was told that there were doors there and we had to ring a bell. In fact the former glass portal was gone. It had been replaced by barren plywood and it was locked because of the demonstration. We rang and were thankful that they opened up immediately.
Later from our window that overlooked the sea and the boulevard we could see police shooting teargas bullets towards protestors that were running away. I was glad that I was inside the hotel.
The next morning the check-in for the boat trip was held at the Holiday Inn (that was why we had chosen the hotel). We were driven in mini buses to our new home for the next four days: the Evangelista, a red and white Navimag ferry ship.
We were led to our cabin, dropped off the luggage and were welcomed by four guides in the dining room (Naty, Jorge, Nicolas and Catalina). In the next days there was a bit of a leisure programm going on, under which a fauna and a flora lecture, film nights, yoga and a bingo night.
I was particularly interested in the fauna information and started a conversation with one of the guides, Jorge, about the mysterious bird I have mentioned earlier. I had never seen it but heard it quite often. He immediately knew what it was and showed me a video. It was a Chucao, a small red and brown bird, which is very common in Chile. There is even a say. If the Chucao sings on your right side you will have a lucky day. If it sings on your left then you better go home.
After check-in at about 4 pm we had a rather short first day with dinner and hanging around at the cafeteria (with many couches). When it was getting dark we had covered the way south up until Chaitén again. In the vicinity we could see the large volcano Corcovado.
The night was quiet and we stood up early for the sunrise (there was none to be seen due to low hanging clouds). But I could see a few seals, one jumping about the water like a dolphin.
Throughout all the days we saw so many great mountain ranges, glaciers, islands, it is hard to describe, so I will not - just look at the photos.
In the evening the ship was moving somewhat more than usual and I was getting sick. It didn't stop, no matter if I lay down in bed, sat down on a couch or went outside. I couldn't eat any dinner either.
The guides had told us that the first 6 hours (now!) on the Pacific were easy going. The next 6 hours crossing the Pena Channel would be something else.
I really feared the night and asked if I could spend the night in the cafeteria, because of the most unfortunate position of our cabin and its vast movement even at that time. After a little hesitation I took 2x100g of anti-vomit pills and after a few hours, the sight of a whale's tail and a very cultural Chilean movie (about a friendship of two boys in 1973's Chile) I felt better and dared to go to my own bed.
At 2 am I woke up and couldn't believe the heavy movement - and my own very happy stomach.
In the morning I felt totally fine. Next time I won't wait, I'll just take the happy pills.
In the morning I also had the chance to visit the bridge. This ship was really old, but of course the rather ancient instuments had been pimped with modern equipment.
There was a set of two old telephones (originally from 1977) with stickers on it: "Whales" and "Dolphins". I was asking the bridge officer what that was for. "You can call them", he said. "That would be lovely" I repeated, but it was just a joke for children. Wouldn't that be funny, to have a chattery dolphin on the phone?
This day we passed several special landmarks on our way through the Patagonian channels, under which a 60's ship wreck, the "English Narrow", that can only be crossed at the correct time and speed, and Puerto Edén, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere which is seldom visited by ships.
The sunset was featured by enormous moving masses of fog and low clouds. The full moon was also present.
On the last day we saw a tiny glacier and a few condors flying in circles over the ship. Maybe they had smelled lunch being prepared?
At 2 pm we arrived at Puerto Natales harbour. We could check out only two hours later.
A taxi drove us to our hotel a few km out of town where we spend the rest of the day relaxing (and I writing this blog).
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