Day65-Ferry Pre-Board, Wed, Mar 2, 2011

Waiting and loading the NaviMag Ferry – “Puerto Eden”

Start & Stop: Puerto Natales

Mileage: 0 miles

Hotel: Ferry Bunks

Currency Exchange: $1 USD = $476.51 Chilean Peso

Weather:  Cool, overcast, windy

Dean: Found a laundry service one block from the hostel.  4 hour service!  Everything will be ready by noon.

Trying to hook up with Steve & Davis and Sari who are arriving on the “Puerto Eden” ferryfrom Puerto Montt at 1PM.

Lisa: This seems to be a Hurry Up and Wait day.  We went to the ferry early, thinking they arrived at 830 am.  Nope, 12:30.  So off to run a couple of errands and walk around town a bit.  Then back to the ferry and the boat is not in sight.  So we walked back to the hostel we had left and used the internet, leaving notes for Steve and Davis, hoping to meet up.

Checking the bikes into NaviMag was easy, we got our boarding pass and did the bike paperwork then walked back into town for dinner.

Dean:We are having pizza for dinner because we can take leftovers onboard and eat it cold.  There is no meal service on the ferry tonight.

Lisa: Ok, so now it’s out there – we are so desperate for food, that we save leftover pizza and eat it the next day. that’s what my life has become….sigh….

Davis rides by and we are able to chat with Davis, his wife Sari and Steve for an hour. We are told this is not a cruise ship!  This is a utilitarian ferry.  Food is cafeteria style, not excellent but good.  Last week the original large ferry ran aground (human error) and is in dry dock.  This altered the entire ferry schedule for a couple days.  With the “off-schedule” schedule, there were many cancellations and that is why we were able to find space on this ferry.  The “Puerto Eden” is a smaller ferry.  There is only a simple cafeteria/lounge area for guest.  There are no lounge chairs along the decks, only wooden benches on the upper deck.  So when the weather is bad, the cafeteria/lounge area is packed elbow-to-elbow, butts-to-butts.  So many have to just sit in their bunk beds sleeping, reading or working on computers.

Dean: 9:00 PM meeting/boarding.  We are told motos load after passenger’s walk onto the ferry.

Boarding after the passengers.  Getting to the ferry ramp. Suzuki VStrom  DL650 completely loaded, 2-up.  Andy and Gosia Woynarowski from Poland are on a 2 year ride around the world.

We get to the ferry ramp and are told it is broken.  The bike will load at 2:00 AM.  Lisa has a cow!  ”No way am I hanging around till 2AM to load the bikes!”

All 7 motos were anchored by the crew.

Professional quality ratchet straps all around!

Different angle.

VStrompapotomus on center-stand then straps tightened until the rear wheel is on the ground, front up off the ground.

Even in the roughest seas the bike did not move an inch!

2:00 AM moto loading. I ride both VStrom’s up the fixed ramp into the lower deck then over onto a huge elevator.  This elevator can take a full size tractor/trailer.  All 7 motos get lifted up to the top vehicle deck and all the way to the front.  Excellent tie down crew!  Each moto has four tie downs one on each corner of the bike.  Those with center stands are tied upright.  Bikes with side stands are tied at the side stand angle.  Our cabin is a 30 second walk from the bikes and we can check/go to the bikes anytime.

Cattle and livestock loading top deck.  Auto, trucks and 18-wheelers bottom deck

Each 4+ wheel vehicle is securely tied down.  Huge chain tiedowns/locks.  Very noisy from 2AM on with as all the vehicles are loaded and chained down. Throughout the 4 day ferry ride, crew staff routinely walk thorough checking the chain ties of all the vehicles!

Lisa: Yes, all that noise was quite annoying as I was trying to sleep and our cabin is so close to the cargo hold.  Here’s something that will surprise no one: I was NOT waiting up until 2:30 am to move my motorcycle 30 feet. First of all, the thing looks as though it’s been dragged behind a tractor for a month so what more could they do to it, and secondly, we paid Navimag $170 to transport the bikes so they can ride or walk it the necessary very short distance while I get some much needed shut eye.  As you can see from the photos, this was not their first rodeo and they didn’t need my (or Dean’s for that matter) supervision. Oh well, it made him feel better.