Beautiful sunrise over Puerto Natales
Ferry departs late – 9AM
9AM – 2PM Weather: Blue skies over Puerto Natales but dark on the western horizon.
Route: South first the fish-hook around then north up between many channels and islands.
Dean: We spend our first night on the “Puerto Eden”, Cabin CC-305 bunks 1 & 2. Our cabin has 4 bunk beds stacked 2 high in a very narrow room. The bunk beds are 6’ long by 30 “ wide. There is a reading lamp with power outlet and curtains for privacy. There are no closets, no luggage storage, just the floor and a very teeny locker 8” x 8” x 8”. For our level of cabins the bathroom and showers are communal with separate men’s and women’s. There are higher levels with private bathrooms. And there is a low level with 16-bunk beds, 8 double stacked bunk beds in one long room!
Lisa: As some friends told us, this is not a cruise, it’s a ferry and that was a good reminder. Yes, the living space is small but fairly well thought out. And having only 3 of us is a bonus because the ship is booked pretty full.
Dean: There are only 3 people in our cabin. Our bunkmate is Min Hyeong Kang from Korea. He is traveling up to Santiago where he will fly to Mexico City, then the US and then over to Europe. We are meeting many people who are traveling 6 months to 2 years.
We also meet two wonderful and fun French ladies, Sandrine Beauvias and Florence Dailles. They are heading for Machu Picchu. We get together for dinner and we give them our Machu Picchu travel tips.
Breakfast: coffee, yoghurt, ham and cheese, scrambled eggs, bread, fruit juice
Lunch: Soup, Salmon, mash potatoes, salad, bread, fruit juice
Dinner: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, roll, fruit juice, hard jello
Lisa: So we haven’t eaten 3 meals a day more than about 3 times in the last 3 months so this is just waaay over the top. The food isn’t 4 star but it’s FOOD, it’s hot and relatively fresh, it’s cooked for us morning noon and night and the servers are cute young men. I don’t have to ride in the mud and I can take afternoon naps. Life is good.
Dean: High winds late in the afternoons.
Trying to get SPOT signal for our followers, I leave my SPOT and GPS on the bike. Bike is next to side railing. When I come back 2 hours later, the GPS and SPOT are gone! I’m crushed. How could I be so stupid? Two valuable touring and safety tools for the success of our ride are gone.
Lisa talks to security and they have my SPOT and GPS on the bridge. The deck crew who are constantly checking all the vehicle tie downs saw the SPOT/GPS, took if off the bike and gave it to security for safe keeping! I had earlier talked with the bridge staff and we were comparing their autopilot navigation plots with my GPS so they knew whom the GPS/SPOT belonged to.
Late evening the winds and rain kicked into high gear. Parts of the ship were closed off because of extreme winds. Because we are in the ‘inside-passage’, the ship was not rocky or turbulent. The forward progress was very smooth, stable considering the winds.
Accidentally ran into your site a few weeks ago and since that fateful day, have been following itently, anxiously awaiting each new installment of your adventures. As an Orange County “ex-pat” (now in LA) and a female who’d like to do a ride like this, I have a special fondness for the “AllStarMcCircus”. Love hearing about your journey (taking notes on what works) and the people that you meet along the way, especially those folks doing 6 months – 2 years (would some have their respective blogs?) The more you share, the more you help pave the way for those of us interested in going out and explore and momentarily, experience it vicariously through you. Thank you!!
Cool, Uncle Dean, but I think it’s time for some legit rough weather on the open seas. Catalina Channel in February. You know you want to!
That Catalina Channel crossing is very dangerous. BIg winds, high seas, 65′ rogue waves, and alligators! I’ll stick to puttin’ around on my moto.
I can see the crew now —
What does this 911 button do on the SPOT? I can almost hear the helicopters !