Leaving mainland Chile

Jordan has found time to get back into painting again while we are hanging around Chile. He recently finished an acrylic of boats (a photo of his finished painting below) and it now adorns Sea Turtle's wall. (Personally, I think he's very talented!!)

Garlic cloves are huge here. One clove is as large as the whole head of garlic that we buy back home in Victoria. Barnacles are also huge and on restaurant menus! Fresh fruit and veggies are readily available from vendors on the streets, even right in front of major grocery stores! And dogs. Everywhere you look, dogs are sleeping. Also fat and happy! We counted 6 in 1 small area.

Did we ever mention that power here is 220 volt? We've noticed most buildings are wooden with exterior walls clad in cedar shingles - some with just a section but entire houses are covered with them also. Tides - well tides vary a lot here, about 20 feet. In this photo at low tide, Jordan is reaching up towards the square light, way up...

...and here at high tide, Jordan can now touch that same light!

Jordan has re-installed our repaired autopilot and it passed a try-out with flying colours! Due to an error that the customs agent made on our paperwork when we sent the unit to the States, we were forced to pay custom dues when it was returned to us in Chile. We tried in vain to remedy this error made by a customs official, but customs did not care. Their error cost us an additional $250 for a total of $700 to send it, have it returned, and payment of the custom dues. But on the other hand, we received excellent service from the maker of our autopilot!

We are finally able to depart mainland Chile. Not that we haven't loved Chile but it's getting late in the season, meaning their winter is fast approaching. By going south to the glacier and throughout the islands via Sea Turtle and going north via rental car through all the different districts, including the Lake District and the Atacama Desert, we experienced and saw so much. We would highly recommend Chile as a place to visit.

Today we leave for a quick stop at Isla Robinson Crusoe, 1 of the 3 Juan Fernández Islands, which belong to Chile. It's about a 5-day sail north from Puerto Montt where we are and about 600 km (300 miles) off the mainland...