December 14th we left Iquique with the intentions
of spending the holidays in Valparaiso.
Passage started beautiful calm weather, not suitable for sailing, but
plenty uneventful, just the way I like it.
The morning of the 16th we pulled into an anchorage off Isla
Santa Maria. Another sand and rock mound
with nesting seagulls. Did some minor
exploring to get off the boat and stretch our legs. Back on board making water, Don noticed the
shaft slipped, quickly repaired, then the bilge pump quit working, he replaced
in time to notice the winds kicked up to 25 knots. Oh well, he was tired from repair work
anyway, we spent the night in a calm albeit blusterous anchorage.
Following morning winds calmer pulled anchor loaded with
seaweed, a new experience for me. It is tubular, leafy, long, and clingy. I forgot say smelly. (The next time it happens I’ll take a picture for you. In the local markets you can buy it to eat.) Underway, on a passage, entertainment comes
easily and this day was no exception. On
the horizon appeared a large white mass. Not close enough to see clearly even with binoculars, we played the guessing game.
Is it an overturned boat? Is it a
fish farm? Is it a huge piece of Styrofoam?
Off course we go for investigation.
Now we see some gray and movement in the water. What is it?
I’m guessing the hull of a boat.
Nope, none of the above, it was a floating upside down whale carcass
with birds splashing and circling.
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| This could have caused a bump in the night! |
The next morning, December 18th we anchored in Caleta
Cifuncho to change the oil and add fuel from the jerry jugs.
After a nine hour stop we pulled anchor, this time only
sand, to be underway again. Miles to go
we pulled into the yacht club at Caldera for fuel around 9 a.m. There, Humberto came and tied us to a mooring
ball. He then was kind enough to arrange
for transportation to haul and fill our 10 jerry cans to a station for
fuel. We also shopped in Caldera for a mouse trap but only found poison. (We had picked up a hitch hiker at the dock in Iquique.)
Again the Armada visited Limbo. This is the first place we started to see some
vegetation. Humberto explained they were
at the end of the Atacama Desert and received rain at least twice a year. A very nice man and good place to do minor
provisioning. The gentleman who helped us
obtain fuel was there working on a 90 foot steel sloop that had been used in a
movie with Kevin Costner but he did not know the name of the movie. He did invite us aboard to have a look, but
with looming deadline for Christmas, by 5:15 p.m. we were on our way
again.
2 a.m. the morning of the 20Th, a burning smell
starts to permeate the air. Holly *?!*
Captain Don shouts as he throws open the floor board to the engine. Fan belt pieces were flung here and there,
burning rubber billowing black smoke and stench. Well, this is a fine how to do at 2 a.m.
isn't it? Awe, but wait, not only is the
belt shredded, but in its flight it put a slice in a hose. But, Limbo’s “MacGyver”, Captain Don has a
spare belt… he’s so good. First up,
repair the hose, clamp a piece here, clamp a piece there, patched and ready for
the belt. Awe, but wait, the spare is
not the same size. How did that happen? What are our options now? We wait till sunrise and try to sail into the
nearest anchorage. We raised the sail
and the halyard stuck. Oh, we are
cussing plenty now. Things have just not
been going to plan. (That nasty
“planning” word is something sailors claim they don’t do!) Work it, work it, halyard free, and sail up,
NO WIND. There we sat. Some time to think and regroup, Captain “MacGyver”
Don took his trusty box cutter blade and shaved the entire belt to a workable
width for operation. He first had to
remove the alternator but once that was done we are good to go again. It did create some engine vibration which we
stopped for to tighten. We traveled holding our breath three
more hours to the nearest anchorage that showed promise in getting a new
belt. Approximately 2 p.m. we anchor at
Carrazal Bajo.
There are curiosity seekers in every anchorage this one no
exception. In moments of anchoring, a kayak
with two men appeared speaking broken English.
We were quick to explain our problem. They were quick to respond with their
services. They were driving a bus load
of kids and would be leaving around 5 p.m. happy to give us a ride to the nearest town, Vallenar, two
hours away. We put the dinghy down and
headed to town to wait for them. Our
broken belt in hand seemed to speak volumes to the local men. They each had a place to get a new one or a
friend or some idea. Five o’clock came
and went, no kayak bus driver. We must
not have understood that broken English too well….. We soon catch on that there
is another bus at 6 p.m. It would be the
last bus until the following week. They
only come twice a week to this village.
Lucky Us we were just in time. A local took pity on
us, wrote down the name of a shop in Vallenar and said to show it to the bus
driver. I didn’t have to because
he stayed around long enough to explain to the driver what and where we needed
to go. A bit nervous because of the
hour, would these stores still be open?
Would we get stuck in Vallenar with no way back to Limbo? Captain Don is fidgeting in his seat as the
unfamiliar green farmland passes by.
The driver dropped us right at the door to an auto parts store shouting “rapido” “rapido” and pointing to the corner. Did this mean he was going to his other stop and come back to that corner to get us? No, that is not what it meant. How naive I can be! He was pointing to another parts store on the corner and we needed to hurry because they would be closing. We bought two belts from each store. Standing there looking rather lost and dumb for thinking the bus was returning for us, Captain Don hailed a taxi. A crispy $100 US bill and two hours later we were back in Carrazal Bajo, in the dink and back on Limbo. Sighs of relief, we can breathe again. What a fantastic dramatic journey! Will they make it? A resounding YES! We made it.
The driver dropped us right at the door to an auto parts store shouting “rapido” “rapido” and pointing to the corner. Did this mean he was going to his other stop and come back to that corner to get us? No, that is not what it meant. How naive I can be! He was pointing to another parts store on the corner and we needed to hurry because they would be closing. We bought two belts from each store. Standing there looking rather lost and dumb for thinking the bus was returning for us, Captain Don hailed a taxi. A crispy $100 US bill and two hours later we were back in Carrazal Bajo, in the dink and back on Limbo. Sighs of relief, we can breathe again. What a fantastic dramatic journey! Will they make it? A resounding YES! We made it.
A wonderful night’s sleep.
The next day Limbo donning the new black hose and belt engine on sounding good except
the bilge seems to be going on more than it should and the wash down pump seems
to be running more than it should.
HMM. Again, we are tearing things
apart; floors, bed, and the anchor locker, tracing the line down under the bed
and into the floor. Another hose! Yikes, only this time it had
some teeth marks deep enough to spring a leak!
(Our hitch hiker mouse was growing stronger with the poison instead of dying. Daily we cleaned and searched for the nest.) Another hose repaired and
we are ready to go. Went for a walkabout
to the alcalde's office for her to stamp our zarpe. We entered our name in her record book. They have about 3 boats a year visit. This port was the first port in Chile in 1863
for the copper mines. The town had a population over 4 thousand people during the mining days.
When the mine dried up there were only 8 people left. I do not know how many live there now but
they only have bus service two times a week and electricity is sporadic. They supplement with solar panels.
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| whats left of the original dock 1863 |
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| the library bus with a whale bone in front |
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| San Pedro, their patron saint at the pulpit in the church |
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| the village of Carrazal Bajo |
December 22nd we approach Isla Damas under a lifting fog. A national reserve,” Reserva
Nacional Pinquino de Humboldt” originally set up to allow only 60 people per
day visit. This was done so the local
fishermen could still make a little money since the government took away a
primary fishing spot to make this national park. Needless to say, this bird sanctuary is
tromped on by many more than 60 people a day.
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| what does this look like to you? |
Throughout the park were nesting gulls that screeched and flew at you for getting too close. So many that at the same time we shouted, “don’t look up”.
By 6:30 p.m. we were anchoring in Coquimbo also known as
Bahia Herradura (horseshoe) de Guayacan.
The Bay of Guayacan is used for exporting copper and iron ore. It also appears to be a resort area with very
little in the way of commercial retail. The Yacht Club Herraduro is very friendly and hospitable
offering launcha service to and from your boat, free Wi-Fi, showers and a
restaurant that did not open while we were there. Rolando and Anita personally took us to the
Port Captain to clear in. They then
showed us around pointing to the things all cruisers look for, laundry and
groceries. There are two groceries
here, the Lider and Santa Isabel. You
could walk to Isabel but it’s a couple of miles. The Lider has better selection.
This protected bay provided us some much needed calm. Realizing we were not going to make it to
Valparaiso for Christmas we tried to take advantage of the Wi-Fi to make Skype
calls. It was sketchy and kept cutting
us off. The yacht club is accommodating
with friendly people but it’s not centrally located having to use taxis each
time. They were quite expensive at $6 to
$10 US each way. It was also necessary
to check in & out with the Port Captain.
They came and inspected our safety gear requiring us to have our fire extinguishers
refilled or replaced on Christmas Eve.
Rolando at the yacht club made one call and had new ones there mid-day.
Christmas day we set sail trying to busy ourselves with
thoughts of a new port and the journey getting there instead of our family back
home. We did use the satellite phone to
call everyone and listen to the grand kids screaming in the background. Oh the joys of children and Christmas
toys. We miss it.
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| leaving Coquimbo |
December 26th 3:31 p.m. we arrived in Bahia
Higuerillas, only a few miles bus ride from Vina del Mar and Valparaiso.
At last, it had been a 12 day, 885 mile
journey. We were met
with a launcha from the yacht club and secured to the only mooring ball outside
the break wall.
They did not have any slips available but asked that we wait and one
should be available. They took
our zarpe and said they would be back.
(I’m still so trusting!) They did
not return. Following day, after an
extremely rolling night and morning, we launched the dink and headed into the
office. Words were, “no room at the
inn”. But maybe talk to the manager and
possibly get a slip. December is start
of their summer season, many boats coming and going. They would check schedules to see where they
might put us. The accountant, Jorge,
speaks very good English and with his reassurance, we hung on through the
tumbling anchorage another night. The
marina is a private yacht club that sells the slips. The owners then lease them out or resell for
what they choose. The Yacht Club de
Higuerillas is obligated by Chilean law to accommodate incoming vessels. So, they have a standing policy to allow
boats in at the rate of $50 US per day with the first 7 days free. There is also a travel lift and small yard
used primarily by the members. The club
is beautiful with two swimming pools, a private beach, restaurant, and poolside
bar. They offer Wi-Fi, which does not
come out to the docks, great showers and the buses pick up and let off at the
gate.
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| Club de Yate Higuerilla just beyond the break wall |
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| always magnificent |
We managed a slip on the 28th and then had to
move to another on the 29th.
We were in with calm water and looking forward to the New Year’s
celebrations. Valparaiso was getting
ready to break the Guinness World record with the biggest fireworks display in
the world.
To be continued: New Years and Boat Yard at Club de Yate Higuerillas
To be continued: New Years and Boat Yard at Club de Yate Higuerillas
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| passage entertainment: through the night this little fellow kept flying |
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