Chile Chico
As usual the border crossing between Argentina and Chile posed no
problem although the two border posts are distant. The longest
duration consists of the information seizure to fill the form of the
temporary admission of the vehicle at the time of the entrance in
one of the two countries that it is Chile or Argentina.
The village of Chile Chico held my attention only for the purchases
at the local supermarket, the full with diesel and with drinking
water. For Internet I have no choice only to lunch in the restaurant
having a slow and asthmatic Wifi connection as of course; a
world tour is a test of patience. The midnight supper will occur at
the edge of Lago General Carrera (called Lago Buenos Aires in
Argentina).
Cochrane
The Christmas Day, December 25th, 2016, I traversed the ruta #265 CH
from Chile Chico to the ruta #7, Carretera Austral North-South, to
Cochrane. The part between Chile Chico and Carretera Austral is a
sumptuous gravel road which curves between the mountain and the Lago
General Carrera. I have the privilege to meet a little savage fox,
certainly famished, who looked at me then majestically crossed the
track to disappear in the ravine. In this holiday of the Nativity
traffic was very sparse. Little before Cochrane the track mixes in
overhang with Rio Baker with turquoise water . The town of Cochrane
was deserted I found the library, of course closed, no Internet. I
bivouacked not far on a quay level.
Ruta #265 CH from Chile Chico to Carretera Austral,
click on the pic for opening the gallery
Villa O'Higgins
On Monday, December 26th I continued my progression southwards on
the track ruta #7, Carretera Austral, in the direction of Villa O'
Higgins which I reached around 15:00 after having taken the free
ferry at Puerto Yungay on 12 km during 45 minutes in the fjord
Mitchell. The track traverses landscapes of great beauty but with a
gloomy weather; fortunately traffic was seldom and I was alone on
the ferry. I found a bivouac on a car park at the entrance of
village.
Ruta #7 Carretera Austral-1, click on the pic for opening
the gallery
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| Bivouac Villa O'Higgins |
Puerto Yungay
Yes, there is nothing to see at Villa O'Higgins. Moreover the Wifi
connection of the library does not function and the cable connection
of the local computers is very slow not giving access at Gmail.
After lunching I left this village to go to take again the ferry at
Rio Bravo and to bivouac on the loading platform of the ferry at
¨Puerto Yungay.
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| Bivouac Puerto Yungay, ferry |
Puerto Tranquilo
On Wednesday, December 28th I left Puerto Yungay after a rainy
night. On the way I again went along Rio Baker with bleu water. I
stopped to see its Confluencia with Rio Neff. The access path is at
the waypoint registered in red on the invisible signpost from the
road while coming southwards. Then I arrived at Puerto Tranquilo to
discover the MAN truck of my Swiss friends Renate & Bruno. At once I
took a reservation to go to visit in boat the Capillas de Mármol
which are excavations dug in the islands bathed by turquoise water
of Lago General Carrera. The afternoon occurred with Renate & Bruno
who again invited me to dine.
Confluencia, click on the pic for opening the
gallery
Capillas, click on the pic for opening the gallery
Coyhaique
I left Puerto Rio Tranquilo after having greeted my friends Renate &
Bruno whom I will not meet any more in South America. The ruta#7,
Carretera Austral, is a gravel road to Villa Cerro Castillo then a
beautiful tarred road up to Coyhaique. at the km 146/215 up to
Coyhaique I have a puncture of the left rear tire which had a cut on
the side that I was to make repair. But alas I did not reach
Coyhaique. I changed the wheel and I drove again. At the entrance of
Coyhaique I got information at the Copec gas station for a repairer
who is in the street before the station. The repairer told me that
it was not the cut on the side which is surface. He found in the
tire a flint similar to a Indian's arrow who had penetrated in the
tread. He refused to treat the surface cut of the side. Then I went
to the Oficina de tourismo to obtain road maps and where to buy a
ticket for the ferry from Chaitén to Quellón, where there had been
an earthquake which destroyed bridges! The Naviera Austral shop, was
closed in the afternoon. I found a bivouac at the Mirador Rio
Simpson.
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El Camping
On Saturday morning I made supply at the Unimarc supermarket then I
were going to buy at the Naviera Austral shop a ticket for the ferry
on Tuesday, January 10 from Chaitén to Quellón. Then I went to
campground “EL Camping” recommended by Oficina de Turismo, it has a
good Wifi connection. I remained two days there.
