The alarm was set for 6.00am and when the familiar sound of the IPhone alarm sounded I uttered a slight moan and with my eyes still closed I followed the instructions I knew instinctively were now visible on the screen, tap to snooze! I called out to Paul to take another 10 minutes and received a grunt in response. Within a minute another alarm went off and I remembered I had set the IPad as well, just in case as I was paranoid we would miss the ferry. I resigned myself to the fact I needed to get up but turned the IPad alarm off and reset the phone for 6.30.
As I lay there I began to plan the pack up process as I thought I should have a dry run at a rainy day pack up. It was cold so I began packing up sitting in my sleeping bag until it and the roll mat were the last things to pack. Reluctantly I extricated myself from the down bag and pulled on my riding pants. Packed the last two pieces of gear into their now familiar places in the bag then managed to get the bags and bike gear under the outer and drop the tent inner and fold it up. Well, not bad I thought, if it was raining I was only left with dropping the outer tent and loading up. Then I thought if is raining I would just stay rolled up in my sleeping bag, much better plan!
We made porridge for breakfast, loaded the bikes and headed for the ferry after getting some bread, cheese and ham for lunch. While waiting to load on to the ferry a group of 7 guys on a variety of bikes rolled up. They were Chileans on a two week ride through Patagonia. The three and a half hour ferry trip trip cost us 7800 pesos, $15, and was stunning. The sky was devoid of all cloud and the water still, mountains rose straight from the sea, all clad in thick forest with some in the distance crowned with snow. Aqua culture focuses on a large scale in these waters with Salmon and Moriscos farms dotted all along the coast. Upon reaching Leptepu all unloaded and then there was an almighty rush to get to Fiordo Largo 10km along a dirt road to catch the next ferry for a short hop to Caleta Gonzalo. Others were doing the same but in the opposite direction to get the ferry from Leptepu to Hornopiren and so we met a speeding dust cloud not long off the boat. All aboard the next ferry and off we went, looking back we saw a couple of cars arrive late and felt a little sorry for the occupants as it was a long wait for the next ferry which I assumed connected with the Hornopiren ferry that arrived at 7.30 tonight, it was now 2.00pm.
The 68 km ride to Chaiten was dusty and rough but a bit of fun as once again the country was stunning, the Carratera was living up to expectations! At Chaiten we filled up with fuel and bought provisions for dinner then headed down a smooth asphalt road to Amarillo and a camp site on what resembled a golf course with views of a glacier covered mountain to the south, a mountain to the north and thick forest all around with a cool mountain river running through it, Parque Pumalin..We set up camp and devoured a massive bag of crisps and a beer sitting in our new Helinox ultra comfy chairs for the first time. Sun shinning, moon rising what a great way to end a perfect day. Off to bed after dinner and a cuppa, Paul knocked tomorrow's porridge milk over, so maybe not so perfect!
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