Anchored, Castro, Chile. Excursion: Cucao Chiloé National Park

Having had a sea day yesterday it was good to get off the ship for a while.  Even if it meant having to travel in tender to get to shore!

It's been a nice day out with a visit to the Cucao Chiloé National Park.  On the way to the park in the hills we passed by fishing harbours with shellfish farming & salmon farming, past lakes & through beautiful countryside.

Once at the national park we made our way to the visitor’s centre.  Unfortunately another tour group was inside the visitor centre with their guide.  Our guide, Juna, found it difficult to compete above the voice of the other guide so we started our walk through the park earlier and we would come back to the visitor centre on our way back.

Lovely walk along paths and boardwalks, over marshland/wetlands, through forest and scrub.  We stopped at the open air museum (wooden house) on our way back to the park entrance and our guide described what life used to be like, living inside the wooden house.

We had refreshments at Cocineria Tradicionel Morelia, a traditional Chilean restaurant.  A variety of empanadas were served and a type of small dessert.  Also fruit juice and/or Pisco Sour served as well.  The Pisco Sour went down a treat.

On the way back to Castro pier we stopped briefly to see the wooden stilt houses built above the incoming tide waterline.  I got the feeling that some people have never seen stilt houses before, but that is to be expected.

I caught the tender back to the ship but others decided to stay in town for a while.  The weather was good so - if not, why not.

Overall it has been a nice day, beautiful scenery, lovely walk and good weather.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Cucao Chiloé National Park

Cocineria Tradicionel Morelia

En-route To The Ship

Views of Castro from the Prinsendam

Anchored. Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaiso Region, Chile,

Having arrived and anchored in the bay the remote island of Robinson Crusoe yesterday late afternoon, Paul contacted the port agent to find out about scuba diving at Robinson Crusoe Island.

The ship's doctor - he wished he'd caught this fish!

The port agent got back to him this morning and, yes - there were dive companies, and we could go on a dive this afternoon.  Asking around some of the qualified scuba divers, in the end Judith from the Front Desk came as did Charles, the ship's doctor.

We have had a wonderful afternoon diving. The water was very cold but we had suitable thickness wetsuits on.  One of the divers from the dive company didn't join us.  He went off on his own with a speargun.  He arrived back at the boat around about the same time that we surfaced - he had managed to catch some large fish.  These he swiftly killed and let them trail from the boat as we headed back to the shore, keeping them cool and fresh.  Pity we couldn't have one for the chef on board to cook for us!

When we got back to the dive centre there was a young swan nearby, all on its own.  It seems to have been blown off course and, fortunately, landed on the island.  The locals have been keeping a watchful eye on it but it does lack company of its own kind - being the only swan on the island and many miles from home

Tomorrow is another day.

PHOTOGRAPHS