Grand Americas Part 7 - Chilean Fjords

 

Jan 25-26, 2023 – At Sea enroute to San Antonio, Chile

 

Seabourn Quest spent 2 days traversing the 700 NM between Antofagasta and San Antonio, which is one of the two port cities for Santiago, the capital of Chile.  Santiago is 71 miles from our port stop, where about ½ the passengers ended this segment of the cruise.  The same number will embark for the Antarctic Segment.  The ship is limited to 400 passengers for this segment in order to do landings in Antarctica.

 

Jan 27, 2023 – San Antonio, Chile

 

Seabourn Quest docked shortly after 0700 under cool overcast skies and by 0800 the first disembarking passengers were leaving the ship.  All decks were filled with staff cleaning and preparing suites for the soon to arrive new guests.  By 0900 the skies had cleared and the temperature rose to about 72 F.  Patrick took the shuttle to the cruise terminal and walked along the sea wall about 1 mile to a local shopping mall to get some additional Voltaren gel for our arthritic joints.  The seawall enclosed a fishing boat harbor and there were many local fisherman cleaning fish and selling them to local Chileans.  About 1200 the new guests began arriving and the ship began to get crowded as the balance of the 400 passengers arrived.

 

The ship departed on time at 1700 and headed out into the Pacific, where the swells were from the south at more than 3 meters and the winds increased to 40 knots.  The ship began to pitch as we headed south along the Chilean coast.  Overnight the swells increased again.

 

Jan 28, 2023 – At Sea, enroute Puerto Montt, Chile

 

The winds and seas remained high during the day as the ship continued south at 15.5 knots.  The Antarctic parka and boot exchange, as well as the introduction of the 18 person expedition team occupied most of the morning.  We continue to have most of our meals poolside, but now the heat-lamps are on and we are wearing jackets, with blankets at our table.  Tonight is the Captain’s reception, mostly for the newly embarked guests and so it is the first formal night of this segment of the cruise.  Miriam and I have booked dinner at The Grill, so we will miss the lobster and filet mignon offered in the main restaurant, but both are always on the menu in The Grill.

 

January 29, 2023 – Puerto Montt, Chile

 

As Seabourn Quest turned into the Chilean Fjord system shortly after 0500, it was clear with stars.  Soon the fog rolled in and at 0600 the foghorn began the two minute automated signal blasts on the horn.  The fog persisted off and on all the way to Puerto Montt, where the ship anchored off the town and the tenders were deployed.  At 1000 the ship was cleared and passengers on shore excursions lined up to get off the ship.  Patrick waited 30 minutes and the tender was nearly empty.

 

Volcano from the ship, looks like Mt. Rainier

Beginning of the new Esplanade

German architecture influence

Local Cheeses

Local Handicrafts

Local Produce

Puerto Montt has changed since 2015, with a very nice seaside esplanade with playgrounds for children, public sculptures and other displays.  It is not yet totally finished and stretches for more than one mile along the harbor.  At one end is a new passenger terminal still under construction and the other end has a modern shopping mall.  Going the other direction is a more traditional open air shopping area with restaurants, local handicrafts and local foods, stretching nearly another mile.  Since it was Sunday, the market was crowded with local families shopping.

 

The German influence in this part of Chile is apparent in the architecture.  Our departure was at 2200, since the distance to our next destination is only 108 NM.  When the sun came out we were treated to views of one of the active volcanoes surrounding Puerto Montt.

 

January 30, 2023 – Castro, Chile

 

Overnight the ship travelled at fairly slowed speeds, and dropped anchor in front of Castro at 0600.  The ship is anchored alongside of massive aquaculture farms, mostly mussels and oysters here, however this area also has extensive salmon farming.  The last time we were here we visited a nature preserve where Darwin began his observations on the origin of species so we did not visit the town itself.  Today Patrick took the tender into shore and walked up the hill to one of the Unesco World Heritage sites, the Cathedral of San Francisco, which is yellow painted metal on the outside and beautiful wood on the inside.

 

Cathedral of San Francisco, Castro

Castro Street Art

Interior of Cathedral, all wood

Exterior is all metal, painted

We depart early from Castro to do scenic cruising before arriving in Punta Arenas the day after tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Americas Part 6

 January 23 – Iquique, Chile

 

Iquique is a larger city than Arica, but still perched on the edge of the Atacama desert, sandwiched between high barren hills and the Pacific Ocean.  The city was founded in the 16^th century, but there is evidence of human habitation as far back as 7000 BC, by the indigenous Chango people who settled the coastline of the Atacama desert from southern Peru to northern Chile.  Chango is one of 10 indigenous peoples recognized by Chile and there is a remaining population of about 4,000 people.

 

Iquique was a prosperous saltpeter mining town in the 19^th century, today it is a popular holiday destination with a tax free zone, a seafront casino and beautiful beaches.

 

The ship docked near the old town center.  There was a significant swell which was mostly protected by the sea wall, but no natural harbor.  However the ship was still rolling at the dock, but not nearly as much as the container ships anchored offshore.  There were also a number of Chilean navy vessels anchored behind the sea wall.  This port is often bypassed by cruise ships due to the swell at the dock, making it hazardous to tie up and disembark passengers.

 

The shuttle bus dropped us at the main town plaza dominated by a 19^th century clock tower and ornate theater, undergoing restoration.  The plaza and surrounding area is mostly a pedestrian mall with many pubs, restaurants and hundreds of street vendors selling stuff under canopy tents or even out in the open since there is seldom rain here.  We were cautioned against wandering very far from the main plaza due to high crime rates.

 

January 24, 2023 – Antofagasta, Chile

 

After an overnight transit in mostly calm seas, Seabourn Quest arrived at the port city of Antofagasta, some 700 miles north of Santiago.  Antofagasta is the capital of the province and region of the same name and has a population of more than 400,000.  Again, the city is at the base of steep barren hills spread out along the Pacific beaches.  The harbor is protected from the ocean by a seawall forming a space with room for perhaps six ships at one time.  The skyline is impressive, with many high rise buildings stretching for miles along the shore.  However, the slums stretching up the hillside reminded us of the favellas in Rio De Janiero.

 

Our shore excursion today includes the main Plaza Colon, a mining museum, then a 60 mile drive into the Atacama desert to the small town of Baquedano, an important rail junction with a number of well preserved locomotives used in the nitrate industry.  Mining is still practiced for things like copper and the tailings from the open pit mines are huge.  The rail lines are still in use.

 

From that town we went to Chacabuco, one of a number of purpose built towns constructed in 1920’s for the workers in the nitrate plants which accounted for 50% of Chile’s GDP at the time.  When that industry collapsed after only 14 years, the towns were abandoned and fell into disrepair.   The Pinochet government used Chacobuco as a concentration camp for some 1800 political prisoners from 1973-1975.  It is now a “ghost town” with a grim past and a tourist attraction.  The German government is funding the restoration of some of the old buildings.  The town is really grim, with collapsed buildings, barren dirt streets and no water.  Ocean Falls in British Columbia looks like an oasis compared to Chacabuco.

 

One point of interest was a chapel constructed in the prison area of Chacabuco by the political prisoners in the 1973-75 time period, still well preserved.

Returning to the ship we had a nice dinner at the poolside patio grill followed by a dance party around the pool as the ship departed at 11:00 from Antofagasta and nosed out into the gentle pacific swells.  We are  headed for San Antonio, one of the port cities for the capital of Santiago. 

 

Grand Americas Part 5

Grand Americas Part 5

 

July 20, 2023 – Callao and at Sea

 

After another night aboard ship dockside in Callao, with a tanker moored alongside preventing our departure, the Captain announced at 0800 that he had tried to get an exception and leave the closed port, but was unsuccessful.  However, at 1000 the Captain then announced the port would be opening and we would leave after the pilot boarded about 1300.  At about 1330, the tanker was moved and shortly thereafter Seabourn Quest departed Callao.

 

All further Peruvian ports were cancelled and instead we headed for Arica, Chile, about 700 NM away, requiring about 42 hours to make the transit.

 

July 21, 2023 – At Sea enroute Arica, Chile

 

The seas and winds have remained favorable and we spent much of the day observing birds, whales and fishing boats as we paralleled the coast, averaging 20-25 miles offshore.  Most notable were several humpback whales slapping their pectoral fins and a number of sperm whales, some as close as a few hundred yards off the side of the ship.

 

July 22, 2023 – Arica, Chile

 

We arrived just as the sun was clearing the hills.  The harbor was small, filled with many fishing vessels.  Our shore excursion explored the Chinchorro people who have been in this area since at least 11,000 BC.  The museum had a number of mummies on display as well as descriptions of the processes the indigenous people used, which included removing the hands and feet and putting a clay mask on the face.  There were also petroglyphs on the north facing hill side dating to 800-1250 AD, showing various animals.  The glyphs were constructed from dark volcanic rock, origins unknown, on a lighter colored desert hillside.

 

Chinchorro Mummies

Corn Grinding Stones

Pre-Columbian Pottery

The winds blow constantly from the south, so the glyphs are not covered up by blowing sands.  We did drive some way into the Atacama desert, reputed to be the driest desert on earth.  We visited some more recent sculptures in the desert and watched a folkloric dance demonstration.

Folkoric Dance Demonstration

Petroglyphs on hillside

 

Returning to the city center, we visited a local cathedral constructed entirely of metal, which has survived several tsunamis and earthquakes.

 

Inside the all metal cathedral

All Metal Cathedral in Arica, Chile

Arica is a very dry city, but still has a thriving agricultural economy, with irrigation supporting tropical fruits, citrus, tomatoes and olives and also flowers.  Irrigation is only at night and running water is rationed in town also.  We were cautioned not to drink the local tap water due to mineral content, including some heavy metals!

One of the unique flowers

The small but colorful harbor of Arica

 

  

Grand Americas Part 4

 

Jan 16-17, At Sea enroute Callao, Peru

 

Callao is the cruise port for Lima, Peru, our next scheduled destination.  It is planned for an overnight stop to give those guests who wanted to tour Macchu Picchu enough time to get to Cuzco and on the train to Macchu Picchu.

 

However, demonstrations across Peru, and especially in the Cuzco area, with dozens killed, have forced the cruise line to cancel all Macchu Picchu and Cuzco excursions.  Peru has declared a “state of emergency” in several areas, including Cuzco, Arequipa, Lima and Callao, restricting right of movement and demonstrations.  That has not stopped the people who want the current leader ousted.  The demonstrators have set up many roadblocks on major roads and railways, restricting normal movement.  The current president is the 6^th one since 2018, and the first woman.

 

With that in mind, Miriam and I have chosen to cancel our excursions in Lima and may remain on-board the ship, although so far no tourists have been targeted.

 

The Pacific Ocean has been kind to us the last two days, with only minimal winds and a low to moderate swell on our bow.  There are lots of activities to fill the days and yesterday was a formal evening with a special “Chefs Dinner” with a 6 course fixed menu, quite good.  The weather is warm enough to spend time around the main pool and have most of our meals poolside at the Patio Grill.

 

January 18, Lima (Callao)

 

The ship arrived in light fog which dispersed as we approached the entrance sea buoy and picked up the pilot.  The fleet of fishing boats anchored outside rolled heavily as the offshore swell moved into shallower water and built in height.

 

We docked in a industrial working port, but there were tents shoreside by the gangway with local handicrafts.  Patrick did ride the shuttle to Miraflores in the afternoon.  Miraflores is perched on top of steep cliffs overlooking the Pacific ocean.  The beaches below were filled with surfers, and one of the beaches was named “Waikiki”.  The shuttle stop was in the middle of the “Malecon”, a large park overlooking the ocean, with an upscale shopping mall built underground and down the side of the steep hill.  The mall was mostly upscale clothing shops and many restaurants looking out over the ocean.

Upscale mall built into hillside

Parque Salazar in Miraflores

“Waikiki” surfing beach in Miraflores

 

The shuttle passed though Callao, a much poorer area which looked pretty rough, with more garbage on the streets, and more boarded up storefronts.

 

January 19, Callao

 

Due to more demonstrations and more deaths, the ship has canceled all shore excursions, including the shuttle bus to Miraflores out of an abundance of caution, with guest safety in mind.  Passengers whose cruise ended here are still going to the airport and crew exchanges are still happening.  The ship’s staff are scrambling to provide additional activities for the guests.

 

Just one hour before departure the Captain made the announcement that all further Peru ports have been cancelled and the port of Callao has been closed to all inbound and outbound traffic.  We also cannot leave until all passports have been cleared out of Peru, so we don’t know when we can leave.

 

 

Grand Americas Part 3

Monday – Tuesday, Jan 9-10, 2023

 

Seas remained calm and winds favorable as we set a direct course for the eastern entrance of the Panama Canal.  Shortly before 0900 on January 10 we entered the first lock chamber at Gatun and began the 85 foot rise to Gatun Lake, in three steps just behind a large container ship from China.  As predicted, the skies opened up and we had intermittent rain showers, heavy at times, as we proceeded westward to the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks. Entering Pedro Miguel lock, the eastbound lock chamber had a very large crocodile swimming around, providing a photo op for many of us.  We exited the locks around 1700 and proceeded to Fuerte Amador and the new, but unfinished, cruise ship terminal.  Seabourn Quest docked about 2100 and will overnight here.

Miraflores Lock

Approaching Canal East Entrance

Exiting Panama Canal at Miraflores Lock

Entering Panama Canal at Gatun Lock

 

January 11, 2023 – Fuerte Amador

 

Patrick rode the shuttle into Perico Island Marina and then walked a mile to the duty free store at Flemenco Marina where he found the cognac he was looking for that the ship did not carry.  The day turned out to be very hot and humid, but the rainstorms have held off for the time being.

 

The ship departs early, at 1500, as we head down the coast to Manta, Ecuador.  Tonight is also the “Block Party” in the hallways to meet our fellow travelers in close-by suites.  The ship’s officers circulate around all the corridors and greet every passenger.

 

The weather report calls for light winds from the south, favorable seas and intermittent rain showers as we begin another day at sea.

 

 

Jan 12, 2023 – At Sea enroute Manta, Ecuador

 

Jan 13, 2023 – Manta, Ecuador

 

Manta is one of the major tuna fishing locations in the world, and the harbor was filled with tuna fishing boats in various stages of disrepair.  Both Starkist and Bumblebee have large operations in Manta, a city of about 250,000.

 

Patrick went snorkeling at a nature preserve at Puerto Lopez, about a 2 hour drive south of Manta.  The preserve is primarily to protect several endangered species of sea turtles, and humans are not even allowed to walk on the beaches within the preserve.  The snorkeling was only fair, with visibility limited to about 10-15 feet and significant current to swim against.

 

This is an overnight stop and we noticed how tight the security was around the ship, with guards with sub machine guns patrolling the breakwater between the ship and a large public beach next to the breakwater.  We believe it is because of demonstrations leading up to elections in February.

 

Jan 14, 2023 – Manta, Ecuador

 

We awoke in Manta to find another cruise ship docking, the Seven Seas Mariner, which left Miami 2 days after our ship, as part of a 143 day world cruise.  We spent the day relaxing and taking a walk around town through a large and modern shopping center just a few blocks from the cruise terminal.

 

Modern Shopping Mall in Manta

Public Beach at Manta next to dock

Sunset departing Manta

Mall Entrance at Manta

Seabourn had one of their signature events, a caviar sail away as we left the dock in Manta at 1800.  We were treated to a nice sunset as we headed out of the harbor.

 

Jan 15, 2023 – Machala, Ecuador

 

Machala is a city of 500,000 and is supposed to be the banana capital of the world.  There were two banana ships tied to the dock when we arrived about 0700, one of them labeled Del Monte.  Patrick had a tour of a petrified forest at the Puyango River which was a two hour drive south of the city in the foothills of the Andes, which start only 20 KM from the coast in this part of Ecuador.  The petrified trees are about 100 millions years old and date from before the Permian extinction.  It was amazing to see the trunks sticking out of the rock walls.  Since it was Sunday, by the time we had finished the 1.5 KM loop trail there were long lines of people waiting to get in, with lots of children.

 

Machala city statue commemorating Banana harvesters 

Ecuadorian Naval Vessel protecting the cruise ship dock

Massive Pintero Tree at petrified forest preserve

Petrified Log sticking out of bank

Public Utility wiring in Machala

Amancay Plant at Petrified Forest

Large Petrified Log, visible portion 40-50 feet

On the return trip we stopped for lunch at the Hillary Nature Park, a upscale hotel and resort perched on top of a hill overlooking the banana and cacoa plantations below.

 

Machala is also known for shrimp farming, much of which takes place in large ponds located in the mangrove swamps surrounding the city.

 

Jan 16, 2023 – At Sea enroute Lima, Peru

Jan 17, 2023 - At Sea enroute Lima, Peru