IN A PERFECT WORLD WE WOULD stick around this part of Patagonia for a week or so—I would also be twenty years younger. Puerto Varas on Lago Llanquihue is the adventure center for hiking, birding and fishing but to get here you first have to go through Puerto Montt, the transportation hub for Patagonia.
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Puerto Varas, gateway to Patagonia Adventures
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Volcan Calbuco, Puerto Varas
We were among the first “independents” ashore when Oosterdam was cleared at Puerto Montt—Connie was anxious to get in some birding around Lago Llanquihue. We used a twenty-dollar bill to buy Diet Cokes—Chileans gladly accept US dollars but give change in pesos—and used the change for bus fare to Puerto Varas.
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Green-Backed Firecrown
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Grey-Flanked Cinclodes
Chile has more than one hundred volcanos and none are errupting at the moment. We had only cloud-covered glimpses of snow-capped Volcan Calbuco across Lago Llanquihue from Puerto Varas. Birding around the lake wasn’t what we had hoped either. We could only hear several shy Megellanic Tapaculos hiding in the bushes but we did get good looks a Green-backed Firecrown, Patagonian Sierra Finch and several Grey-flanked Cinclodes.
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Volcan Orsino and Volcan Calbuco
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Sooty Shearwater
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Black-Browed Albatross and White-Chinned Petrel
Both the Fuji-esque Volcan Orsino and Volcan Calbuco lay astern in the sunchine as we sailed away from Puerto Montt while Black-Browed Albatross and Giant Petrels sailed gracefully along side. Hundreds rafting sooty shearwaters took flight as we approached, lone albatross and petrels, too. It’s a hoot watching these huge birds flap and run as they try to get airborne. We also got photos of a Pink-Footed Shearwater, White-Chinned Petrel and a Norhtern Royal Albatross.
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Northern Royal Albatross and Northern Giant Petrel
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Pink-Footed Shearwater takes to the air
The ship’s plumbers have finally given up trying to fix our hot water. Sr. Garcia, head of Guest Services jumped ship in San Antonio! His replacement came up with a solution—she upgraded us to a different cabinon, one with a balcony. And just in time for the most scenic part of the cruise.