After days of truly beautiful sailing, we arrived in Puerto Montt.
We crossed the Golfo de Penas under sail, carried by a steady southern wind, the kind that makes everything feel easy. The boat moving just right, the sails full, the rhythm on board settling into something calm and familiar. From there we followed the coast north, until, near southern Chiloé, the waters softened and became sheltered again.
We had sunshine, clear nights and the kind of sailing you wish you could bottle for later. More gybes than during the entire passage from Tenerife to the Falkland Islands, as if the wind kept changing when we left the coastline or got closer to shore again. No one complained. Sometimes the swell got a little rocky, but that was only for a day.
We made a stop in San Pedro, arriving late… or rather early, around 03:00 in the morning. After a slow breakfast, we all went ashore. A small path, marked with bits of plastic ribbons, led us inland. A local dog decided to join us, confidently taking the lead as if she had done this a hundred times before. We never learned her name.
The path turned into a bit of a climb, through something that felt like half a rainforest. Branches, mud, laughter, the occasional pause to catch a breath. And then, at the top of the hill, the view opened up. Wide, quiet, and completely worth it.
Back on board, the afternoon was for small jobs and getting things done. And in the evening, a proper barbecue on deck. Good food, a bit of smoke in the air, and that feeling of being exactly where you want to be.
The next day we kept moving. It looked like it would turn into one of those grey, rainy days, but slowly it changed. Bit by bit the sky opened, layers came off, and before we knew it, we were putting on sunscreen.
And then the whales came.
Blue whales. The first time I have ever seen them.
Huge, quiet, almost unreal. Their spouts going up in the sky with force and altitude!
We anchored once more along the way, a last quiet stop, before getting up early this morning for the final stretch.
With a pilot on board, we made our way into the harbor of Puerto Montt. On the dock, Jorge, our agent, was already waiting for us as we came alongside. A familiar face at the end of a long and beautiful passage.
Tonight, a proper rest.
All is well on board,
Jet
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