Day 783, 11.04.2013
86,785 km since the beginning of the journey,
The Journey: Caleta Tortel, Puerto Yungay - Rio Bravo - Villa O'Higgins (153 km).
As I couldn`t wait for better weather there are no nice coloured and sunny pictures of Caleta Tortel. Of course there is always a possibility that during the day the sun will come out and the weather will change prettier, but much more likely it will be turning even worse and starting to rain.
And the ferry traffic had to be taken into account as well – so no waiting for nicer weather. The barge was scheduled to leave at 12, which meant in short that at 10 it was the highest time to start moving. So - the breakfast was eaten, coffee was dunk and dishes were washed and all the things in the car were properly fixed.
I drove 23 km back and turned southwards towards the road which takes to Puerto Yungay.
A mountain lake with mirror-smooth water is just by the road.
Meanwhile, the wind is blowing the clouds away.
Just next to the road - the rain forest – and it seems to make an effort to climb on the road!
To cover 30 kilometres ( with countless stops) it took an hour, so that I reached the ferry just in time. The ferry departs twice a day now and during a warmer season three times a day. The crossing takes half an hour.
Until the year of 2000 Puerto Yungay was the southernmost point of Carretera Austral.
To get on the ferry one must drive reverse Everybody is admitted on board as it is not the season any more, but it was said that in 2000 when the last section of the road up to Villa O`Higgins was opened the largest jam traffic of Carretera Austral had been just here.
All the other vehicles have local number-plates.
Port of Rio Bravo. Only a pavilion and parking lot. That`s all.
The last 100 km of the well-known road was said to be in a better condition and most of it was.
Here the road gets a new number - X-91.
88 kilometres more.
A few farms by the road.
Again over the mountains.
And once again.
Then a piece of straighter road, but new mountain – crossings are waiting ahead.
Having driven up I make a stop and try to imagine how all of this construction could be carried out, but the imagination is lacking at this time. It is one thing to read, how the road through the wilderness was built, but quite another thing is to see "The End of the World" itself. At least it is sure that there are plenty of places here where people have never been.
Descent is waiting ahead.
Not many kilometres left anymore, less than 10.
From Mayer a hiking path takes to Argentina, but it was said to be only passable on foot or by horse.
Almost there, but the road is taking further more 7 km.
Another major bridge, the last one.
If the quality of the road leaves in several places is to be desired then the bridges have been constructed properly.
Here the road ends. The sign reads: Fin Del Camino Carretera Austral, 1247 km.
One can cross the lake by ferry and cover a part of road up to the border of Argentina .
On the road of the village. One can see here some shops, hostels and even a gas station. And the prices are also corresponding . Everything l must be delivered from far away.
An overnight place. A camping with electricity, water and summer kitchen with even a stove.
From Wikitravel - There is free internet in the library and free wifi all over town that sometimes even works. Briefly it worked and mails could be read.
Anyway the current end of Carretera Austral is visited and the return journey – about 1240 km through mountainous untouched nature.
No comments:
Post a Comment