2/22 – Puerto Montt and Tenglo Island

Arriving early into Puerto Montt, under sort of cloudy skies, we are off the ship on the 2nd round of tenders and ashore by 8:15. We have a private tour of Tenglo Island (our original guide canceled at the last minute 2 days ago, and they were scrambling to find another guide, so now we have Cristian) and after a bit of wandering and waiting – when we were figuring out if we could do the whole thing on our own – we finally found Cristian outside the main guide, sort of meandering about behind the mass of tour guides out there.

Not the most auspicious start, which doesn’t get much better as we head toward the jetty where we are to pick up a water taxi to ferry us to Tenglo Island, which is right across the inlet. The tide is really low right now (Cristian tells us it is normally 20m deep at its shallowest and at the pier 40m deep at high tide; now it might not be about 10m deep), the jetty is almost fully exposed out of the water and there isn’t a water taxi to be found. Not a surprise as there are many boats that are aground on the bed of the inlet because the tide is so low!

Change of plans! We’ll head to the Angelmo fish market first (the one that the tour coordinator originally told us was closed – but everyone else, CD Ed included, says is open). Totally fun. First of all Cristian knows everyone – he talks to everyone and is so knowledgeable about everything. Any fears he was not going to be a good guide evaporate the further we get into the market and the more information he gives us.

Guiding us through the market, Cristian points out all the different fish and the clams and vegetables which grow so big here – that garlic clove is the size of my hand almost, the full heads of garlic are too big to hold in one hand! – and monstrous octopus that has Ed in apoplectic pleasure thinking about lunch. He explains the seaweed and kelp that is used heavily in dishes here, as well as these pepper looking seaweed things. The kelp looks like a big long thick strip of leather all tied up. And the Luches Algas (seaweed patties) just look disgusting. I’m guessing they can turn it all into something tasty, but in its present form, yuck.

Circling through the market, heading out to see the sealions, Cristian also gives us the history of the area. 10,000 German immigrants settled here between 1850 and the 1900s, which is why there is a heavy German influence. The town of Frutillar (which we visited before), up in the mountains, is actually named after the word strawberry – which grows there. However, the German accent couldn’t pronounce the word frutulla for strawberry, so it came out Frutillar. The one town, which is the suburban area of Puerto Montt was named after Antonia Varais, the first minister of the area. Puerto Montt was named after Montt, who was the first president.

As it turns out, there is only one sealion on the dock, but he’s quite a happy camper laying out here by the dumpsters, trying to sun himself as much as the cloudy skies will allow.

Back to the jetty, our water taxi driver has appeared and we hop into the little boat to begin what is now a ride around the canal and island before we go to Tenglo. The tide is still so low, we can’t go there directly. Bonus! More fun listening to Cristian giving us history and information about the area – pointing out the stadium and a couple of different marinas – and more sea lions!

He also points out a fish farming boat. This vessel transfers the fish back and forth from the farm and the processing plants. Never even thought about how that happened – and now we know. At least from a huge commercial contract perspective. The ship can hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of water with the fish inside, then suck them in and out through the huge suction arm. Really interesting!

Finally, we make a turn and head back toward the area of Tenglo where we will hike, passing the original village houses, where fishermen still live today in their own little enclave, reached only by boats.

Once on the island we follow Cristian up this really steep hill to the cross, erected for Pope John Paul’s visit. As we arrive at the top of the hill, we pick up a straggler, this adorable boy, 12 years old, named Maxmilo. He skateboarded here from the far end of the mainland (he skates about 12 kms a day he says!). Cristian asked him to take over the tour, since he knows the area so well, and off he went – explaining all the different scenic points we were viewing. In Spanish of course! With Cristian translating. Too cute!

The views up here are great – all the way across the water and far into the mountains. Of course, they would be better if the weather were better, and not sort of spitting rain and overcast – but hey – can’t change that! Still, it was a really nice way to spend a morning and get some exercise and fresh air combined with area history and knowledge!

Back down at the boat launch, we meet our captain for the ride back across the water. Ed had mentioned he wanted to have octopus for lunch after he saw those monsters hanging in the market, and the captain called one of his friends who owns a restaurant above the market who said he could prepare everything especially for Ed. Octopus is not normally on the menu, and these guys went out and bought some just for our lunch. So nice!

Cristian makes sure he knows which restaurant, they are all numbered and we must go to number 28C. Arriving there, it is the cutest little place and I mean little!! Barely 12 feet wide, tables slammed in there together. It would be so crowded if all the tables were filled – but this is the way they all do it here. There are a 35 or more restaurants just like this above the marketplace, all varying levels of teeny tiny. The kitchen is upstairs, as is a little area for the family and kids (in this case a small baby who is not happy today) can rest and hang out during opening hours. Totally family run and oriented and a great atmosphere.

We let Cristian do the ordering and had an excellent meal of octopus- obviously! – fried Merlusa (Hake, unlike any Hake I’ve ever had, light, flaky, totally yummy) and a sampling of cerviche and fry bread. Including a pisco sour on the house from the owner. Excellent.

And Cristian was excellent company, telling us stories about his family, his upbringing, his 5 kids. We had an absolutely wonderful time with him learning about the area and getting to know him better.

After lunch, Cristian walked us to the bus station for and ATM, telling us it was the safest place, and then over to the grocery store before he headed home on the bus. Fabulous day and so happy we did the tour and didn’t blow it off and try to wander on our own.

Stocking up on the supplies at the grocery store, we headed back to the ship taking pictures of the cross up on the hill on Tenglo Island as well as the sea lion sleeping on the bulbous nose of our ship!