If there was one place on our trip where renting a car was totally
practical, Isla de Chiloe was it. Departing from Puerto Montt with our
2012 Mazda 2 sport we bombed down to the ferry (landing craft) and over
to Chiloe. The island is about a third the size of Vancouver island and has
a Tofino feel, complete with the same unpredictable weather. Driving
for some time we arrived at a beach comprable to long beach. Between
rain squals we stepped out onto this empty sandy enormity to explore.
Seeing only the odd truck drive by on the beach I got the idea "why
can´t we do that in our lil car?" What ensued was a classic "I told you
so" moment. It was going so well, our car "boobie" (lovingly named after
the Blue Footed Boobie) was cruising along the sandy beach like
nothing, until.... Some would call it a "soft spot" and some a "sand
dune". Arguements aside we were stuck and Amy was out pushing us during
one of those rain squals muttering "I told you so". Thanks to her brute
strength we were on our merry way once again.
The ferry runs itself aground while the workers quickly usher all the vehicles onto the unsteady ramp. Then they kick the engine into high gear to get going again.
Long sandy beach where Amy pushed us out
Having the car proved to be the very best way to see the island. We managed to drive to the southern tip of the island where the "Pan American Highway" starts. A highway that stretches 21,000 km to Anchorage Alaska and passes through Vancouver.
Start of the Pan American highway
Mile zero
Boobie
Town of Castro where the houses along the water are on stilts
Green rolling hills with pastures of sheep every direction you look
The three days of freedom with our own vehicle ended too soon and before we knew it we were back on a bus heading to Bariloche in Argentina.
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