Today was going to be a long day. I got up at 6:30am to get on the road to first see some penguins in Seno Ottway. The drive was approximately one hour, but when I got to the gate the area was closed.
I headed back to the main road and decided I would go to Parque Nacional Pali Aike which was approximately another 2.5 hours from where I presently am.
On the drive, I remember Ivonne (the host mother for where I am staying in Punta Arenas) mentioning about a shipwreck in San Gregorio. There had been many shipwrecks throughout this region especially before the Panama Canal was built. I was informed that this was the most treacherous section for ships to go through. I drove through a district called San Gregorio and thought this could possibly be quite an area and I may not find the ship. Well, after driving for about two hours I came across the town of San Gregorio … it was a ghost town!! Awesome!! Got so many photo’s of the area.
While walking up the street I then saw the shipwrecks at the far end of the town. Another awesome site!
I spent about two hours here taking photo’s and looking around.
I peeked into one large building to see piles of sheep wool. Upon closer examination, I notice that hooves were attached to some of the wool. Then I noticed a bunch of bones around as well.
Quite a creepy building. On one of the other abandoned buildings, that looked like a home, I saw a bundle in the corner of the outside deck … it was another dead sheep! Certainly must research what happened to this town and the ships in this region.
Researched this area, and this is what I found [https://www.quehacerenchile.cl/2015/12/03/estancia-san-gregorio-legendario-y-misterioso-lugar-en-punta-arenas/]:
“Today it is in a total and incomprehensible abandonment.
Among its buildings, the shearing shed, for its remarkable dimensions and the outstanding armaduría with beams of great squad, constitute a unique construction, testimony to the cattle raising of Magallanes. It was the first estancia founded in Patagonia in 1870, with an area of 91,805 hectares, maintained 122,849 sheep, 387 cattle and 401 horses. In the year 2001, it was declared a typical area of Patagonia.
Here the time stopped ... these Wool bales of several years ago, are still in the shearing shed.
The disorder, dirt and scratches on the walls, are the silent witness of the abandonment of the facilities. Machines abandoned to luck, antique furniture half destroyed even with old dishes inside. Bales and Bales of wool ... detained in time given to abandonment and dirt that rapidly advances with strong winds that destroys everything
Despite the neglect and inclement weather, the facilities are structurally well preserved.”
Researching the shipwreck, Amadeo, this is what has been stated: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amadeo,_Primer_vapor_de_Chile._San_Gregorio,_Patagonia,_Chile.jpg]:
Beached wreck of the steamship Amadeo at San Gregorio in Magellanes, southern Chile. The Liverpool Forge Co built her in 1884 for Argentine Steam Lighter Co, a subsidiary of Lamport and Holt. In 1892 she was sold to J Menéndez of Punta Arenas, which in 1909 was renamed SA Ganadera y Comercial Menéndez y Behety. The ship's registry was changed to Magellanes in 1929. The ship was beached at San Gregorio in 1932 and has remained there ever since.
The other abandoned ship was called the Ambassador that was built in England in 1869 and is beached behind Amadeo. All that remains of this ship is the metal ribbing and at the bow of this ship a small section of wood remains intact.
I absolutely loved this area and if I have time on my way back, I will stop in again to look around some more. I truly admire the architecture of each building.
Off I went and drove to where the ferry crosses to Primavera. Stopped and took a couple photo’s of a lighthouse beside the ferry, but nothing else really to see here. Now, I am finally on my way to Parque Nacional Pali Aike. I drove up the main highway just a few kilometres and turned off onto a gravel road. The further I drove in towards the park the worse the road got. Along the way I saw many Guanaco's and also a grey Fox!
I was so surprised to see so much wild life and birds in an area where there was not many ponds and most of the spots that did hold water were completely dried up.
I finally reached the Ranger Station and went inside to find out some information. I paid 3,000.00 Chilean Pesos (approximately $6.00CDN) and the Ranger came out with me to open the gate to allow me entrance. I first drove to Laguna Ana where the Ranger indicated I may get lucky to see some flamingos.
Laguna Ana was on the far end of the park, approximately 5km from the Ranger post. There is a back entrance into the park, but when I got to that part of the road they have a gate across the road and no Ranger Station on that side. I drove down a road that was only truly wide enough for one vehicle, which was the last kilometre. I finally reached the parking lot and there were many younger people in the area putting up fencing. I walked down to the lagoon and was fortunate to see the flamingos.
Unfortunately, there were too far away to get great photo’s, but it was still worth seeing them here. I drove back towards the Ranger Station and then turned onto a side road that takes you to Cueva Pali Aike. The drive was slow for two reasons, one because the road was very rough and secondly, because of all the Guanaco along the road.
When reaching the parking lot It was a short walk around the Cueva Pali Aike (approximately 600m in about 30minutes).
I was fortunate to see some of the small lizards in the area and took a couple pics. There was another hike I could have done, but it would take over three hours and the site was of a crater (Crater Morada Del Diablo). It was a hot day and I chose to explore other regions further north near the Argentinian border.
I drove two within 2km of the border and turned onto a gravel road that goes to Punta Dungenes. I drove only a short way in until the road was by the ocean. I got out and looked up and down the coast but could not see any shipwrecks in the region. Looking at the gas gauge, I had only half a tank left and did not want to take a chance to run out of gas, so I headed back to Punta Arenas. It should be noted that I did not see a single gas station since I left Punta Arenas. As they say, when you see a gas station, no matter how much gas you have, stop in and fill it up because you don’t know when you will see the next one.
On the way back, I did stop again at San Gregorio … I just love it here!
