Off the Beaten Path with Joe Keefe: On the Water in Patagonia
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile: MarineNews' Joe Keefe is on holiday in Patagonia this month. Off the grid; way off the grid.
“I keep trying to escape the waterfront, but they keep dragging me back in,” Keefe writes, and today was no different.
The 9-mile trek through the Patagonia forests and Rocky Mountains almost took Keefe out. But, before that could happen, a 30-minute boat ride took him and his beautiful wife, Debbie, to the trailhead.
They had 4.5 hours to make it to the glacier for the pickup from boat number two. Keefe - suddenly the oldest hiker on the trail - hustled along in the caboose position as the group of 5 other 30-something heroes stepped out in haste.
A blistering 2.5 mph pace soon developed. Up and down; rocky plateaus and then transiting soft, forested trails ensued. Nevertheless, the Keefe’s made America proud. The Brazilian 25-year old couple even admitted the former MarineNews editor did “okay.”
Eventually, following a lunch lookout spot where all could view the icebergs where they had broken off the glacier, the tired crew arrived at the beach boarding point for the ride back.
Back to the boats
The first vessel, a small Catamaran with a passenger capacity of 17, powered out quietly on twin Yanmar diesels. The second vessel, a much larger Catamaran vessel, eventually plowed into the beach in a planned soft landing where overnight backpackers disembarked and returning day hikers got on board for the ride home.
With impressive Garmin and Furuno electronics, the M/V Grey III left nothing to chance and every comfort taken care of for its full load of 98 passengers. A fully stocked bar awaited the thirsty hikers. Once underway again, an impressive display of seamanship and boat handling brought the passengers as close as possible to the glacier(s) and the calved bergs that had already broken off.
The day ended nicely back at the lodge where Keefe enjoyed a mouthy Chardonnay in celebration of the fact that he can still hike 9 miles with the “kids.” Beyond that, the adventure is a reminder to all MarineNews readers that the world of workboats extends far beyond the traditional roles of tugs, crew boats, and OSV’s.
The adventure in Patagonia continues for almost another two weeks. MarineNews readers will be kept abreast of all other “workboat” sightings.
