Puerto Montt

Darwin's Voyage on the Beagle

Yesterday’s lecture was about Charles Darwin and the voyage of the Beagle. Charles studied Botany at Cambridge and joined Captain Robert Fitzroy on the Beagle’s second voyage around the world from Dec 1831 until 1836. This was a survey voyage, and Charles, prone to sea-sickness, spent as much time as possible ashore, studying the fossils, plants, and animals of the world. He spent 5 weeks in Galapagos and noted the wide variety of beaks on the finches, leading him to believe that there were separate species on the different islands. Today, we know that the beaks of these finches actually can change year to year based on the food sources. Thirty years after the voyage of the Beagle he published the Origin of Species.  He was hesitant to publish because he knew it would upset the church teaching and science of the day, including his very religious wife.

Orsono Volcano

Puerto Montt was settled in 1853 by German settlers. It is considered the entry to Patagonia. The town has doubled in population in the last 20 years since Salmon Farming was introduced in 1980. Today, Chile is second to Norway in Salmon exports. This is the Lake District of Chile with lots of rain, but no snow. The salmon start in hatcheries, then are moved to the Lakes as fingerlings, and finally to the sea. There are over 120 active volcanoes in Chile. The most beautiful here is Osorno, 8700 feet, almost a perfect cone, but it hasn’t erupted since 1863. Nearby is Calbuco volcano, 6670 feet, which erupted in ash three times in April, 2015. The volcano eruptions caused large evacuations, but little damage. But when the rains came after the outpouring of ash, roofs collapsed, rivers were re-routed, and landslides occurred. Everywhere we looked as we approached the Vincente Perex Rosales National Park, there were large piles of ash along the side, same when we came to the river. We took a 45 minute cruise on Lake Esmeralda the sun came out, and the view of the volcanoes and mountains were magnificent. 

Petrohue River

Then we took a short hike to the Petrohue River to see the rapids come down the river. It was impressive. This was the same river that I had rafted (a little further downstream) when we were here 15 years ago. Then we went to Puerto Varas, the city of roses, along the Lake Llanquiehue where we had a delicious lunch, including Pisca Sour, before a little time to wander the town square.

Puerto Varas