For a long time I’ve heard great things about the Navimag ferry, which runs from Central Chile’s southernmost point at Puerto Montt for three days down through fiords and glaciers to Chilean Patagonia at Puerto Natales, just south of the Torres del Paine. A trip of a lifetime, I’ve heard from so many.

Though I also heard grouses that it was unreliable, but was cheered by reports that lately it had got much better.

So, being in Chile we at last got bookings on the Navimag that was due to set sail into the chilly waters on Friday 28 September…And were excited enough to start mentally counting glaciers… Except that on Tuesday we got an email from Navimag saying that the sailing was cancelled, due to ‘programmed maintenance taking longer than we expected’. (They have promised to return our money, in quite a charming way, at least).

So to anyone who’s taken the Navimag ferry, felicidades/congratulations. A trip for another lifetime, maybe.

Ho hum. Decided to go to Chiloé instead. A shorter sea voyage, a little under half an hour each way.