Crushing waves on the Rio Futaleufu
Wild flowers cover the valley floor
A couple hundred yards further down the road at the Chilean border my gear was under questioning again. “Have you gotten your equipment washed?” The Chilean border control was trying to say that there had been a recent influx of Didymo algae in the Futaleufu valley, and they wanted all of my gear disinfected. Didymo is an invasive slime that attaches itself to the bottom of rivers, eating away and stifling all the naturally growing plants. The Chilean government is now taking steps to help slow down the spread of Didymo by washing all incoming water equipment, including boats, waders, fishing poles, and my mostly dry union suit. The Didymo can easily be killed off by completely drying your gear for 48 hours, or washing it with regular dish soap. So my mostly wet gear, from being searched in Argentina, got completely drenched with soapy water as I entered Chile.
Double click on the photo and check out the pollen on the bee
Gorgeous views after a solid hike
H20’s guides Pedro Fernandez Cid, Tomas Binimelischatted, and Nate Mac brought me up to speed on the week’s itinerary. The trip was going to show off the surreal beauty of Patagonia.
An average eddy on the Futaleufu
Paddling duckies on the the Rio Espolon
Pillow rock on the Rio Futaleufu
Steer wrangling competition at Media Luna
Impromptu steer wrangling via bicycle
Fabio putting the finishing touches on a amazing dessert
An abandon building with a gorgeous garden
Rafters in front of the Tres Monjas
