Time to put pen to paper so to speak.
While the biosecurity
regulations in
Chile have not changed the enforcement of them as it applies to yachts has.
As far as disease free
food production is concerned
Chile is very much an island, having as it does the Atacama to the north, the Andes at their back and the ocean pretty much everywhere else.
If you arrive by air you will have to fill in this form
http://www.sag.cl/sites/default/file...editable_0.pdf which is much the same as what you fill in on arrival in
Australia and
New Zealand. It would appear that in some
ports it is also required from crew and passengers on yachts.
Upon our arrival in Pto Montt ex NZ a few weeks ago we had the standard visit by the SAG people
Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero . Stores inspected, questions asked, a few forms filled in.. no drama. A few spuds and onions, an open packet of cheese and a bit of honey taken away along with our bag of quarantine garbage. Pretty much the same as entering
New Zealand really.
Milk and cheese in unopened containers and packaging was OK.
Unfortunately I then had to attend their offices the following day to explain why I had not emailed them at least 24 hours before arrival giving amongst other things details of all
ports visited in the last 2 years. It would appear that this was a new regulation introduced on the 1st of Feb.
After explaining that I had been at sea since early January etc etc we agreed to blame the yacht club/marina... however I have still been reported to SAG high command and there is the
remote chance of copping a 'multa' somewhere further down the line.
So not a lot of change in that part of the country...another yacht checking into Valdivia a few weeks early had the same experience but without the prospect of a 'multa'.
However....down in the south.....
A blind eye has been turned to a lot of things in Puerto Williams for many years.
This has included the treatment of the
charter yachts ( most of which are operating illegally) coming in from Ushuaia.
For years they have been doing all their storing in Ushuaia and contributing little to the economy of Pto Williams except their garbage.
It would appear that they are now losing all their fresh vittles on arrival.
The argument goes that you can't buy decent stores in Williams but that is a bit circular... you can't buy anything in Williams because nobody buys anything in Williams and around it goes.
You can actually store ship quite adequately in Pto Williams..it is simply a case of placing an order with either through a friend or with the nice people at Simon y Simon and having it sent down on the weekly
ferry from Punta Arenas.
I've done this several times for voyages of up to 2 months duration.
Mind you there are some things you just can't buy in either Chile or
Argentina... baked beans and decent tinned peas... be warned!