Sailing on a sailboat is one of the attractions that San Carlos de Bariloche will offer in its next winter season, where, according to the Tourism authorities, they estimate a hotel occupancy rate of over 90% (more than 38,000 beds), with tourists coming from throughout the country, especially from abroad, in particular from Brazil from the direct flights announced by Aerolineas Argentinas.
Bariloche’s air connectivity has increased substantially for the intersections arranged by the flag line, for the arrival of low cost companies, and also for the direct flights scheduled with the outside, which, the Secretary of Tourism, Gastón Burlón, told Télam, augurs an auspicious season.
And as if to consolidate this presumption, A few days ago, an anticipated snowfall covered the surrounding hills in white, including the Cathedral, an icon of the ski season.allowing locals and occasional tourists to slide down its slopes for a long weekend before the official opening of the slopes.
But snow is not the only attraction that Bariloche presents for those who arrive this winter, since among the many options there is one that has been gaining ground in recent times: sailing on Lake Nahuel Huapi.
Although boat trips on the lake are one of the frequent attractions, sailing is gaining popularity and more and more people turn to enjoy this magnificent experience, to which a Télam team had access.
The lake was in a period of low water, so the boats were several meters from the pier, inland, and to reach them it was necessary to board a boat that took the team to the Facundo, a 40-foot long sailboat, manufactured in the country in 1986, model Black 40, designed by German Frers.
Juan Manuel Pulleiro is the assistant to the captain of the boat and the person in charge of placing the passengers on the deck in order to enjoy the passage without risks, while Billy Marín, its captain, takes the helm and heads, using the boat’s engines, towards the center of the lake.
“Generally we use the motor, which has about 25 horsepower, to move when we are a little tight with schedules or to get closer to the coast, but we try to sail most of the time by pure sail, because the experience is matchless”, Juan Manuel explained as he adjusts the ropes that support the canopy.
Once the sailboat is in “open water”, Pulleiro unfurls the Genoa sail, which is the one further forward on the bow.
“With this wing it is enough to sail at a good speed and without problems”he explained as he took the helm while Billy Marín entered the interior of the boat to prepare a snack that will be tasted later.
When the engine stops and the wing inflates, everything changes. Silence invades the environment and only the murmur of the wind against the sail and the mast and the beating of the water against the hull of the sailboat can be heard, while all around, the eyes are filled with the intense blue of the lake and the landscape, wonderful in itself. , is enhanced by the white peaks of the surrounding hills.
In the distance you can see the Victoria Island, more here the Huemul, also the visibility is enough to see the city of Bariloche, the Cerro Otto and the back wall of the Cerro Catedral.
“Navigating by sailboat is not risky, but you have to be very attentive to changes in the wind, to unforeseen events and, above all, when we seek to get closer to the coast because of the great depths of the center of the lake, there are sectors in which could run aground”, detailed the captain.
“The idea is that people enjoy and get to know the mountains, the city and the surroundings of Bariloche from the water,” he stressed.
The rides depart three times a day and can be shared. In the case of the Facundo its maximum capacity is 10 people, plus the two crew members and the groups can be armed with people who do not know each other or private.
There are various options, one of them is to Puerto Venado and Islas de los Víveres, where the tour begins in Puerto Petunia, located 13.5 km from Bariloche. From there you navigate through the Brazo Campanario, bordering the San Pedro peninsula passing through Puerto Bueno, a bay with calm and transparent waters.
In this section you can also see Bahía Serena, Isla Huemul, Isla de las Gallinas and Isla de las Gaviotas, and taking into account the weather conditions, the trip continues through Lake Nahuel Huapi, heading towards Isla de los Víveres and Puerto Venado. on the coast of Neuquén.
Another option is Isla Victoria, where, also leaving from Puerto Petunia, you sail along the Brazo Campanario, bordering the San Pedro peninsula passing through Puerto Bueno, a bay with calm and transparent waters.
Then it continues through the northern part of the San Pedro Peninsula where you can see the large stone walls.
Passing the peninsula, you can appreciate the magnitude of Mount Tronador with its eternal snow and the surrounding hills, and in the southern part of Victoria Island, you continue sailing until you reach Piedras Blancas, a haven of white sands and transparent waters.
Excursions can last from 3 hours to a full dayaccording to the preferences of the navigators.
