A Tugged-Away Jewel, Laguna Azul

In the north-eastern corner of the national park Torres del Paine lies the blue lake, Laguna Azul. A 7,5 by 1 km blue lake, 400 mm deep carved and left behind by the retrieving glaciers. It has access by gravel road, but no public transportation gets there. The park administrator CONAF has a park ranger station on the southeastern shore you pass as you make your way to the camp-site and the primitive installations on the north-eastern shore. Across the lake you have marvelous views of some of the most spectacular and famous granite peaks, including “The 3 Towers of Paine”/ las Torres del Paine. However we are in an area dominated by Patagonian steppe and xerophytic shrubland spread out over soft curving hills. This is the preferred habitat for the guanaco-lama, the grey fox and the puma. We too are surrounded by snow-capped and odd-formed mountains that rise towards the sky. In between the peaks the Rio de las Chinas, which offers excellent fly fishing opportunities, carves it way down leaving behind pure rock exposed in beautiful stratos. All ancient testimonies of the last ice age.

We have escaped the city for 4 days in our jeep with the intention to make basecamp here and go for day hikes in the vicinities. We haven’t discriminated when preparing for this outing as we have almost unlimited space in the jeep. We even brought all the equipment bought through the Capital Semilla in case the weather would invite for a photo-shoot session.

At the camp site we meet Vitamina, or Victor, who is in charge here. He put at our disposal the inside of the “quincho”, as it still isn’t allowed to light fire or cook outside – a precaution that derives from the last destructive fire 2 years ago. As we are the only ones camping here we get to spend some time together, especially in the evenings. I had been looking forward to actually camp, but we felt kind of obligated as this guy was bored, alone and very happy to have company.

What a great feeling once again to give in to the forces and rhythms of nature. We were just us, the magnificent mountains, the elements and life in its most natural state. I felt exposed and curious sensing, observing and feeling everything around us. I noted that I am experiencing everything with new eyes. Though I in my rehabilitation unconsciously have aimed for (and expected) to feel the exact same feeling of grandness, marvel and beauty of creation as I did before, what I am experiencing now is something far more solid. No doubt I still am marveled and surprised but what I get is the sense of being part of it. Not just an observer. It’s quite powerful, and I need to adjust to this new view on things. I have always considered myself lucky just to be, to see and to experience what is out here. Humble, small and insignificant. I need nothing more.

Now I notice that I am digging deeper as I learn to understand the powers, forces and happenings that occurred and made it possible for me to stand right in the middle of it. It’s not so solid yet, it’s evolving. As I now am able to walk into pure nature, the process is speeding up. I wonder where I am heading to…

The 4 days flew away – literally. I was able to hike every day: 3, 12, 8 and 10 km in not too difficult terrain. Spring time is upon us bringing about new colors, purity and happiness.