They flew to Santiago and drove to Vina del Mar near Valparaiso. At Valparaiso they found a busy naval and commercial port. One of their first sights was of two ex British Lifeboats one identified as an Arun Class. Direct photography of the Naval side of the docks was a not allowed although inevitably some shots of commercial ships, the dockyard was in the background. One of the four ex British County Class destroyers was identified along with three or four ex British Leander Class frigates. The Commercial port handles containers, both dry and refrigerated mainly for the fruit trade, the supply boats to Easter Island, Fish factory ships car carriers and Cruise liners. Another nearby novelty was a tanker astern to the beach discharging to an inshore tank farm.
They also visited Quintero to the north of Valparaiso. Here they export timber � mainly soft wood. There was also a large cement works and oil refineries.
At San Antonio was a large container port but sadly not many ships. The pelicans and sea lions had to substitute here.
They then took a flight south to Conception and spent a few days there. Here there were an abundance of trawlers and fish factory ships. A large export from this area is fish oil and fishmeal, with trade in coal and iron ore gas and oil. Also pictured was the tug Poderosa recently featured in Marine News. Thence on to Coronel to hunt for the memorial of the Battle of Coronel in 1914 where HMS Monmouth and Good Hope were sunk by the Admiral Spee�s force headed by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After some searching this was found and photographed. Another historical ship seen was the preserved turret ironclad Huascar originally built in Birkenhead for the Peruvian Navy in 1865.
We thank Peter and Christine for coming, and showing their unique shows from different parts of the world, and we look forward to welcoming them next year when we hope to have an evening �in� New Zealand.