2024 Patagonian BaseCamp Season Recap Part I
2024 at Patagonian BaseCamp marks our 23th season in Chile, Patagonia – my goodness, time flies. I find myself reminiscing about past seasons, the hundreds of guests we’ve hosted, the friendships forged, past guides, chefs, and challenges like volcano eruptions, landslides, floods, droughts, demonstrations, earthquakes, pandemics, financial crisis – what an amazing adventure! I am truly grateful for the life my family and team have carved out of rural Patagonia, and humbled by our friends that continue to spend their holidays at our home. Thank you so much! – Marcel Sijnesael
Our 2024 season actually started at the conclusion of our 2023 season after closing the doors in April. The first big job was to replace our entire septic system. It was definitely in need of some upgrades after 20 years and especially after building two new rooms for the staff at the BaseCamp. I can tell you hand digging septic lines and placing holding tanks at the proper grade was not a lot of fun, but it needed to be done and now we are good for the next 20 years!
More exciting for the team and I were the upgrades we made to the Palena and Temple Camps. These two remote camps have for years been a big hit with guests and they were in need of some upgrades. First up was building a proper bathroom at the PalenaCamp – a permanent stone-walled building, roofed in, and with a flush toilet, shower, and a sink and vanity. We also ran running water to the breakfast tent and added new furniture. The camp is fully upgraded and the views from the “loo” are incredible! I can’t wait for you to see it.
Next up was serious maintenance and upgrades at our beloved TempleCamp. For those of you who have fished your way into the “Temple”, you know what a special place this is, like something out of the Swiss Family Robinson Movie, carved into the rocks and trees, nestled up against the Rio Figueroa with spectacular views of the home pool. We upgraded the bathrooms and dome tents and added a solar power system that runs 24-hour electricity, enough to power a refrigerator – no more coolers to store our perishables!
With most of the major projects completed over the winter, my guide team arrived in early December, fired up to break out the sticks and start pre-fishing. Veteran guides Max, Ben, Esteban and Jackson had three entire weeks to test-run boats, check out launch sites, ready gear for the season ahead, and break in our new guides, Billy and Nick, for the quickly approaching season.
The weather in early December was not great, but it was fantastic to get back on the water. My personal pre-season highlight was the trip we took to El Escondido with guides Billy and Esteban. All we did was sight fish in the crystal-clear waters, both lakes and rivers. It was simply unbelievable. We caught browns over 20 inches on dries, one after another – just incredible. Then, just before our first guests were slated to arrive, our weather cleared, rivers dropped into shape, and spring wildflower season burst into full glory. What a way to start the season and remind us all why we love Patagonia.
Our first guests arrived just after Christmas, and we were thrilled to see Dr. Bruce Barbour and his longtime friend and fishing buddy, Dr. John Maino, get off the charter flight in Chaiten. Bruce and John have been fishing with us for 15 years and purposely plan their trip at the start of the season to take advantage of naïve and eager trout. Sarah, Alex, and the Strohl family (Tom, Susan and Jim) helped start our season off right, landing some deep-bodied browns in crystal clear waters. What a way to start the season! Stay tuned for Part II.
Anyone who has ever experienced this incredible lodge operation, inarguably one of the finest in Patagonia, can attest to the fact that owner, Marcel Sijnesael, keeps it running like a Swiss…er…Dutch watch. From a guest’s standpoint everything runs seamlessly – all the guides are ready and waiting right on time every morning, the boats spotless, the meals spectacular, the rooms always clean, the mudroom organized…it’s just effortless.
However, the lodge is run in a very remote corner of Chile, and there are no hardware or grocery stores a quick drive away, no electrical lines to provide power to isolated out camps, nowhere locally to turn if a boat part snaps or a truck unexpectedly breaks down. And what is one to do if a rainstorm comes in and blows out some of the rivers? We thought you might enjoy a glimpse “behind the curtain” from Marcel’s world, to see how it is he manages to consistently provide his guests a remarkable wilderness experience, including a lot of fishing reminisces, of course!
