We got up early, packed away our tents and said farewell to Bart & Marijke, who would be travelling back north and start their Argentina leg of their trip by catching the bus from San Pedro de Atacama to Salta. I look forward to hearing how they got on!

We headed to Carrizal Bajo, to check out reports that the sand bank that prevents (most) cars from crossing to the other side of the river when the tide is in, had been heightened. (S695) I never want to go through the 2001 experience when we found the track covered in water with a strong opinion from the local population not to try and drive through it.  It still seemed to me that I did not want to be at the mercy of the tide again in future.

The other rumour, of a restaurant being built to watch cars drown themselves, was confirmed and there was even a suggestion that there might be accommodation available as well. 

The surprise of this stop was that there were flamingos wading in the water, so the twitchers had another highlight to add to their trip. There were also black headed swans that we'd later see in great numbers on the Laguna Torca, and a range of other wading and water birds.

S696 was at Quebrada Mala. The clumping Copiapoa here looked like C. coquimbana or C. fiedleriana rather than any of the taxa that were supposed to come from north of the Rio Huasco. OK, so these Copiapoa did not get top marks in Geography, or were intent on being the exception that proves the rule. The smaller C. echinata was also present and then we got back to the nitty gritty cactus exploration pose - hands on the back, back bent forward at the hips, not unlike a Dutch speed skater without skates: the 'looking-for-Thelocephala-pose' to find E. odieri. There was a heavy cloud cover, as had been the case so often during that last three weeks. Not the best conditions for photography, so we ded not stay too long after havig found the plants in question.

S697 was at the bridge over the Rio Huasco at Huasco Bajo. There was a train crossing the road ahead, causing a hold up that we used to take pictures of the wildlife in the river. White herons and egrets were dotted around - we were becoming proper twitchers!

It was almost 1 p.m. when once again we assumed the skaters position at S698 (S599 last year) that was very special to Juan & Florencia, a location of Eriosyce napina ssp tenebrica (syn. E. fankhauserii). We had passed by here earlier, but without Juan & Flo, and I had promised them not to show this spot to anyone else, so it was up to them if they wanted to show us this time. The clouds had gone and so it was necessary to apply extra sun block to the back of the neck. It was easy to see the plants after the dust had been blown off, but almost impossible to find them with their natural protection.

We had agreed to grab a bite to eat at one of the many road stop cafés along Ruta 5 and my stomach was complaining loudly as Florencia driving the lead car, Horridoauto, drove at 120 km past 13 (!) of them.  We finally succeeded in a food stop and the idea that on a future trip we needed to record all these road stops from Santiago to Antofagasta to add value to these Diaries as a guide for other people exploring the Atacama Desert for cacti. The problem is that they are not always open and that the traditional truck stops are being replaced by Pronto snack bars as the network of Copec petrol stations increases.

Soon after lunch we needed to exercise, provided at S699, (S602 last year) where E. napina ssp riperia provided the excuse. We also found E. heinrichiana forma 'Trapiche', in full flower exactly a year ago to the day, but this time with most flowering over. Copiapoa coquimbana, densely spined and often with red flowers and Eulychnia acida were also present. We also looked for E. simulans, spotted here by Juan & Flo on previous occasions, but this time round it remained hidden from sight.

As we approached the Cuesta de Buenos Aires, the spectacle was presented by clouds fighting their way over the coastal hills and pouring down these hills on the eastern side, but evaporating long before they reached the base of the hills.

We crossed the bridge over the Rio Elqui, just north of La Serena at around 5 p.m. and amused ourselves by taking pictures of a Rudolf look-alike advertising cheap holidays on the back of local buses as Ruta 5 went through the busy La Serena / Coquimbo stretch. We spent another night in the cabañas in Guanaqueros where we had spent our first night in Chile and finished off the day with another meal at El Pequeño restaurant. Pictures at Guanaqueras are saved under S700.