Sailing our way north between Chiloé and mainland.

Flat seas, windless conditions. All canvas hangs on its gear when we wake up this morning. The engines went on before the first lights of the day, sails have been in use until then, pulling us along the wide channel which separates Chiloé Island from mainland Chile.

Heading towards Desertores Islands, available hands climb aloft to furl and pack most of them, leaving topsails ready to set again. Though probably it will not happen until this evening as a landing is planned for the afternoon.

This small archipelago sits 20 kilometres northwest of Chaitén. North of them the so-called Ancud, to their south, Corcovado Gulfs.

Desertores counts Chulín, Chuit, Imerquiña, Talcán, Autení and Nayahué islands, and Nihuel and O'Higgins Islets.

Several theories tell about the origin of the name of this group of islands, but we are going to focus on the one that could most fit our voyage. Desertores, meaning Deserters in English, would make reference to two of the HMS Beagle carpenters that were taken aboard from Chiloé island and left (deserted) the ship and hid on one of these islands, never to be found by the crew of the English ship.

The island group represents an important feature in the local oceanographic circulation, as it creates a boundary between two deeper basins north and south, both with different characteristics. The mixing of their waters produces areas of high productivity, allowing for the development of high diversity and richness of marine wildlife.

As Europa approaches them, she leaves at her starboard the high mountains and volcanoes of the Chilean coast, that here rise over 2400 metres. At port, the low-lying lands of Chiloé and ahead, she aims for Nihuel islet.

Nihuel, or the Devil's Table, the surprising destination for the afternoon. A table-top hill surrounded by high vertical cliffs rises from the sea. Around it, a narrow rocky beach, and at its northern side a small peninsula where to land, which gradually disappears under the large tidal range of the area.

The image we all get from the ship, which anchors at about a mile from it, is not a very promising one. It looks just like a relatively small square rock, though pretty spectacular and different from all the surroundings. But as soon as the first zodiac approaches and scouts our possibilities for an afternoon activity here, the call for proceeding with the visit is loud and clear.

Turkey vultures circle all around high up in the sky, ashore countless Dolphin gulls and a Whimbrel welcome our first steps on land. Soon we realise that there is not much space to move around, left and right of the landing spot, the rocky coast is home to a large colony of fur seals and sea lions. They rest, lie in the sun atop every large and small boulder. Looming above our heads the vertical conglomerate cliff that offers the island such a distinctive character. At its foot a small extension of vegetated area. Bushes here are dense, scattered amongst them Magellanic penguin burrows.

For a better view of the impressive site, the zodiacs drive around to have a whole view of what's up with this Devil's Table islet. And if it indeed is a Devil's island, then the marine wildlife here must love Hell. South American fur seals are skittish when approached from land, but they don't mind us when we draw near from the water, they even become curious for our boats cruising around their home. Bigger, stronger and chunkier, the sea lions have the same behaviour. There seems to be not a single empty corner all over the shoreline that is not occupied by them.

Above, higher on the rocks, countless cormorants of five species: Neotropic, Guanay, Rock, Imperial and Red-legged.

An astonishing concentration of birds and seals in the most picturesque of settings.

For instance, and just talking about two of the main species that live in Nihuel, at the table of the Devil itself, at the height of the breeding season about 2100 pairs of Imperial cormorants nest here, making this place one of the most important reproductive sites for this species in Chile. And in high season for them, it is home also to a large reproductive colony of South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis), counting around 900 individuals.

An afternoon for something quite unique, unlike anything we have seen or done during the trip, a prominent setting in the Chiloé inner sea, unexpected and overwhelming. A good closure to the first part of our voyage sailing through the Chilean Patagonian Channels.

But the day is not over yet; everyone back on board, the two shackles of anchor chain are heaved and straight away, with the yards braced square, we set sail!

Calm seas. Light breeze from the south. Our destination, Puerto Montt, lays 70 nautical miles north of us. All squares on the fore mast are sheeted down and the yards hoisted. In the main mast, both top sails. And downwind we sail away from the Devil's Table after an unforgettable experience.