Isla de los Muertos sits in the delta where the Baker River meets the sea, about three kilometres northwest of Caleta Tortel in Chilean Patagonia. The island is home a small historic cemetery of weathered cypress crosses, put up in 1906 by Chilote labourers. Something went badly wrong that season for the workers of the Baker Exploitation Company. Nobody agrees on exactly what killed them; some blame a scurvy outbreak, others point to flour accidentally poisoned with pesticide, or the company let the men starve rather than pay their wages. Around thirty crosses stand today, tilted and grey from more than a century of Patagonian weather. They sit among moss and low vegetation, with the river and forest pressing in close on every side. You can work low angles and get close to the crosses to capture the texture in the old wood. Then pull back for a wider shot that takes in the whole quiet rows against the wild backdrop surrounding them. Overcast and misty days actually suit this place better than sun. The flat, even light adds to the haunted mood and keeps the wood from blowing out. The only way to get here is by boat, roughly a thirty minute ride from Caleta Tortel across calm water. That crossing stays gentle enough to run even when rougher weather rules out trips further afield. From the dock a short, mostly flat boardwalk leads to the cemetery, though a few stretches turn muddy in the rain that falls here most of the year. The site is a protected historic monument, so be aware of your surroundings and stay respectful of both the cemetery and other visitors. Ideally book a tour with a local boat operator who knows the story, and then let the crosses speak for themselves. (Caleta Tortel, Aysén, Chile)
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