Culebra Point

The coast around Punta Culebra faces the open Pacific in central Chile. Rocky points alternate with sandy beaches and river mouths, backed by the hills of the coastal range. The northward-flowing Humboldt Current brings cool water to this shore and supports fish and seabirds. Along the exposed coast, sailors had to follow the headlands and watch for reefs, while small inlets provided places for coastal communities to reach the sea.