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LOG ANTARCTICA 2011
Crew
Martin Stoessel, Argentine, 36yrs
Carina Gomila Catala, Catalana, 25yrs
Franzesca Pauliuk, German, 24yrs
Jan 15 1500 hrs. Left Puerto Williams. Motored all afternoon: light east wind in the Beagle Channel. In Paso Picton, there was some slight assistance from wind. 2300 hrs, entered Paso Richmond, after midnight we were in the Drake, and able to sail. Many Black-browed albatross accompanying us.
Jan 16. SE Wind very light and sea confused. Sailed south, passing Islas Evout and Barnevelt under sail, then with zero wind, motored on course 160 through the night. Flat, glassy sea. Using a lot of diesel early in the cruise. Crew feelimg a little seasick but comfortable.
Jan 17 some light wind from ESE around dawn. Had radio contact with "Artemisia 2": Milo is 130 miles south and has SE wind 15 knots. Sailing slowly through the day. Mainly cloudy sky. Hopimg for promised NE wind to appear. A quiet night for the Drake, but seas quite bumpy with swells from all directions, the barometer very low. I secured all loose objects above and below decks in preparation for rough conditions; Wind began to fill from ESE during the night. We need to make progress now before forecast strong wind comes from the N with the next depression. A Royal albatross has been sailing with us for hours.
Jan 18. At dawn, I took 2 reefs with wind 20 knots ESE. 0900 hrs, position S 58deg 22', W 64deg 66'. Sailed with 2 reefs and half furled genoa through the day. My crew are feeling quite seasick and have no appetite for food. ESE wind 25 to 30 knots and seas of 3 to 4 metres breaking constantly on the boat. Some leaky hatches. There is a little snow driving in the squalls. All 3 crew suffering in their beds, but Franzi more cheerful and able to take watch. She is a tough little thing. The forecast is for light E winds until a strong N wind blows in on Friday (Jan 20) night. We will go to Deception Island as it is closer and we will be more sure of getting there in time before Friday night. Saw a Wandering albatross.
Jan 19. A cold morning, wind diminishing, and reefs coming out progressively as the sea state improves. Contact on 8164 USB with "Artemisia 2" at 0900, she is already close to Smith Island but is motoring with no wind. Position, S 60deg 40', W 63deg 40': sailed 130 miles in 24 hours all hard to windward with 25 to 30 knots and 3 metre seas. The girls are feeling much better and Martin is still asleep (or dead) in his bunk. Tour of the deck: all well, but the anchor was dislodged from its roller, and one diesel jerrycan tied to the base of the mast knocked over but not leaking. At midday, the sun is coming out. There are Black-breasted storm-petrels, Antarctic prions, Pintado petrels. One Light-mantled Sooty albatross, and one other dark coloured Albatross keeping well away. Sailing at 6.5 knots close-hauled with 10 to 15 knot wind. Outside temperature 4deg, inside 6deg; not very humid yet. 1800 hrs: beautiful close-hauled sailing with full main and genoa in a calm sea, 6.5 kts in less than 10 knots of wind. Crew all feeling better but Karina has a headache.
Jan 20 0200hrs. Wind died and started the engine. It was difficult to start and soon made a loud chattering noise. Stopped it and thought together with Martin, looks like trouble with a valve guide or seal. The engine starts and the noise soon goes away, but we are blowing a lot of smoke. 74 miles to Deception Island, we motor slowly south. No wind, we are rolling in swell from the east. 0400hrs, 4.4kt, 17 hrs from Deception. 0800hrs, stopped motor for a look at the oil level. Instead of being low, it was high- took out 1.5 litres to return it to top level; fuel must be coming into the crankcase. 0900hrs, spoke on radio net. Lesley (Santa Margarita) suggests that an injector may be the problem. Topped up fuel tank from jerrycans and started motor, smoke still coming and unburnt fuel is also coming out of the exhaust. Engine sounds like 4 cylinders are working. Hope to be able to motor to Deception tonight. Crew is optimistic and feeling well. No wind. Smith and Snow Islands visible on either side, and a Royal Albatross. 2100hrs, arrived in Deception. Artemisia 2 was just leaving. They had a bad day (the same day as their arrival) in Telephone Cove, ran aground just on arriving and spent the day on their side waiting for the tide to rise. Milo said, "I'm sick of Deception Island already; the 2 other yachts who were there are also leaving because of the strong wind forecast; the place has a terrible reputation in strong wind" We went on in, and anchored near "L'Esprit d'equipe" In the outside part of Telephone Cove. Spoke to Theirry: he said they would leave in the morning to cross the Drake back to Ushuaia.
Photos displayed in this article are by my crew member the bryophytologist and adventuress Franzi
Jan 21. A happy sleep... I woke from a dream that we were in Antarctica and our motor was sick...took a moment to remember it was true...first things first- we did a little dinghy survey of the inner cove. The shoal where Milo grounded is on the west side- the entrance is deep enough and the east side also, right up to the beach where a steep slope of volcanic ash and debris rises up to 50 metres. Took her in and put down 2 anchors and 2 lines to rocks ashore. There are hot springs on the beach at low tide. Barque "Europa" brought Zodiacs full of passengers and I spoke to the engineer, who very kindly brought us 10 litres of engine oil. We took off the head cover and checked valve clearances. In cylinder 4 the exhaust valve had no clearance. Smoky exhaust and fuel reaching the sump- could be injector trouble or valves. Tomorrow we will check the injectors. Went for a walk around the cove- crew are in good spirits. Hiked with Franzi up a nearby hill; fantastic views of the caldera. What a good girl is the Franzi, full of energy and optimism. She collects bryophytes.
Jan 22 Took out injector #4 and cleaned it; swapped it with #3. Still very smoky... With engine running, released the fuel line on #4- no change in revs. A different story with #3- engine revs dropped when we loosened the pressure tube. Diagnosis- injectors are not the problem. Valves in #4 are the problem. We can run for quite a while perhaps with 3 cylinders, but we must stop the fuel diluting the sump oil. The wind is coming up. Our ropes and anchors are well-placed; the boat should be able to survive a very strong wind here. Went for a walk in this other- worldly volcanic landscape. A windy night, 30 knots or so, but comfortable.
Jan 23. Put a hose on the feed line of the #4 injector and a 5 litre jerry can to collect the fuel. Ran engine; no smoke. To keep the head lubricated in that #4 cylinder we will try putting oil directly in the air intake from time to time. Had a wild walk in the wind up another hill with the Franzi. Visibility is very poor, with a lot of wet snow, covering the boat and the cinder slopes, and the wind is dropping a lot but still strong. We will not leave tonight, but we take the boat out of the inner cove and anchor outside.
Jan 24. Still plenty of wind in the caldera. 0800hrs, started engine, sounds OK, raised anchor and sailed across the caldera. Wind 30 knots E. In Neptune's Bellows, we needed to motor a little but passed through easily. Outside, wind only 20 to 25. Reaching with 2 reefs and genoa, 6.5 to 7 knots, 95 miles to Enterprise. Crew a little pale. The seas were quite heavy close in to the island. 1200hrs, wind 30 kt, seas 3m, things flying around in the cabin...there goes my Aloe Vera again... bergs about. 1900hrs. We are in the Gerlache Strait. Wind and seas decreased rapidly after we reached the lee of Trinity Is. Now 5 knot flukey breeze and we drift north a bit towards Small Is. Some light dry snow and very dark offshore but the mountains of the Peninsula are in vivid sunlight: a long line of steep slopes leading up thge the icefield. Normally I would be motoring at this point, 35 miles from Enterprise: but no motoring now without pressing need. It is comfortable inside the boat but cold. I get the stove going. We drift and sail quietly north through the night.
Jan 25. We are west of Two Hummock Island, still 26 miles from Enterprise at dawn. Wind came in from the SW never more than 15 knots and we tacked right in to Enterprise, tying up alongside the wrecked "Governoren" at 1500hrs, all tired and happy.
Jan 26. Stayed at Enterprise, dinghy exploring, walking up hill and sliding down, tidying up the boat and cooking. My crew are happy, resilient people, I am lucky. It is good to be speaking Castellano all the time. Loquacious Martin speaks very clearly and has a lively sense of humour. Carina is warm and beautiful. Franzi in particular is getting very involved in nature and in sailing a boat. Her small size and childlike appearance and her quietness are a sort of disguise for a tough adventuress. Both the girls speak better Castellano than me. In the afternoon, we made space alongdside the wreck for Italian superyacht "Licorne" whose skipper kindly filled our tanks with water from their watermakers. Everywhere is much more snowy than last year and it is still snowing a lot. There is less melt water, and so far less sea ice.
Jan 27. At Enterprise, dinghy trip and walking on nearby islets. Clear calm day. Good company, laughter and tenderness.
Jan 28. Sailed south about 1200hrs. It was snowing lightly but wind blew quite strong, I changed my plan of sailing into the Neumayer and down to Port Lockroy after talking to Jochan on VHF: he said "Santa Maria Australis" was just coming out of the Neumayer, they had a lot of wind and one area very thick with ice. Visiblity at that time was less than a mile with wet snow and NE wind over 20 knots. Quite a lot of small ice in the Gerlache Strait. Franzi saw humpback whales at last. Sailed into Paradise Bay and took anchorage near Almirante Brown, S 64deg 54',W 62 deg 51' at 2100hrs. The anchorage has a very scary cube of ice which must be 10 metres each side, perched 20 metres above the water, held back by a flimsy post of ice. Better not be too close when it falls. We were welcomed into the caleta by 3 Wedell seals who were very unafraid and curious.
Jan 29. Moved to the other caleta north of Base Brown in the afternoon after a lazy day on board. This caleta is difficult to enter because of the shallows, but has much less ice and a good view. I am becoming more confident with the motor; it runs well enough to get us in and out of an anchorage, with fuel diverted from the #4 injector and being collected in a jerrycan, and putting oil every 20 minutes in to the air intake to lubricate the head.
Jan 30. Spent most of the day at Base Brown, visiting the penguins, climbing up and sliding down the snow slope, had pizzas made by Martin at the base. Very friendly base staff. Last year there was no-one here, Argentina is having difficulties in Antarctica since their icebreaker had a fire aboard a few years ago. This year it is just a skeleton staff doing some essential maintenance but short of supplies and materiel. I have lost a dental bridge.
Jan 31. Raining. A lot of ice falls, poor visibility, we spent the day aboard. "Artemisia 2" arrived and we invited them for dinner. Milo is very worried and afraid for her crew man Anders who has been sick- symptoms of Pneumonia- he has been on antibiotics. But now he looks very bilious and I worry about Hepatitis or other liver trouble...he is weak and feels faint. Quite windy from the west during the night.
Feb 1. Went ashore to visit the Argentine base with Milo, Linda and Anders. Anders has gone downhill overnight and looks very yellow with a severe breathing difficulty. A little exercise on the beach near the base convinces him and all of us that his condition is extremely severe. We speak to Charlie, the base commander, who radios the Chilean base a few miles away. They have a paramedic who comes over by Zodiac. It is decided to take Anders back to the Chilean base and have him picked up by a Chilean Armada ship that is in the area, and taken to King George Island from where he can be airlifed to Punta Arenas. Linda and Milo go with him and come back after several hours...the Armada ship has picked him up and now the 2 women are on their own.
Feb 2. At 7 am when I wake, the surface of the caleta is covered with grease ice and pancakes, and the deck and dinghy with 6 inches of powder. A light wind fom the north. Milo and Linda are tied up alongside us; they have rested and feel much happier. Their plan is to go north to Melchior and take the next window across the Drake. Hopefully Milo will still be in Ushuaia when we get back- she is a brave and sweet girl. It is a good wind for us to sail south. I take ropes ashore for "Artemisia 2" and untie ours- the engine starts and we untie from the Swedish ladies, and work our way out through the difficult entrance channel, touching rocks several times as the tide is very low. We are able to sail past Bryde Island into the Gerlache with a light wind from the ENE. It is warm in the sun on deck. Patches of low cloud over the high peaks of Anvers Island, and good visibility down to Cape Renard. Wind faded, then returned, we passed the Lemaire channel and arrived outside the Pleneau-Hovgaard anchorage at sunset- but unable to find a way in through the maze of rocks and shoals that surround it from the south and east...ended up over at Booth island for the night.
Feb 3. Our anchorage at Booth Island, 64deg 04'.15S, 64deg 01'.66W, remained ice-free and we went ashore in the dinghy to visit the penguins. Found 3 species with Franzi and she got some very nice pictures: Gentoo, Adelie and Chinstrap Penguins sharing the one area. The scene across the Bismarck Channel to Anvers island was magnificent in the low golden sunshine. At mid-day we weighed anchor and crossed back towards Hovgaard but towards the west side this time and found the way in. I think there may only be two approaches, one either side of Florence Island. We tied up in the creek and were joined by "Mai Stracc" : later, "Nocciolino" and "Imaqa" came and tied up in the open area. How wonderful to meet up with Kikka and Andrea here, and with Jannie and Laurent too.
Feb 4. We went across to Pleneau Island in 3 dinghys, with the people of "Nocciolino" and "Mai Stracc". Climbed the hill and down the other side, I was able to locate the small group of Sea Elephants hauled out for moulting among the Gentoo Penguins. They were very impressive in their luxurious filth. Franzi found a very thick and extensive moss bed and several lichen species. This year there is an area of pack ice remaining in one of the coves of this labyrinth of rocky islets and little channels. It was able to support the weight of Martin who bravely tested it.
That night we held my birthday party, one more that i have had away from Lois, and my 3rd in Antarctica. It was a quiet affair that ended at midnight. 10 very kind and quietly happy people of 6 different nationalities enjoying each others' company in this lovely setting.
Feb 5. "Maistracc" left at 0900, heading towards Paradise. Went to visit "Imaqa" and "Nocciolino" in the morning with Franzi. We found everyone aboard "Imaqa" and there also was Dmitri, the mechanic from Vernadsky Station, who had come over in a Zodiac with a biologist to do the penguin census on Pleneau. Dmitri was very interested to hear about the problem of our motor, and wanted to have a look. We took him to "Persimmon" and we ran the motor, then he took off the #4 injector and checked what we had done. His opinion is that there is no compression in #4 cylinder, and that the piston rings have failed. Amazingly, he claims that we can fix the motor in Vernadsky.
1300hrs, we leave Hovgaard Is. and sail south past Petermann Is. Weather overcast, with light breeze from the N. The 12 miles to Stella Creek, Argentine Islands, was completed and we were tied up at 1800 hours.
Feb 5, 6, and 7. Remained at Stella Creek. The Base staff very welcoming- Igor the Hippie, Dmitri the skinny mechanic who talks so confidently about taking out our motor and stripping it down in their workshop and fabricating new parts, Andrei the base commander, our girls are very popular there in the evening. "Mary Poles" and "Shag 2" are there and "Imaqa" and "Catharsis" arrive the next day. Visit to the ice cave organised by Igor. I am in touch with Milo on "Artemisia 2" on an irregular basis. She is waiting in Melchior for the right conditions to cross the Drake. I check the weather report at Vernadsky Station for her, and the GRIB files from "Imaqa"- there is a deep depression about to enter the Drake which will bring strong northerly winds over a wide area. "Mary Poles" has already cleared out, but everyone else will be staying put for a while.
One evening, I go to visit the Ukrainians with Kari- a 5 minute dinghy trip from the boat. We are met outside the base by the mechanic Dmitri who invites us to look inside a little lean-to shed attached to the main building. There is a sweet, fruity smell emanating from inside. Dimitri shows us the little distilling apparatus operating there: it is the famous Vernadsky Vodka which is being made. We share a toast with Dmitri and proceed into the base. Upstairs we find Konstantin, the base doctor, who offers us a beer and starts complaining amicably abnout the health of the staff, which leaves him with little to do except for the vodka prodution which is his special charge. "If you want something to do, you can have a look at my teeth" I say, because my mouth has been rather painful since I lost the bridge a few days ago. "Come down to my surgery", he says,"where I can have a better look". Downstairs he makes me lay down on the pallet, and turns on a bright light. "Yes, one of the teeth which anchored the bridge had rotted down to the gum" he says. "I will try to extract it...here, I'll inject the gum with a little Lignocaine...This will be the first time I ever extract a tooth...a difficult one, this, I'll use these pincers...no, they are too big, these ones...luckily it's a tooth with only one root, I have to wriggle it this way, then that, and pull...very difficult...no good, I can't get a good grip...I'll have to make a little incision...that's better...what fun...out it comes... there you are, that's your tooth...now come back to the bar and have a vodka to sterilise the socket". I have been out of the bar for about 10 painful minutes.The doctor is all smiles. "Actually, I'm an anaesthetist, not a surgeon", he says. "As your anaesthetist, I advise you to drink another vodka. Here's a course of antibiotics for you to take, and I want you to come back tomorrow so I can see if it is healing well"
Feb 8, 9 10 and 11. The weather deteriorates over the whole Drake Passage- Antarctic Peninsula area, with strong N winds and heavy rain reaching here on the 9th. "Imaqa" moves into Stella Creek with "Persimmon" and "Shag 2". In general the weather has been rather bad this season. We will not be attempting any ambitious engine repairs here, nor a further venture towards the south. The engine runs OK on 3 cylinders, we are warm and comfortable despite the moisture; conditions outside are a bit windy and cold, with visibilty down: it is not weather for excursions.
Feb 12: my mother's birthday. We finally leave Stella Creek and Vernadsky Station at mid-day. We are able to sail close-hauled towards the north at reasonable speed 4-5knots in less than 10 knots wind and calm sea. Sky overcast but no precipitation. As we tack closer to the Peninsula the sun even tries to appear. In the Lemaire Channel, there is no wind and we motor for a couple of hours as far as Cape Renard where a nice wind enables us to cross to Wieneke Island. We tie up at Alice creek at 2100hrs. "Nocciolino" is also there, anchored with 2 anchors near the glacier face.
Feb 13. Very strong wind for 24 hours from the NE. WE have gusts of over 40 knots in Alice Creek wich is open to wind from this direction, but there is little chop and no ice entering the cove, and our ropes are holding well: there is a well-positioned rock at the entrance and our best rope is secure there. But it is uncomfortable to be so close to a lee shore with such a wind, and my crew are apprehensive.
Feb 14. The northerly wind eventually fades in the night. Nights are now quite dark for 4 hours. We are keeping the boat warm with the heater on all the time The front cabin has a lot of humidity but Kari and Martin are happy enough in there; I use a fan to remove the worst of the condensation from there during the day, and I am sleeping beside Franzi in the saloon.
1000hrs, we go in the dinghy to the British base where i buy a bandanna with penguins on it for Soizich, the lady who was on my charter to Cape Horn a couple of months ago. I send a postcard to Lois. There is no mail for me.
Feb 15. We join "Nocciolino" in Dorian Cove, 3 miles from Port Lockroy. THere is a lot of ice around the entrance. Dinner with our French friends, walking around on the extensive rocky headland with its Fur seals and Gentoo Penguins.
Feb 16. "Nocciolino" sails early for Melchior. I climbed up the mountain behind the cove with Franzi- a hard walk in soft snow. Tough girl Franzi broke the track most of the way. It was misty at the saddle but the view was still wonderful.
1300hrs, we left Dorian Cove for Melchior. A lot of ice in the Neumayer- Franzi steered most of the way. No wind until we reached Gun Island, then we had to push through a 25-30 knot NW to arrive. "Nocciolino" was not there, but "Mai Stracc" and 2 other boats were. It was midnight when we finally finished tying up. I was lucky, going over a floating rope mooring "Northanger" to the rocks at the northern point of the caleta- I was over the rope before I saw it in the poor light. When I saw the rope behind us, it had already passed underneath keel, propellor and rudder (engine in neutral) The engine had performed well all day.
Feb 17. We are tied up in the channel between Omega and Eta Islands- On the outside is "Northanger" a little separate from the others, and later "Imaqa" comes in and also anchors and ties up lines in the channel, and "Nocciolino" and "Shag 2" both come in during the afternoon, and tie up alongside "Mai Stracc", "Chtimagine" and "Persimmon" inside the caleta. Rain all day.
Feb 18. "Northanger" left in the morning for the south, the rest of us are waiting for a good time to cross the Drake. "Artemisia 2" is having a hard time as she approaches Cape Horn, with strong NW winds. We have to wait till Sunday at least. Later in the evening a strong wind comes in from the NW, and blows hard down the channel through the night.
Feb 19. Weather forecast for the next few days is good but too short a window to cross the Drake. Strong northerlies expected Wednesday and Thursday. The anchorage looks like a little marina with 6 boats rafted up together. Rain and snow all day. Franzi and I fill water tanks with jerrycans from glacial melt water nearby.
Feb 20. A fine sunny day The boats are opened up, clothes are washed, mattresses outside to dry. Dinghy trip from all the boats to Gamma Island, 2 miles away, where there is an Argentine base. It is abandoned for the moment, and the buildings are partially covered in snow.
Feb 20 to 25. The weather continues to be unfavourable for a crossing of the Drake- an anticyclone over Tierra del Fuego continues to push depresssions far towards the south, bringing persistent northerly winds, rain and snow. On the 24th, there are signs of a break in this pattern and it appears the anticylone may move east allowing depressions to pass through the northern Drake-Tierra del Fuego area which would bring southerly winds after the first of March. We are 6 yachts waiting here: "Shag 2", "Imaqa", "Nocciolino", "Persimmon", "Chtimagine", and "Mai Stracc". Food supplies are beginning to run low but everyone is in good spirits. "Chtimagine" has lost its propellor after it became fouled by a mooring line soon after they arrived in Antarctica. They are relying on dinghy power or a tow to get in and out of the anchorages. They have only been to Cuverville Island and here, and now must find their way back to Ushuaia without engine power.
We are amusing ouselves as much as possible visiting our neighbours, walking on the island or rowing the dinghy when weather allows. Franzi sleeps a lot or spends time digging out a snow cave, Kari and Martin are pursuing a passionate Latin love affair. I have plenty of maintenance and other work, reading, missing Lois...When we get back to Ushuaia I have to repair the engine...
Feb 26 to Mar 07. waiting in Melchior, persistant northerly winds and snow and rain. "Shag 2", "Chtimagine", and "Imaqa" left on the 6th but their window looked very poor. My crew are in good spirits, Kari and Martin spending a lot of time in bed, Franzi is rowing about in the plastic dinghy. Food supplies are low, we went to the Argentine base at Gamma Island and picked up some emergency supplies of flour, pasta and canned food. I have a new problem with teeth- one molar is disintegrating, old filling coming apart and bits of tooth. Not much pain at this stage. The hatch of the chain locker has cracked at the front where a piano hinge holds it down. Put in 12 screws as studs 6 top and 6 below with cord lacing it down. It needs to be secure as waves will wash over there.
Mar 08, Left Melchior anchorage at 0700 in company with "Nocciolino" and "Mai Stracc". Light winds and sunny with fantastic views of Brabant Island and Anvers Island mountains; later, cloudy, light snow, fog through the night with E wind 15 knots for a while. Seas confused and uncomfortable, crew seasick. Heater still working so we are warm.We are close enough to "Mai Stracc" and "Nocciolino" to have VHF radio contact. The other 2 boats are getting the GRIB files through their Iridium phones and the forecast continues to be favourable. Andrea received emails from Imaqa and "Chtimagine": "Imaqa' is motor-sailing slightly E of N with strong NW wind. "Chtimagine" suffered a knockdown yesterday with strong SW wind but they are OK. 20 knot wind predicted for tonight from NE turning to N. Took 2 reefs before dark.
Mar 09. A wild night with NE and N winds well over 20 knots and very nasty seas, abating gradually but wind turning NNW in the early afternoon. 1400hrs, wind NNW below 10 knots but seas still very choppy with a 4 metre swell from W. Sailing 295 degrees at 5 knots with full genoa and one reef, waiting for SW change predicted for later. Crew up and about, and sun coming out. I have managed to get the stove going, for how long I don't know. Still close to "Mai Stracc" and "Nocciolino". Andrea received emails from "Chtimagine" who are being driven far east and are south of Staten Island. "Shag 2" is also having trouble with a broken genoa furler; they are only a hundred miles away from us to NW. "Imaqa" has successfully crossed the Drake and is at Caleta Lennox. They did extremely well and must have had some very strong contrary winds: probably used a lot of fuel.
1900hrs. Our wind has faded and we are motoring due north.
2000hrs. Sailing NW at 3 to 4 knots with light breeze. Weather forecast relayed from "Mai Stracc" predicts N wind until the morning, then WNW and W winds for the next 2 days: should be enough to get us to Cape Horn. Warm and comfortable tonight with the heater going, using the combustion assist fan to prevent downdrafts seems to work well.
Mar 10. Wind started to change around 0500. Some trouble with the stove, as the 12V supply to the fan failed -a bad electrical connection- the cabin filled up with smoke- disgusting.
0800 hrs. Sailing 020deg. close-hauled, breeze building.
1000 hrs. 25 knot SW. 2 reefs and genoa furled to keep speed below 7 knots. Swell from N is a problem. Raining but temperature comfortable.
1300 hrs. 30 knots. We are going too fast for these seas, 8.5 knots. Taking 3rd reef.
1400 hrs. 3 reefs, small piece of genoa. Seas are increasing from the W now, 3m. Boat riding well on course 340 at 6 to 7 knots. Crew cheerful. "Mai Stracc" is only a few miles away, but "Nocciolino" has fallen behind and is out of VHF range.
!700 hrs. Wind has diminished a little but still 25kt plus, SW. Seas are up to 4 metres from the west now and easier to handle, and the big swell from the N that was causing concern has faded away. Maintaining course 340 at 6.5 knots, I have increased the genoa a tiny bit. Wind is supposed to decrease to 20 knots and turn towards WNW. The later the better- Andrea and I have been keeping course to the west to allow for this unfavourable shift. It is a wild scene outside, with spray, big confused waves, many Petrels and Albatross, some sunshine now and then. Cape Horn 222 miles. Barometer rising rapidly.
2000 hrs. We have no more contact with "Mai Stracc" or "Nocciolino". Beautiful bright sunset, the wind had fallen a lot, and I took out a reef- we sailed with 2 reefs and full genoa for half an hour, then the wind rose with a squall to 30 knots, and I reduced sail again in the last light of day. More squalls later, the wind fluctuating between 15 and 30 knots. Hard to tell in the dark, but the seas seem not terribly rough. The depression must have intensified beyond predictions. Looks like being a tiring night. Fortunately I have been able to keep the stove going.
Mar 11 Night- gale force squalls from the west. Sky mostly clear and brilliant stars. Franzi and I sharing watches. She has not eaten for some time but is keen to be involved in the handling of the boat in this difficult weather. Martin is very sick and Kari wants to go home. But it is a beautiful night. I suppose it was a squall like these that knocked "Chtimagine" down.There is little chance for me to sleep with the rapid passage of the squalls bringing 35 knot wind gusts with frozen rain, alternating with calms of 10 knots where the boat wallows in confused seas. Around 0400 hrs there is a particularly intense squall which has me wondering if I should pull down the last reef in the mainsail, but it passes and a stormy dawn finally comes. We are scudding along among big rollers at 7 to 8 knots in the empty sea under an almost cloudless sky. Kari is able to take over for several hours and Franzi and I rest in a quarter berth.
1400 hrs. 100 miles from Cape Horn. The squalls appear to have passed and we have a steady 25 knot westerly with 3 metre seas. Sunshine. No contact with the other 2 boats.
2000 hrs. Wind seems to be increasing and squall coming. As a precaution in case of a further deterioration in the weather as we approach Cape Horn, I take down the mainsail and put up the staysail at sunset. Lucky decision. We will also skirt around the edge of the continental shelf keeping well east of the area around Cape Horn itself, so famous for giant breaking wavws in these conditions. Radi contact at last with "Mai Stracc" again who are still in touch with "Nocciolino". They have received conflicting weather forecasts- the GRIB predicts 20 knots, and the Chilean Armada at Cape Horn, 40 knots! Armada will be more reliable. They are well but some 25 miles behind us now.
Mar 12. wind is coming from SW now with gale force gusts in the squalls. We are reaching speeds of 9 knots with staysail and small piece of genoa only. Sea conditions managable here in deep water but we will not venture closeer to the shelf. Rolling a lot in the lulls when the wind drops to 10 knots.
0800 hrs. S 56deg 02', W 66deg 07'. Frozen rain, wind west, still 30 knots plus in the squalls.Poor visibility. Sea only 2 metres here in deep water 30 miles west of Cape Horn.
1000 hrs. Put mainsail back with 3 reefs, trying to make some ground to windward but wind WNW consistently over 25 knots and gusting to 35 it wil be difficult to make Isla Nueva on this tack unless conditions improve further north. Seas 3m here. Able to sail at 010deg at 6 knots: could make Puerto Espanol before dark? But wind appears to be increasing.
1200 hrs. Wind now 35 knots WNW. Sailing under staysail and 3 reefs at 5 to 6 knots course 020.
1500 hrs. wind 40 knots WSW. Full gale conditions with 4m seas, a magnificent scene for those who appreciate this kind of thing: the sky is mainly clear with towering squall clouds visible further south; they look like thunderheads. There are hundreds of birds around the boat, Royal albatross and Yellow-chinned petrels mainly, fully enjoying the wind and seas. Big waves breaking around the boat in sparkling sunshine. Kari and Martin are in bed, suffering not always quietly, but Franzi has found her sea-legs and is enjoying the ride. She has taken watches through the last few days and nights and i have been able to get some sleep. With this wind and the motor so suspect, I have decided not to try to get into the Beagle Channel today; we are making for Puerto Espanol, with a little bit of genoa we are sailing a broad reach at full speed, often over 9 knots, spray flying off the boat as we rage through the big seas. We should make Puerto Espanol before dark.
2000 hrs. Anchored in beautiful Puerto Espanol: trees, the smell of vegetation, calm water after almost a week of ocean. I have contact by HF radio with "Mai Stracc". They have managed to reach Isla Lennox under power and sail and will attempt to continue to Puerto Williams through the night. No news of "Nocciolino". I am also able to contact "Artemisia 2": Milo also is out in this storm, passing the Lemaire Strait in very rough conditions on her way to the north. We are lucky to have reached this shelter for the night. Although the seas were very disturbed over the final 3 days of the crossing, the boat was comfortable and stable, and we were warm with the heater going all the time. Kari and Martin spent almost the whole crossing in bed, unable to endure the conditions, but Franzi proved courageous and resilient; she was a great help on the last days when I was becoming very tired.
Mar 13. The wind has died overnight. We inflate the dinghy and go ashore for a walk on the beach and some botanising for Franzi. Puerto Espanol is a beautiful remote place with a sad history: the scene of the lingerng death by starvation and cold of Alan Gardiner and his companions of the London Missionary Society. We have obtained a forecast for light northerly winds for the next days; ideal conditions for the westerly passage of the Beagle towards Puerto Williams.
1500 hrs. We leave Puerto Espanol for Puerto Williams. Wind 10 knots NE. Passing Isla Nueva, we recieve a new weather report from Alcamar Carlos. It is quite different from the one we recieved this morning: NE winds gusting to 25 knots today, before a front which is expected to pass tomorrow, bringing strong NW winds. It is certainly difficult to predict the weather here, even for the experts. We sail on into a beautiful night with a third quarter moon low in the northern sky. It feels warm outside after Antarcica and the Drake Passage.
Mar 14. 0000 hrs. We are motoring now past Isla Snipe and it appears that the NW wind forecast for later today has already appeared. 17 miles to Puerto Williams.
0600 hrs. anchored near "Chtimagine" in the bay outside Puerto Williams. Still too dark to go in to the "Micalvi". A few hours sleep. We sailed most of the way from Puerto Espanol- about 3 hours motoring in the Beagle.
1000 hrs. I wake my crew and we raise anchor and move in to the "Micalvi": We will stay here a few days...I am tired.
Mar 17. 1000 hrs. We leave Puerto Williams. Wind 10 knots from WSW at first, diminishing as we go west. We motor all the way from Les Eclaireurs to Ushuaia. A wonderful sunny morning, a little grey and light rain later: some motoring and some slow sailing in generally SW wind.
1900 hrs. End of the voyage: we are tied up at the AFASyN jetty in Ushuaia.
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