Day 29 Caleta Vittorío to Caleta Connor

Caramor - sailing around the world
Franco Ferrero / Kath Mcnulty
Mon 12 Sep 2016 02:02
48:29.64S 74:23.58W

There was no wind at all in Caleta Vittorio this morning. A hard frost had made the deck slippery but the sun was up and the world sparkled as it thawed. The temperature is still dropping below freezing on clear nights though the daytime warmth is very pleasant.

We were resigned to a motoring day but back in Canal Messier, the wind was blowing steadily from the south and Caramor took off at 6 knots. In just a few hours we had sailed past our intended anchorage and continued on past Seno Iceberg where the water colour changed to that particular ‘glacial meltwater’ hue.

Kath sailing up Canal Messier

The wind began to ease after lunch, just as a large tanker loomed on the horizon. All boats over sixty tonnes have to hire a pilot to navigate the channels. Not surprising really considering the numerous shoals, the narrow passages and the lack of GPS accuracy in an area so vast that the chart atlas is the size of an encyclopaedia.

The radio crackled, the pilot on the tanker was calling us up. “Good afternoon Captain, what are your intentions?” he greeted Franco. “We will stay on the left side of the channel to keep out of your way” Franco explained. “Red to red” replied the pilot. This means port to port, but if we stayed on the same course we would pass starboard to starboard. “Ready to gybe, hard over” called Franco as we changed course. Luckily so did the tanker and we crossed with plenty of room to spare.

Around the next peninsula was Caleta Connor on Farquhar Island, sheltered from the south with a stunning view of a frozen peak, a nice place to spend the night.

Caramor in Caleta Connor