Swedish first then English
Hej !
Som ni redan vet ligger vi nu i Porto Williams. Vi kommer
att fira nyår här. Imorgon är det tänkt att vi ska dra oss söder
över.
Vädret avgör om vi kan landstiga på Kap Horn. Vädret
växlar ibland så fort så man kan inte avgöra allt förrän man är på
plats.
Idag har vi haft en fin dag. Sol och 18 grader varmt. Ett
stund hade vi en fundering på att ta ett dopp i havet.
När man tittar sig om ser man snö på bergen. Då hoppade
vi över badet. Det blev en god lunch istället.
Det är cirka 20 privata båtar som söker tillstånd varje
år för att segla ner till Antarktis.
Passpolisen / Armada
office
Även tomten kommer hit / Santa has landed
Köpcentret / Shopping
center
Huvudgatan / Main street
29122011 Off to Puerto Williams
After the inevitable morning spent at the Perfectura
along the many other yachts wishing to leave today we have the required
paperwork duly stamped and signed.
This not quite the end though as they announce they will
be coming down to inspect the yacht at 1500.
We spend the time between doing last minute shopping. I
bump into Thomas and we go for a final coffee at the office and say our
farewells to Ayelen
the waitress who has looked after us during our stay and
had brought her family to visit us yesterday.
Time is moving
on and after several calls to the Perfectura have a lady officer finally
arrives at 4pm to enquire, “Do we have Charts” and “Do we have food” !
Now for the fun. The wind is blowing us onto the dock and
the Polish yacht with only the owner on board and other yacht attached to him
have to clear before we can get out.
At last were free and with Roxanne waving goodbye we
away, and heading out to the Channel and Puerto Williams.
We turn into the wind and hoist the main and back on our
downwind course we roll out the Jib and are soon doing a good 7 knots in a gusty
25 knot wind,
the “Woolies heeling us when they
strike.
As the afternoon progresses the wind drops and we have to
motor to maintain speed and after a while returns again and its engine off and
silence except for the swish of water against the hull.
We arrive off Puertro Williams around 17:30 and having
contacted the Chilean Navy, are told to anchor in the bay for the night as they
cannot deal with us until the morning.
We are advised to keep north of two small fishing boats
so that we do not interfere with the approach to the airport landing
strip
Tantalisingly close
Temptingly close, we can see the sunken “Mikalvi” which
serves as the yacht club. It’s surrounded by yachts rafted three and four deep
with “Podorange”
ho had left in Ushuaia already tied up and available for
us to come alongside.
30122011 Puerto Williams
We call in the morning and are allowed to come in and
after tying up and exchanging greetings it’s of to the Navy (Who have Computers
and copying machines!)
and are both efficient and helpful. Then it’s the Customs
and Health, carbonless paper and very pleasant.
Micalvi Yacht
Club
Posing on the stern
Armada
HQ
Bell polished
Passport
control
Health declarations
Then its off to find a bank and bar/ restaurant not
necessarily in that order. Urban and I manage to get separated and by the time
we’ve walked nearly back
to the yacht we get summond to a restaurant back where we
started from to find them Lunching.
Population
2362
Small house big dish
“Australis” has arrived with its compliment of the
British Army Antarctic Expedition and are busy emptying their contained load of
equipment on the Naval Dock
Later that afternoon the Boatswain of the Club comes
aboard to ask us to move forward onto another yacht to make way for
her.
He’s full of information and very helpfully advises that
the new wi-fi system was installed a few days ago and takes us over to make full
use.
Australis low in the
water
Micalvi club bar
When she
pulls up behind us later in the day were impressed to see low she sits in the
water now fully laden.
In the evening we visit the club/bar and booked in for
New Year’s eve dinner. Interesting when the ship was scuppered its settled
slightly off even keel so and tettering walk can be easily explained
away.
Leaving our mark in the most southerly bar in the world
31122011 Exploration Day
This morning we launch the dinghy and set off to explore
the two creeks that form the inner bay. Having motored until it became to
shallow to proceed,
the dinghy is abandoned and set off on foot via the road
whose culvert blocks the head of this creek. We turn onto and old track and
following it through
the woods we end up on the little headland opposite the
Yachts.
Taking the
rays
A little kelp from your friends
The weather is fantastic after yesterdays cloud and rain
and sun is very hot out of the wind, with the high UV factor making us burn very
quickly.
While we lie in the grass at peace with the world we
watch the antics of a beautiful 90ft ketch trying to free her twin anchors which
have pulled up and enormous lump of kelp.
Returning we turn up the other creek which is much longer
and ends just after a hotel and dock where the old and new road bridge cross
cutting of access.
Stopping at the dock we proceed to the hotel only to find
its shut until Monday but my Spanish must be improving as they open the bar for
us to have a beer!
Hotel
Lakutaia
Welcoming pier
End of the
road
Welcoming bar
Lunch, a few jobs and the Blog keep us occupied for the
afternoon.
As we will celebrate the New Year after you in Europe we
wish you a Very Happy and Prosperous One.
Bob the Blog
