Second night outside the Chilean base.
First the Swedish blog followed by Bob the Blog.
Hej !
Det kan inte vara sant solen skiner från en klarblå himmel.. Det ser även
ut som vi kommer att få vinden snett in mot aktern, toppen. Dagens segling
är rätt lång ungefär 48 nm. Målet är Maxwell Bay på King George Island. Upp
med storen och genua 2 rullas ut. God fart genom vattnet. Pingvinerna hoppar
nära båten. När de simmar i vattnet gör de små hopp. Ser festligt ut.
Sjön är rätt kraftig. Autopiloten får vila. Handstyrning gäller. Det
blir en härlig segling. Vi tycker att det är varmt. Termometern visar 5 +.
Bransfield Strait som havet heter visar sig från den god sidan. I hög sjö
kan det vara svårt att upptäcka om det finns val i närheten. Turen var på
vår sida. Två stycken dök upp nära oss. Alltid lika kul att se dessa väldiga
djur.
I Maxwell Bay finns flera stationer för forskning. Vi ska ankra vid den
Ryska och Chilenska. Men här finns också en räddningsstation som Chile
ansvarar för. Vi ska ju skicka in två gånger per dygn var vi är. Det är
viktigt med säkerheten.
Ankrar och en efterlängtad middag intas. Strax innan vi ska lägga oss hör
vi ett ljud. Första gången blev reaktionen noll. Men ljudet återkom. Nu blev
det fart, kölen eller det värsta av allt att rodret slår i botten. Oj, 3
meter under kölen. Det är rodret som slår i. Vinden har vridit. Snabbt upp
med ankare. Flyttar till ett djupare ställe. Det är det sista man vill vakna
av här nere i kylan. Behöva rusa upp och flytta båten.
I morgon ska vi göra besök på stationerna. Stationerna har egna stämplar.
Varje gång vi går iland där det finns en station tas passen med. Jag har
ingen aning om man får stämpla sitt pass på detta sätt. Får se om
passpolisen reagerar på en stämpel med en pingvin.
Natten blir lugn. Utvilade tar vi jollen in till stranden. Vårt första
besök blir på sjöräddningsstationen. Visas runt på stationen och bjuds på
kaffe. En stämpel i passet. Ett helt år jobbar man på stationen. De visar på
en datorn de båtar som är här nere just nu. Vi ser vår båt. De klickar på
den. Upp kommer alla data som vi fick delge när vi klarerade in i Porto
Williams. Även en bild har de tagit på båten. Full kontroll. Nu förstår man
bättre varför vi ska skicka email två gånger per dygn.
Promenaden går vidare mot den ryska stationen, Bellinghauser. Inte en
människa syns till. Vi vill besöka deras lilla ortodoxa kyrka. Men så möter
vi en man och får svaret att det är bara att gå upp. En vacker liten kyrka.
Den ligger uppe på en kulle med fin utsikt över viken där båten ligger.
50 minuters promenad bort finns en kinesisk station. Vi behöver en rejäl
promenad. Det finns i stor sett ingen snö. Det är ett stenlandskap. Mycket
annorlunda miljö mot all snö vi sett tidigare. När vi närmar oss den
kinesiska stationen finns det en sten med kinesiska tecken. Ropar upp
stationen. Vi får svaret att vi är välkomna till Great Wall station. Tre
yngre kineser möter upp. En kan prata lite engelska. Vi blir inbjudna på te.
Inne kan man inte ta fel på att man är på en kinesisk station. Idag är de
lite trötta för igår firade de kinesiskt nyår. Stämpel i passet. Tre länder
på fem timmar. Chile, Ryssland och Kina
Hemvägen följer vi strandkanten. Möter några pingviner och en
Krabbätarsäl som vilar på stranden. Bob och Ton Ton uppskattade inte
riktigt de mest steniga partierna. Hunger gör sig påmind. Ut till båten för
mycket sen lunch.
Urban
23012012 Of to King George
The journey starts well enough. There's a new cruise ship in the bay, the
Sun's poking through and the wind is behind us blowing 18 Knots. With a Main
and number 2 jib, were off. The seas build as we leave the shelter of Half
Moon Bay but we're moving well.
Then, as we round the end of the Island, we get a very confused sea with two
sets of one to two metre surfs crashing down, on us from the astern and on
the beam. Where they combine, they form gigantic peaks that throw us through
60 degrees of arc.
As the wind dies, rather than endure this bumpy ride for any longer than
need be, we motor our way out if it. Free of it we Goosewing our way down
the surf with the wind hard on our stern.
On the way through the islands, the coastline displays a fantastic array of
Glaciers, sharp, vicious looking, dragon's teeth rocky pillars as well as
volcanic stumps peaks. We pass several rocky reefs populated by penguins as
we continue our way our North crossing now to the South Shetlands.
Our destination is King George Island and as we turn into towards Ardley
Cove we pass numerous Bases. There are a couple of huts belonging to the
Czechs, a Uruguayan base called "Artighasand" and in the distance the
Chinese "Great Wall" base.
Entering the anchorage of Maxwell Bay we are confronted by a village filling
a flattish plain with rocky crags on either side. This contains three
Chilean Bases grouped together; the Air force called "Frei", the Navy
"Escudero" and the Scientific one "Marshone".
Next to them is the Russian base of "Bellingshausen" with its wooden
Orthodox church, complete with "Onion" style spires overlooking the whole
place from the top of its craggy hilltop.
Tomorrow we're going around the world and will get our passports stamped to
prove it!
Bob the Blog
24012012 Back to "Base"-ics
Having contacted both the Chilean and Chinese bases last night, we head for
shore. The sea is calm as we make the relatively long journey landing on the
left hand side North side of the Bay next to the bright blue roofed Chilean
Navy base where we met by the Commander. This is the major Chilean base.
The three bases have different colour buildings with their own insignias and
flags out side. The Navy form the centre for Search and Rescue services for
are between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. The Air Force runs
the air service to Punto Arenas. They also have a Post Office, which was
closed during our visit.
We are shown their communications nerve centre and how they collate data
supplied by ships in the area, which is gathered between them and the three
other Bases around the channel. They bring up our data complete with a
picture, apparently taken when we checked into Chile at Porto Williams.
After a tour of their facility, and a "Stamping" session, we are invited to
take coffee in their quite luxurious lounge and dinning area. After an all
round photo session we bid them farewell and set out on tour of their bases
before cutting through the Russian compound on our way to climb up the
Church.
It's a steep climb, but made easier by a gravel path that has been laid to
the summit. The building is a quite remarkable structure of logs and
exquisite "Onion" pinnacles. Erected in 2006, a replica of one in Russia, it
is designed to withstand Antarctic winds of up to 135 kilometres per hour.
Inside is equally impressive with its gold panelling, Icons and woodwork.
Unfortunately there isn't anyone available at the Russian base so we set
out, "Stampless" to the Chinese "Great Wall" base, some couple of kilometres
walk via a rocky road.
We can't raise them on the radio as we pass their base perimeter marker
stones with Chinese inscriptions. Finally we enter their base, passing
another sign in English welcoming visitors. We wander around the very modern
base coming across "Building 1", a collection of containers that formed the
original base camp.
We are admiring the two stone dragon's that still guard the approach to the
now dilapidated camp and read the plaques explaining their history when
three of their staff come out to greet us.
Despite the language problems we get on well and are invited to take tea
with them. Entering their well equipped dinning, it reminds me of a Chinese
restaurant with it's decorative flags etc. We then find out the reason for
all the decorations was the Chinese New Year which they had celebrated
yesterday.
Apparently it was a great party with all the other bases joining in. Tonight
they areoff to the Uruguayans who are celebrating something or other! We
take tea, have our Passports stamped, photos taken and farewells bidden.
We decide to walk back around the coastline which their marine biologist
says should be possible as its low tide. All goes well as we pass a couple
of groups of Chinstraps and a large Crabeater seal. Then the shouldering
cliff closes in to the sea at a headland making it difficult (Except for
Peter) to clamber around'
The alternative is to scramble up the scree sloped cliffs. Having made the
climb we find a sharp rim that drops off steeply on the other side and is
just about passable. Deck wellies were never meant for mountaineering, but
with no option it's up and over and despite all, I live to tell the tale.
Finally back aboard and I suspect more than a few of us are somewhat worn
out as we strip off our overheated sailing gear, grasp a well deserved beer
and collapse in a heap. A quick bowl of pasta restores the body
Having spent a few hours dozing and or reading our books it's a late happy
hour to restore spirits. Tonton announces it's steaks for dinner as we
select a find red from our rapidly depleting wine cellar to compliment it.
The end of a very interesting day.
Bob the Blog
|
