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