Busy Day

Dawnbreaker
Lars Alfredson
Thu 12 Jan 2012 23:46
Pos 64:49.43S 62:51.33W Waterboat Point



Swedish before English



12 jan



Hej !



Toppen idag är det sol. Det blir ett helt annat landskap att titta på. Höga vassa berg och glaciärerna skiftar i olika blå färger. Nu är det verkligen Paradisbukten. På avstånd hör vi en knall och får uppleva en lavin som rasar ner i havet.

I viken som vi inte kom in i tar vi nu hjälp av gummibåten. Här finns en Argentinsk station. Ingen är där just nu men vi är nyfikna på hur det ser ut. Här har ingen bott på länge.

Dagens segling blir kort 10 nm. Waterboat Point en Chilensk liten marin bas. Den är bemannad 6 månader för att hjälpa till om något händer i området.

När man seglar här ner ska man varje dag skicka ett email till Chilenska marinen. De vill ha kontroll på att allt är Ok.

Om det finns bemanning på en station ropar man alltid upp stationen. Vi blev nu inbjudna på ett besök. !6.30 stiger vi iland. Ton Ton som kan spanska tolkar åt oss. De bjuder på kaffe i vardagsrummet.

Pingviner som vanlig men vi gör en upptäckt. En helt vit. Man kan ju undra hur alla de andra tänker om denna vita figur. En ny sort hittas också. Adélie heter den. Den har helt svart huvud.

Viken ligger spegelblank. Peter ser nu möjligheten att prova den uppblåsta kajaken. Allt är bra tills det börjar snöa.



Urban





12012012 Busy Day



When we surface "Pelagic" is sailing along and dwarfed the by the Glacier they appear to be filming. His 90+ foot mast doesn't reach as high as the face of the great chunks of ice waiting to detach and "Calve" sending another thousand tons of ice drifting out to sea.



We plan to explore the Argentinean Base, only this time Tonton is staying and keeping "Dawnbreaker" at sea while we go ashore through the ice, in the dinghy.



As we set out we meet up with our old friends on "Mina 2" who come alongside. They had been at the Chilean Base, and were also coming to look at the Argentinean one. We exchanged info on anchorages then took a couple of their crew Pete, Ewan Richard aboard to take pictures of their boat under sail with the Antarctic backdrop.



All are returned with Tonton acquiring couple of cigarettes. We both head for the Base with Tim staying on his yacht and both crews going ashore in their respective dinghies.



The Base is empty, though it has a flag flying and has recently be restocked with rations and a large stock of fuel in 40gallon drums. Peter and the Mina's crew head for the top of the small hill that overlooks the Base. I return to the Dinghy as there is absolutely no grip on the icy snow with my sailing wellies and don't wish to launch myself into the sea.



It looks like some maintenance has been done and the buildings are freshly painted, but there's no one home except the penguins. While I penguin watch I see our party has reached a long hut further across the snow field so starting the engine I motor across to join them.



Again the buildings are unattended though the key is hanging by the door and an inspection shows they fully stocked.



Returning to the yacht we set off for the Chilean base a couple of hours further down the channel. Again we have to squeeze ourselves between the icebergs, both stranded and mobile into the bay. The bay between a group of low penguin populated islands with the base on one of them. The end is formed by the terminal moraine of its glacier.



We are invited onto the base and out dinghy is surrounded by an escort of penguins that dive then come shooting out of the water like rockets. Peter at last has his chance and launches the blow up Kayak and is likewise surrounded.



They're a friendly bunch, apparently there are only thirteen of them both naval and air-force personnel and they form the control base for search rescue in the area. We're treated to a tour of the base, the shop!, and a nice cup of coffee before returning home.





Bob the Blog