20th Febuary 2009

In Travemunde until May 2020
Nick Pochin
Fri 20 Feb 2009 02:13
position 52:00.22S 73:43.43W
We left Caleta Gallent on the 17th heading for Bahia Mussel a short hop of 12nm Spent a frustrating day making 3knots in 35 knot winds against 4knot current only to find the anchorag untenable. We decided to return to Caleta Gallent which we did very quickly at 12 knots!! The next day we set off again on Wednesday at 3am and this time got the tide right through Paso Ingles,Paso Tourtuose and Paso Largo but the winds were strong and as ever on the nose.We got to the end of the Straits of Magellen and turned into Canal Smythe. We passed Fairway Lighthouse to be greeted by the Armada and anchored in Puerto Profundo at 2030hrs very happy to get this difficult stretch over. This morning we left Puerto Profundo at the sensible time of 1100hrs expecting 15 knots of wind behind us and current with us. No we had 40 knots of wind on the nose, a knot of current against and torrential rain reducing visibilty to half a mile!! We staggered into Caleta Victoria on Isla Hunter in Paso Victoria at 1830 hrs having covered 43 nm in the day.Sailing is impossible and diesel is becoming a worry .We are burning nearly double what we expected and we will have to try and top up in Puerto Eden.We will set off again at 0500 hrs and I thought it was a holiday!! Only 200 nm to Puerto Eden.