Day 1 PATAGONIA Channel Southern Chile Heading South Part 2

Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sat 8 May 2010 23:03
Location: PATAGONIA Channel Southern Chile, Chile (45:40.29S 73:50.45W)
I have just completed my first inspection of the bridge of the ship, (which
we are allowed to visit at will in day light.) It was nice to walk around
understanding most of instruments, and even the navigation software they
using is the same as we use "Maxsea" so I could move around and check things
out, talk with the skipper and look at Radars etc. See how they are doing
it, and take Sean up and he understands much of it, pointing out the
direction and where our boat is etc. Sean sat in the captains chair looking
at the radar point and associating the islands off our sides, and relating
this to Maxsea chart, and position of the boat it is good association. One
of the areas I was interested in was the AIS, they have it on board, but
they have only a list of targets it is not connected to the chart software,
but as a new target comes on a beep happens.

I am currently in the pub, reading and to my right/ starboard side out the
port is a set of small islands, looking at the charts there are 100s of
islands on the side of us, all very deep we still have about 15 knots of
wind, we doing 9 knots (with 3 knot head on current), with slight chop
seas. The sun has broken through, and you have bays and islands on this calm
water, there is a good current running but you could take your boat in
behind and anchor. All that is there is thickly wooded forests and a rock
coast but it is remarkably contrasting and peaceful. Anywhere else in the
world this would be a great cruising ground, but here it is cold and a long,
long way from any where so getting boats here is hard and it would be hard
on the boat. It is nice to seeing it from this position with the warmth and
comfort.
The rock islands slide past, often with some trees on them, and the odd
light house, we have seen two boats one going north and the other one
heading south with us, otherwise this is an isolated coast with this channel
being the highway linking the settlements. We are now seeing seals in the
water, and the odd dolphin which play off the bow but we are so high up you
cannot get the effect.
The mountains to the port side rise up disappearing into the clouds, we have
about 8 miles of visibility allowing us to see the islands and rugged coast.

As I was outside I watched an large sea bird/gull skim over the wave tops,
circling and not using it's wings other than to glide in the currents
effortlessly, it was so graceful and in control, rising and falling close to
the sea, so majestically, I could watch them for hours. Their wing span is
huge allowing them such good lift they just come off the top of a wave with
the lift and just rise up into the wind.
We have done crafts this morning in the mess room with the boys, and taken
them forward a couple of times.
As night fell we getting to end of the northern channel and will turn west
for a 20 miles to take us to sea, it means we will be at sea rolling through
the night, not a bad thing and back into the narrow southern channel in the
morning. As we came down and night came down with the low mist, a number of
fishing lights appear indicating the salmon farms that nestle the side of
channel, it would a cold existence down here but a real one. They were
saying in Pt Montt that it's growth has come from the salmon industry
growth, and certainly last night we had a succulent salmon for dinner.
Next report we will be at outside the channel.