Position 54:56.41 S 069:09.41 W

Today, (Sunday 20^th May) we are off towards Puerto Williams.  We are off after spending the last 3 days in a little anchorage called Caleta Olla.  Our stay at Olla has been extended due to the high wind that was a constant 50kts with gusts of 65 kts (in the anchorage) so we thought it prudent not to venture our into the beagle channel.

Two days ago when we first arrived a few of us took the opportunity before the wind arrived to climb the nearby mountain to visit the glaciers. 3 hours of soggy, boggy climbing was rewarded with two spectacular glaciers.  With the wind building, it was time to head down, and we returned just before nightfall.

On our second night in Olla the wind struck with a vengeance, and we weren’t even exposed to the infamous williwaws here.  The wind howled through the rigging, and the boat yawed about violently, even though the hull was entirely protected from the wind, this was from the windage on the top of the mast!  I didn’t sleep much that night, constantly thinking about chafe on our shorelines, and whether we should have more lines ashore just in case.  I got up at 0730 ready for the navigation training at 0800, ready to go back over the secondary ports with the non English speaking Russians.  It was a very difficult morning exacerbated by being so tired.

For the others, the navigation is coming along nicely, and so we spent most of the day doing theory, as it was so windy outside.

The Russians are all keen fisherman, and we have a big lobster pot thing that they have been putting over the side each night.  Caletta Olla proved fruitful for them, but I have been a little bit upset over how they killed them.  In principal I have no problem with people eating stuff that that they have caught, but I would prefer it to be put out its misery quickly rather that the brutality that I have witnessed over the last few days… I think I must be turning into a vegetarian, because I didn’t even want to be below when they were eating it, as it made me feel sick.

This morning was a classic example, when they managed to catch the most hideous looking fish ever, which they “killed” by stabbing it in the head.  I asked them if it was dead and they said yes, only me to see it wriggling about 5 minutes later.  One of the crew then returned to finish the job.  I was not very happy.

Eventually we got sailing this morning and it is blowing about 30kts from the west, so we are running downwind with the Yankee headsail out, making about 9kts.  We have eventually got satellite comms so I can now send email, sorry about the lack of daily update.  The weather looks as though we will not get to land on Cape Horn, and we may not get to round it at all which will be a great disappointment to me.  I have been looking forward to getting my passport stamped on Cabo De Hornos, but a landing is only possible in settled weather, and we just don’t have the time to sit a wait it out.  I do hope that we get to round the horn at least, so if you could all keep your fingers crossed for me that would be great.