Bahia San Nicolas

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Wed 28 Apr 2010 23:54

Position: 53 50.25 S 071 06.80 W
At anchor Bahia San Nicolas
Wind: West Sou’ west, F 2-6 light to strong breeze
Weather: Overcast, mostly drizzle.
Days run: 42 nm (52 nm sailed)

We got away from Punta Arenas by 8.30 and enjoyed a favourable breeze for most of day until we had to turn southwest towards Cape Froward, the southern most point of mainland South America. The wind freshened and we had to reduce sail, then as we approached Bahia San Nicolas, our overnight anchorage, the wind became very gusty and unpredictable. I kept one reef in the mainsail and the jib down to about 50% but was never sure whether I should take the reef out or put another one in. Sometimes we were wallowing in a light air and going nowhere and at other times heeled over, gunwale awash in a gust and not really going anywhere very fast in this condition either. In the end as it was getting late and I wanted to be at anchor before dark I dropped sail and motored the last couple of miles. And I can’t say this is a great anchorage, a bit of a swell is making its way around the headland to the southwest and causing us to roll and pitch a little, and a williwaw just went through, but it isn’t too bad, I guess we have been spoilt with all the very sheltered anchorages we have mostly enjoyed since arriving in Patagonia.

Tomorrow we start to tackle the Magellan Strait in earnest. I suspect this evening was a taste of what we can expect for the next couple of weeks. The forecast for tomorrow is strong westerlies which will undoubtedly mean strong headwinds out in the Strait. But that is tomorrow.

All is well.

Bob Cat:

So when do we get to the good bit? Once more I have been thrown around the place in the most undignified manner. My needs are simple - a bit of quiet, some sunshine, the odd pat, and some tuna; I mean, is that really asking for too much? It would seem so. Oh well, I still have my …. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.