23/3/08  15:00

We woke to another foggy morning. Only raining lightly.  It looked like some over keen stage hand had gone mad with the dry ice machine.   On the way in yesterday we passed through several Dolphin Check Points and each time a team would arrive to inspect us.  On the way out they repeated the process.  I’m sure they’re all working for the Chilean Armada. We went by a group of seals leaping up out of the water in great excitement, although I’m not sure why.  The charts continue to be several miles out, thank god for the radar.

As the day progresses the low clouds grudgingly dissipate and we even get bits of sunshine.  Still no wind.

19:00

In the end it's glorious sunny afternoon and we press on 77 miles to Isla Zealous.

The anchorage entrance is just a few meters wide and soon opens up into a tiny beautiful land locked lake.  We are tucked up in the NW corner.  The Italians say Puerto Inti-Illimani definitely deserves a stop and they are absolutely correct.  It is truly beautiful even though this time there was no Dolphin Honour Guard to see us in.

Apparently the “Inti-Illimati are the most famous Chilean ethnic band, appreciated all over the world for its high-level discography and commitment.” I’ll have to find a CD.

The half way mark came and went without my noticing.  We are now only 636 miles from Valdivia.  Tomorrow we will do an overnighter to cross the Golfo de Penas, about 200 miles, to the next stop.  The Sou Chef  is cooking chicken tonight.

The attached pictures follow the day’s climate change.