25/3/08 12 Noon

This morning Steve donned the emergency dry suit we bought in Gran Canaria

and inspected the skeg.  The good news is that there is no sign of any hair line cracks as there were last time.  The problem may be to do with the rudder bearing itself. There is movement side to side of the rudder stock and when it happens water squirts in. The gussets which support the top end of the bearing appear to be compromised. The question is why. We will have to haul the boat in order to ascertain the solution of the problem.  I am trying to make arrangements in advance in Valdivia and Princess are preparing to send a structural engineer from England.  Again.  Yesterday we weren’t really certain when we would make it to Valdivia but today things look a bit better.  In a couple of days we should have a good idea.

18:00

We’ve just moored in Caleta Suárez which the Italians describe as one of the safest and most beautiful coves in Patagonia.  As it has become a sunny day we most emphatically agree with them. It’s at the bottom of a three mile deep narrow inlet, full of birds and fish.  Today’s run was 54 miles and there is about another 550 to go.

I loaded today’s pictures in the PC and decided to delete the first one.  Wrong.  The whole group went and unfortunately are gone forever.