7/3/08  7:30 am

We’re up at 5:45 and there are protests “it’s too dark” but by the time we weigh anchor at 6:30 it is light enough to proceed. There was only a bit of kelp on the anchor chain to deal with. There is no wind to disturb our misty monochrome cocoon; it rained most of the night and is still raining lightly, the water like glass, the few islands we can actually see, shrouded in cloud.

Nik tries to fish and nearly catches a huge lump of floating kelp; he retrieves the line

quickly. Gabriele sensibly goes back to bed.

10:30

Still grey, still raining, still no wind so we’re zipping along at 8 knots.  We pass two East bound yachts and see a tiny fishing boat in the middle of no where.  Later we notice a small tent ashore and wonder if it’s shelter for the fishermen.  I give in and have a full English Breakfast with Steve.  It’s something about the weather and needing comfort food.

14:00

The wind came up at midday and soon we had 25/30 knots on the nose but we had passed the open water section by the time that happened. The wind stopped the rain for a while.  We arrived at Celeta Brecknock at 2:00 pm, having travelled 58 miles. We had considered giving this stop a miss as the weather was so bad, but as we arrived the rain stopped again and we are very glad to be here.  It is reputed to be one of the most famous and spectacular anchorages on Tierra del Fuego.  The cove is a wide circular basin surrounded by high peaks and vertical granite walls. We are anchored in a little indentation with several shore lines to keep us away from the walls.

17:30

It stopped raining long enough to go ashore for a couple of hours and explore a little lake which is the source of a very pretty waterfall.  Nik and Steve wanted something more challenging so Gabriele and I went back to the boat while they went for a climb. I enjoyed the trek once I accepted the fact that on my tenth step I went up to my ankles in mud.

When I entered yesterday's position I typed 070 Degrees for Longititude but it went in as 07 Degrees, hence the apparent return to The Falklands.  It has been corrected.