PHOTO BY jim leishman
The land of Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean channels are often windswept and barren, but lush landscapes also exist on account of heavy rainfall.
we cruised through Canal Chacabuco. Two navy ships hailed us within an hour; one that approached from behind, then dropped off, and another that passed from ahead. They wanted to know all about us, where we were coming from and our next port. These were not your U.S. Homeland Security boats, but ships in the destroyer to cruiser size. Well, they do have to keep the rascals from Peru and Argentina from invading, perhaps. Wednesday 2/7/07 53 11.4S 073 20.1W Two hours after pulling anchor at Caleta Burgoyne this morning (52 37.6S 073 38.9W), we turned east from Canal Smyth into the historic Strait of Magellan. The S-shaped, 310-mile waterway links the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Four months after Fernao de Magallanes discovered the new route in 1520, he was killed by an Indian in the Philippines, who took offence to his zeal for Christianizing the population. We passed three large ships by noon, that were using this short cut that avoids rounding Cape Horn. We will turn south from the Strait after 90 miles, at Canal Acwalisnan (53 55S 071 37W), and head toward Canal Beagle. Saturday 2/10/07 Caleta Huajra, Canal Ballenero 54 53.9W 070 29.2W The southern end of Chile is having a little weather, right now. There is a parade of low-pressure systems trotting by. We anchored last night in a small cove, dropped anchor and tied two stern lines ashore. It was just as well, there is a nasty front passing, today, and we have had sustained winds of 30 knots and gusts of 40. With this system, you don’t swing at all, but it takes about a half hour to rig it up and take it down. Today, we are hanging out in the cove and Gail is getting some chores done, while we wait for the winds to die down. It has been raining quite a bit, here at the very south. We will be in Canal Beagle, tomorrow, which is the last one down here. Monday 2/12/07 Caleta Lewaia, Canal Beagle, Cerca de Puerto Navarino 54 55.7S 068 20.4W The front passed, as they do. Today turned out to be spectacular. We passed one tidal glacier after another, crashing off the close-by mountains and into the canals. We requested and were www.nordhavn.com
granted permission to anchor in an unauthorized anchorage (Boy, are they particular here!), just across from the city of Ushuaia. Under sunny skies, we roasted hot dogs, finally. There was lots of driftwood and it was dry, unlike the wood we found on the shores just north of here. This is Canal Beagle, with Argentina on one side, Tierra del Fuego, and Chile on the other, on Isla Navarino. We just want to get by, thank you. So, I talked to the Armada guys in Spanish, they try to respond in English, and I talk back in Spanish. It is really funny. It is like we are all practicing. Tomorrow, we will zoom past Puerto Williams, the seat of Armada power on the Chilean side, and head for Puerto Toro, the southern-most settlement in the world. From there, we will jump to the offshore islands and then for Cape Horn. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will sit. Tonight’s roast and bonfire were grand, and we are watching the lights of Ushuaia, right now. This whole deal is beyond delight. Tuesday 2/13/07 55 39.4S 067 06.6W Yesterday, we left Puerto Navarino with the idea of heading on around Isla Navarino, and later out to the Cape. The Armada contingent at Puerto Williams had another idea for us. All traffic heading in or out of the area is required to stop and get a new Zarpe, in each direction. Our plan was to bypass them, go to the Cape and then stop on the way back at Puerto Williams to check out of the country, to What’s next for Ushuaia, Argentina. When we return Ice Dancer II ? from the Cape, we will have to anchor, “We are planning our next dinghy to shore and get another Zarpe trip, south from Hawaii. before going to Argentina. Before we The general route is to can head north, we must backtrack Samoa, Tonga, New Zeafrom Ushuaia to Puerto Williams to land, mainland Australia, check back into Chile, about 58 miles Tasmania and then northout of the way. On the positive side, we ward along the west were able to buy fresh fruit, vegetables rim of the Pacific, perhaps following the Aleuand a few needed groceries. tian Islands to Alaska.” Wednesday 2/14/07 55 59.6S 067 17.0W Yesterday afternoon, we anchored in 35 to 40 knot winds at Caleta Martial, in Islas Wollaston (55 49.3S 067 17.6W). Sailboats from Sweden and Argentina joined us in the anchorage, our first sharing with cruisers in a remote cove, since Islas Galapagos. We took advantage of early morning, mild conditions and made our run to Cape Horn, doubling its south side. The Armada kept close track of us all the way from Puerto Williams, giving us good service for fees charged. Ice Dancer II rounded Cape Horn at 8:50 this morning. We rebelled against the typical photos taken with salty, foul-weather gear. Instead we walked from our toasty wheelhouse to the bow for photos, wearing Hawaiian shirts and shorts. Idling downwind iii in the morning sunshine, it was quite pleasant. 2008-2009 | circumnavigator
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