51 10.435 S, 62 54.074 W
We had reasonable sailing this morning but this afternoon it petered out so we started motoring. There is supposed to be some nasty weather soon so we are hoping to avoid it.
There were intermittent showers today, hopefully washing some of the salt off the deck. More bird sightings, including the Cape Petrel.
One of the belts for the alternator broke. This means that the alternator does not put out its full output. The remaining belt also squeals and the RPM display is not correct since it is connected on the output of the alternator. The engine is fine but it takes longer for the batteries to be charged and with the overcast we are not getting any help from the solar panels. We have two other belts but we know they squeal as well. It is always something.
The water temperature has risen from 6 degrees C to 8 degrees C! Looking forward to some warmer weather!
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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Sunday, November 29, 2015
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Day 3, Sailing in the Atlantic
52 42.732 S, 064 10.958 W
For most of today it has been a lovely sail in the southern Atlantic Ocean, a first for us. We had winds 8-16 knots from the NW and speeds over the ground from 5-8 knots with the main at the third reef, the yankee and the staysail. Beautiful sunny skies, and greenish blue water. This morning some dolphins came by and did tail stands to look at us in the cockpit. We had spent many moments watching albatross, petrels and other birds skimming waves and swooping up over the bow and back down to skim the waves again.
Right now we have winds 20-23 knots and rolly, confused, beam seas which send the boat rocking wildly from side to side. What a change a few hours can make.
Onward....
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For most of today it has been a lovely sail in the southern Atlantic Ocean, a first for us. We had winds 8-16 knots from the NW and speeds over the ground from 5-8 knots with the main at the third reef, the yankee and the staysail. Beautiful sunny skies, and greenish blue water. This morning some dolphins came by and did tail stands to look at us in the cockpit. We had spent many moments watching albatross, petrels and other birds skimming waves and swooping up over the bow and back down to skim the waves again.
Right now we have winds 20-23 knots and rolly, confused, beam seas which send the boat rocking wildly from side to side. What a change a few hours can make.
Onward....
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Friday, November 27, 2015
Day 2, Through the Estrecho
54 17.447 S, 064 47.667 W
Yesterday and this morning we were careful about our speed so we did not arrive at the straits too early. We wanted to catch the Low and then ride the flood north. Sounds like a good plan. The last few days we have also been watching the winds to make sure we had the winds going in the same direction, north, with the flood so we would not have lumpy, bumpy, big seas from wind over tide.
Well, best laid plans. As we started into the straits, the winds were light and our timing was good. When we reached the middle the winds built and were coming from the north, so we had exactly the situation we did not want. Luckily the winds abated as we neared the exit and we were moving along at 8 knots, speed over the ground. This lasted for a while.
Now we are sailing north, northwest. Not fast but moving and comfortable and in the right direction. We had a few hiccups with the sails and lines. The yankee halyard rope clutch opened and the sail started to come down, the main halyard got wrapped around the shrouds and a few other things but all is good now.
We have a little over a 1000 nautical miles to go....
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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Yesterday and this morning we were careful about our speed so we did not arrive at the straits too early. We wanted to catch the Low and then ride the flood north. Sounds like a good plan. The last few days we have also been watching the winds to make sure we had the winds going in the same direction, north, with the flood so we would not have lumpy, bumpy, big seas from wind over tide.
Well, best laid plans. As we started into the straits, the winds were light and our timing was good. When we reached the middle the winds built and were coming from the north, so we had exactly the situation we did not want. Luckily the winds abated as we neared the exit and we were moving along at 8 knots, speed over the ground. This lasted for a while.
Now we are sailing north, northwest. Not fast but moving and comfortable and in the right direction. We had a few hiccups with the sails and lines. The yankee halyard rope clutch opened and the sail started to come down, the main halyard got wrapped around the shrouds and a few other things but all is good now.
We have a little over a 1000 nautical miles to go....
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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Thursday, November 26, 2015
Day 1, On the road again...
54 55.153 S, 067 10.192 W
This morning we had calm winds so we were able to get the dingy on the foredeck, deflated and secured for passage. The office called a taxi for us and we went to the Officina Antarctica and met with the Prefectura to get our zarpe to Mar del Plata. The Prefectura is the Argentinian Coast Guard. We had to sign paperwork stating that we would not go to the Falklands or Malvinas as it is called by the Argentinians. Ok, no problem, not where we want to go anyway.
We returned to Windarra and after saying goodbye to Emma and Christof of SV Venus, we departed Ushuaia at 12:10 pm.
Now we have passed Puerto Williams and Isla Navarino and headed for Estrecho de Le Maire. We plan to time it for low slack at 1:10 pm tomorrow and ride the flood north. The tricky part is having the winds cooperate as well and be going in the same direction or there are nasty overfalls.
It is 9:20 pm and still light out which is great for passage.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Wish we were there with you and not on passage!!!
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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This morning we had calm winds so we were able to get the dingy on the foredeck, deflated and secured for passage. The office called a taxi for us and we went to the Officina Antarctica and met with the Prefectura to get our zarpe to Mar del Plata. The Prefectura is the Argentinian Coast Guard. We had to sign paperwork stating that we would not go to the Falklands or Malvinas as it is called by the Argentinians. Ok, no problem, not where we want to go anyway.
We returned to Windarra and after saying goodbye to Emma and Christof of SV Venus, we departed Ushuaia at 12:10 pm.
Now we have passed Puerto Williams and Isla Navarino and headed for Estrecho de Le Maire. We plan to time it for low slack at 1:10 pm tomorrow and ride the flood north. The tricky part is having the winds cooperate as well and be going in the same direction or there are nasty overfalls.
It is 9:20 pm and still light out which is great for passage.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Wish we were there with you and not on passage!!!
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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Saturday, November 21, 2015
Windarra at Ushuaia
Friday, November 20, 2015
Ushuaia, Argentina
54 48.826 S, 068 18.360 W Ushuaia, Argentina
This morning we got up early had showers and we were ready to leave at 8 am. Unfortunately, two large rigged inflatable boats were rafted behind us so we had to wait until the owners arrived and they moved so we could get out of the taggle of boats and lines. By 10 am we were leaving Puerto Williams. As our luck continues with wind on the nose we motored our way to Ushuaia about 28 nautical miles west of Puerto Williams and across the Beagle Channel. Rich and I had visited here last March when we went on the cruise to Antarctica. It was our first time on Windarra.
After some confusion communication with the Argentinian armada, we docked and then got a taxi ride to the Officina Antarctica, aka the Coast Guard office, and checked in. All forms in quadruple but they supplied some carbon paper to help. First time I have used carbon paper in a long time. The officer was very nice, he stamped our passports and then sent us on to Customs or Aduana, which was across the street. We gave them two of the four copies, the officer kept two and after a bit we had a temporary import permit for Windarra, good for 8 months.
To celebrate after a stop at the atm, we went to the restaurant/bakery we had found on our last visit. We had great bread, excellent salad and we shared a lamb dish that was wonderful. We also bought some croissants for brekkie and a betard. Argentina bread is so much better than Chilean.
We walked back to Windarra and relaxing. Tomorrow we need to buy some new fender as ours are pretty sad and there is supposed to be some strong winds on Sunday and Monday. We also plan to do some provisioning as well.
We are watching for a weather window to start heading east towards Estrecho de Le Maire. This strait is fairly notorious so we want to make sure we not only time it correctly but had the right weather pattern. Then we head north.
Cheers
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This morning we got up early had showers and we were ready to leave at 8 am. Unfortunately, two large rigged inflatable boats were rafted behind us so we had to wait until the owners arrived and they moved so we could get out of the taggle of boats and lines. By 10 am we were leaving Puerto Williams. As our luck continues with wind on the nose we motored our way to Ushuaia about 28 nautical miles west of Puerto Williams and across the Beagle Channel. Rich and I had visited here last March when we went on the cruise to Antarctica. It was our first time on Windarra.
After some confusion communication with the Argentinian armada, we docked and then got a taxi ride to the Officina Antarctica, aka the Coast Guard office, and checked in. All forms in quadruple but they supplied some carbon paper to help. First time I have used carbon paper in a long time. The officer was very nice, he stamped our passports and then sent us on to Customs or Aduana, which was across the street. We gave them two of the four copies, the officer kept two and after a bit we had a temporary import permit for Windarra, good for 8 months.
To celebrate after a stop at the atm, we went to the restaurant/bakery we had found on our last visit. We had great bread, excellent salad and we shared a lamb dish that was wonderful. We also bought some croissants for brekkie and a betard. Argentina bread is so much better than Chilean.
We walked back to Windarra and relaxing. Tomorrow we need to buy some new fender as ours are pretty sad and there is supposed to be some strong winds on Sunday and Monday. We also plan to do some provisioning as well.
We are watching for a weather window to start heading east towards Estrecho de Le Maire. This strait is fairly notorious so we want to make sure we not only time it correctly but had the right weather pattern. Then we head north.
Cheers
----------
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Weather window
A wish for more days like this one....
We are waiting for our weather window to leave Puerto Williams, go west to Ushuaia, check into Argentina. After some more provisioning we will head east in the Beagle Channel, find a spot to wait for winds and current in the right direction to head through Estrecho de Le Maire and on to Mar del Plata.
But now we have strong winds and snow. At least we are able to do some projects inside.
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