When we set out to sail around the world via Cape Horn, we had little knowledge of what we were getting ourselves into aboard our J/46 Sweet Ruca, even though Kate and I were experienced racing sailors from the Midwest USA.

We both grew up sailing on the Great Lakes. Kate started in Optis and Thistles, winning a Jr. National Championship and later becoming a US Sailing instructor. I was cruising with my parents on Lake Erie at a young age. I moved on to racing both one-design and offshore, culminating in an overall win of the esteemed Chicago to Mackinac race as a navigator with Kate as a helmswoman.

Kate, Curtis and Roxy the sailing dog at anchor in Rikitea

When I was young, I read the tales of the Whitbread and Vendee Globe races in my father’s sailing magazines. Visions of palm trees and tropical islands were not lodged in my head, but towering waves of streaking foam attempting to overcome grimacing sailors in oil skins while water washed the decks clean cemented in my consciousness.

Cruising sailors, we were not, at least not at the beginning. Anchors, dodgers, and refrigerators were outside our sailing vocabulary. However, we were quickly hooked on the lifestyle after spending a month cruising through the beautiful waters of Lake Huron’s spectacular North Channel and Georgian Bay on a spartan J/105.

Something drew me to this challenging route. When we left port in Newport, RI, I thought I knew what it was, but later, I would learn there is much more to this route than screaming down frigid waves to go around a rock! 

The obligatory Cape Horn rounding photo.

Only now, at anchor again in the crystal blue water of Rikitea (Gambier Archipelago in French Polynesia), I can look back at the experience gained sailing a route around the bottom of the Americas. The experience is more than a sailing accomplishment. Becoming closer to nature and spending time amongst cultures that live very simple and remote lives resonates most with me about this journey. It has changed my perspective.

Sailing Cape Horn & The Canals of Patagonia

“The tales of rough usage are for the most part exaggerations, as also are the tales of sea danger.” ~ Joshua Slocum

This quote by one of sailing’s most famous authors sums up our thoughts on sailing in this area. Don’t read this wrong; the passage is fraught with challenges and no place for beginners. The forces of nature will brutally punish mistakes in these areas, and there is no one to call for help. It is not an easy place for yachts, still very much the Wild West of sorts, but this is also the draw.

With the advantage of a well-prepared modern boat, an experienced crew, proper planning, local knowledge passed on from other sailors, and today’s improved weather forecasting, most of this area’s dangers can be avoided. As in the books, there are still 70-knot williwaws (violent squalls), snow storms, uncharted areas, and ice to sail through. However, with proper planning, careful navigation, and waiting for weather windows, these dangers can be effectively mitigated.

Kate and Curtis on the foredeck of the Micalvi – Puerto Williams Chile

The place to gain local sailing knowledge is the Micalvi Yacht Club and Cedena Sailing School in Puerto Williams, Chile. Here, a mixture of newcomers, seasoned Cape Horners, and Antarctic adventurers come together in what may be the ultimate high-latitude sailing brotherhood. OCC Port Captain Lalo Cruz & his compatriots there both teach the next generation of young Chilean sailors in Optis and Lasers and share their knowledge of this area with cruising sailors arriving from all corners of the world who have left their flags on the hallowed walls of the Micalvi.

The interior and bar of Club Yate de Micalvi showing the flags left by sailors from around the world. We recognized many other OCC boats.

After leaving Puerto Williams, we were again very much on our own for the next 600 miles in the cold and icy Beagle Channel. This is perhaps the most awe-inspiring and challenging section of the journey. Towering mountains and glaciers dramatically meet the deep fjords in an intimidating but beautiful way. 

Sweet Ruca at anchor in front of the Seno Pia glacier.

Due to the dangers and inaccuracies of the charts in this area, one should only sail during the day and take refuge in one of the many well-protected notches during the evenings. We secure the boat every night with not only the anchor but also with 4 100-meter shore ties, as the conditions can change quickly and strong gusts can materialize from almost any direction.

As the climate here is driven by large storms that continually roll through the southern ocean, it is possible to take advantage of some very beautiful and sunny days between weather systems. On days with no wind, the silence and still air is only interrupted by the sounds of falcon wings moving through the air and cracking glaciers in the distance. 

Waiting out a storm in Caleta Brecknock

Moving northwards in the canals, the Beagle Channel meets the Strait of Magellan, and the scenery begins to change from snow caps above the tree line to barren, windswept rocks as the storms moving across the South Pacific crash into the shores of Chile with uninterrupted force. 

Glacier Pio Xi unleashed a sea of bergy bits in Canal Wide, many were larger than our boat.

Our next stop and sign of civilization would be the remote island village of Puerto Eden, where the last of Chile’s indigenous Kawaskar people still reside. This is a place where the changing of time is apparent. Once a disconnected village that thrived on local artisanal fishing, the shift toward the influence of tourism and technology is evident by the building presence of the cruise ship industry and Starlink. The island’s sole diesel generator still turns off every evening; when the lights go out, the feeling of wilderness returns in the hours of darkness.

Puerto Eden

We again set sail north through the Messier Channel towards Chile’s next big challenge. The Gulfo de Penas (meaning gulf of despair) separates Patagonia’s fjords from north to south and is the gatekeeper of the southern canals. A compulsory journey into the heavy seas of this area must be timed well, as the winds, waves, and currents here can damage even the largest of ships, as evidenced by the famous story of the Wager which lies wrecked at its entrance. This area is perhaps even more challenging than Cape Horn itself. 

Once into Patagonia’s northern section, one feels much safer and free to explore. Fuel, food, and civilization are now in reach if needed. We enjoyed this area very much, deciding to double back and spend another summer here, taking in the glaciers, hot springs, hikes, and most importantly, the kindness of the local people who still live a remote lifestyle but are beginning to create a good network for eco-tourism. Perhaps this area, between Gulfo de Penas and Puerto Montt, including the beautiful island of Chiloe, is the best of both worlds and may give the sailor all that is needed if Patagonia is on the bucket list. 

Caleta Sisquelan at the entrance to Laguna San Rafael

This area’s resounding beauty and culture is only interrupted by the influence of commercial fish farming. These aircraft carrier-sized complexes, which run diesel generators 24/7 and fill the sky with light, now reside in almost every nook and cranny of this beautiful area. After months in the pristine southern fjords surrounded by nature, we began to see the sad effects and pollution of these behemoths. The impact of mankind’s consumption and industry is stunning and concise. 

Sailing in front of snow capped volcanoes.

After so many miles in harsh sailing conditions, the boat needed a bit of refreshment to prepare for the 4000-plus nautical mile jaunt to our next destination, yet another of the world’s most remote places, Gambier. In Puerto Montt, we checked and refreshed maintenance items on the boat: running rigging, autopilots, sails, safety items, engine, and chain plates, and replenished our provisions for the upcoming trip. We also met many local Chilean sailors here who were wonderful hosts and became great friends.

Puerto Montt’s Club Reloncavi, much has changed here since the cruising guides were published.

Venturing Across the Pacific Ocean

After enduring the difficult climate of southern Chile for so long, we were ready for a change of scenery and temperature. Venturing into the Pacific Ocean, it was difficult to leave not only the beautiful mountains but also the kind people we met in our wake. 

We were finally ready for palm trees and coconuts again, though what we would find ahead in our next destination would once again encompass the kindred spirit of those who live a remote lifestyle. 

The archipelago of Gambier and the island of Mangareva, French Polynesia, was now the next destination, set firmly in our Expedition routing software. The journey would be 23 days of nonstop sailing, skipping Easter Island and Pitcairn due to weather conditions that would prohibit landing there.

The weather was poor, cloudy, rainy, and there were large swells. What we had hoped would be warm water spinnaker sailing for days on end in a deep blue ocean was not the case! Beam seas of gray and white crashed the deck as we reached at speed under reefed sails away from the mainland. Occasionally, we would have respite, the sun would come out, and we could set the gennaker again. Easy sailing was always short-lived, as the kite was doused again, and the stormy weather pushing up from the south returned.

Testing out the storm jib to slow the boat in big on the way to Gambier.

 We spent the last week of our passage under a heavily reefed main with little or no headsail as we ran in 3+ meter seas and winds gusting into the 30s day in and day out. A large breaking wave sheared an internal pin in our autopilot ram, requiring us to switch to our spare unit underway. At one point, we decided to get our unused storm jib out to balance the boat and limit flogging of the Genoa while surfing, all while keeping speeds under control and at a cruising rather than racing pace. I usually want to go faster, but this was one of those occasions where slowing down was prudent.

Arriving in French Polynesia

Exhausted from a fast and wet trip, we made landfall in Gambier early in the morning. The steep peaks jutted from the sea and were a welcome sight after the long and rough passage. Entering the western pass over the top of a visible coral reef contrasted the endless blue we had been sailing in for almost a month.

A view from the top of Mount Duff, overlooking the harbor of Rikitea

 Few boats venture to this remote archipelago, roughly 800 miles south-southeast of the Marquesas. We found ourselves the only boat flying the OCC burgee. The cruisers that do make it here, though, are a very diverse group from all points on the globe, many of whom were on their second circumnavigation. They are both blessed to experience this unique place, home of the black pearl, and be well lined up for a downwind journey through the less visited portions of the Tuamotu atolls. 

Rikitea, surrounded by an internal reef and again by the outer islands, is a great place to relax and take in the local culture while enjoying essentially the same views of the tall ships that arrived here hundreds of years ago. The islanders are friendly and welcoming to cruisers. The economy is still supported mainly by pearl farming and is not yet overrun by touristic tendencies. 

Here, it is wonderful to see the cruisers who arrive tend to blend with and adopt the local culture and language. Many family boats were here, with children attending the local school. 

Youngsters played football (soccer) in the streets, and the social activity amongst the adults included dinners of local fish and grilled chicken while exchanging stories between islanders and cruisers. While not apparent at first glimpse, the Polynesians, some of the world’s original ocean voyagers, have much in common with the sailors that arrive here. Living in close harmony with the environment around them, here is an unsaid understanding that the ocean is a great equalizer.

The island of Mangareva in Gambier, French Polynesia

We spent time here sailing the majestic outer islands and exploring uncharted coves. There are deserted islands, which you might see in a postcard, but they can still be fraught with danger. Care must still be taken as the outer reefs are still very wild, evidenced by a cruiser that was attacked by a shark while freediving there. With little medical care available on the island, he had to be flown to Tahiti by an emergency military medevac as civilian airplanes were not allowed to land on the airstrip after dark. 

As we sailed through the Tuamotus on our way to Tahiti, it was apparent that these islands are people’s homes, farms, and ways of life passed on from generation to generation. In these remote places, material goods and possessions are not what make a person wealthy. Here, riches are not shown in dollars and cents in a conventional way but in smiles, family, friendship, and congregation. 

Manu has an entire island to himself, great respect is needed to gain permission to access his island, but despite our language barrier we enjoyed wonderful conversation, sharing details of each others lifestyle

When I left the USA to cruise and sail around the world via Cape Horn, I thought it was about checking a box—checking the 1000-mile box to join the OCC, sailing around famous bits of land, gathering stamps in a passport, etc. Now, that is no longer so. What we have found aboard Sweet Ruca after all these miles in far-flung places is that cruising is an adventure into the human spirit. It is a way to connect more deeply with people and nature. 

Dinner with Blanca on Isla Magdalena – If you sail in Patagonia make sure to stop in and see this wonderful woman who lives alone and off the grid

Traveling this less-trodden route via sailboat has given us the unique ability to gain new perspectives and introduce us to new and diverse experiences, people, and cultures. We can also share a newfound wealth of knowledge with other sailors and those we meet ashore. The road less traveled is undoubtedly a bit more difficult, but a path worthy of the choice.

You can find out more about Kate and I and our boat at our website, www.sweetruca.com, and watch the Patagonian adventures on YouTube.

The post Taking the Road Less Traveled to The South Pacific – Featured in the OCC Flying Fish Magazine appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Introduction

Our Patagonian sailing experience noted in this guide will begin at roughly the latitude of the Falkland Islands in the Atlantic and end at Puerto Williams, Chile. Moving in this direction is against the prevailing winds and currents. Moving North and West in this area takes more time and is more difficult than moving South and East. Keep this in mind as you plan your voyage. We will attempt to include as much information as possible to help you on your journey. Everything from where we sourced fuel, parts, and provisions, to the anchorages we used, hikes we took, and the weather we encountered.

Cruisers entering this area should be experienced at and feel confident and comfortable with navigation in large tides and currents, visual navigation, radar navigation, and navigation using a depth sounder. Boat maintenance and repair is also very important. Your vessel should be in excellent condition, pay extra care to sails, running rigging, standing rigging, engine and steering, auxiliary dinghy and engine, and anchoring equipment. One should also have spare parts and knowledge to fix or at least jury rig these vital items at sea or in remote areas with the tools and crew on board. Between Ushuaia and Puerto Montt, there no real yacht services or parts available. Any services found will likely be focused on commercial fishing, and your boat will be treated as such.

You should also prepare yourself and your crew. It is cold, wet, and windy. Time ashore is very limited, and where you can hike in many places be prepared to bushwhack. Proper foul weather gear and layering is a must, as are good high waterproof boots and warm waterproof gloves. We also suggest a fleece face covering or balaclava and at times googles are needed while sailing through hail storms.

Once you and your boat are prepared, you can enjoy the journey of your lifetime. It is a truly mind altering experience to sail in Southern Patagonia. We have sailed across oceans, but never before have we experienced this feelings we did while in the remote areas of the Chilean fjords. You will see nature as you never have before and begin to truly understand the experiences of the first explorers that sailed this area and wrote the first books long ago.

References

In this guide we will reference the materials we used to navigate the area. Much has changed since some of the materials were updated. The pandemic shut this area down for years, which in combination with the changes to the artisanal fishing industry in 2016 by salmon farms and large corporate fishing efforts, has left many of the towns in this area in an economic slump. In this regard, many of the references have changed. Service providers are no longer there or people and phone numbers have changed. In some places buildings and docks have changed as well. We will attempt to provide new information where we can.

Cruising Guides

The best cruising guide for the region is known as “The Blue Bible” here in Patagonian Chile and Tierra del Fuego. The comprehensive book, “Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego Nautical Guide” by Mariolina Rolfo and Giorgio Ardrizzi, (Ours is the 3rd edition) is in our opinion the go-to source if you intend to cruise this area in a yacht. It is an accumulation of years of sailing knowledge in the area and should be on board any sailboat cruising these waters.

Link to Buy: Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego Nautical Guide

Link to Buy: RCC Pilotage Cape Horn & Antarctica

Link to Buy: RCC Pilotage Chile

Several others have also written cruising guides for this area and for Antarctica, Falklands, and places more remote, some are very rare, but we do not have them on board. Copies may be sourced by speaking to local boats out of Ushuaia or Puerto Williams who make frequent charters in the area.

Tide Tables and Chart Supplements Courtesy of Armada de Chile

3005_DERROTERO_DE_LA_COSTA.pdf

3007-a_LISTA_DE_BALIZAMIENTO_CIEGO.pdf

3007_LISTA_DE_FAROS.pdf

3009_TABLAS_DE_MAREA.pdf

carta_1_ed_2013-1_CHART_SYMBOLS.pdf

pub_3010_4ta_1997_DISTANCE_TABLES.pdf

Navionics Waypoints Courtesy of Capt. Narciso of s/v Kaap Hoorn

Narciso_PW-PM_Navionics_archive_export-1.gpx

Narciso_PW-PM_Navionics_archive_export-2.gpx

Narciso_PW-PM_Navionics_archive_export.gpx

Our Timing and Duration

April 7th – June 21th (75 Days)

Anchorages, Ports & Towns

1. Piriapolis
2. Puerto Espanol
3. Puerto Toro
4. Cape Horn – Isla Hermite
5. Puerto Williams
6. Ushuaia
7. Caleta Liwaia
8. Caleta Olla
9. Seno Pia
10. Caleta Aklush
11. Caleta Silvia / Puerto Egano
12. Caleta Brecknock
13. Caleta Tarmac II (North)
14. Puerto Nutland
15. Bahia Mussel 1
16. Bahia Fortuna
17. Caleta Columbine
18. Puerto Mayne
19. Puerto Bueno
20. Bahia Hugh
21. Caleta Neruda
22. Caleta Refugio
23. Caleta Graw
24. Puerto Eden
25. Caleta Sabauda
26. Caleta Yvonne
27. Caleta Mariuccia
28. Caleta Vidal
29. Puerto Aguirre
30. Caleta Olea
31. Caleta Brooks
32. Isla Jechica
33. Caleta Momia
34. Puerto San Pedro
35. Estero Pellu
36. Puerto Calbuco
37. Puerto Montt (Club Nautico Reloncavi)

Route Length

Total length TBD by reviewing logs. Approximately 12oo miles by quick estimate.

Fuel Usage

Start: Puerto Williams 700 Liters (60 Gal Primary Tank + 30 Gal Secondary Tank + ~90-95 Estimated Gal Jerry Cans)

Refuel: Puerto Eden +460 Liters

Completed: Puerto Montt 158 Liters Remaining

Total Used: 1,002 Liters.

Used for Heat: ~30%

Used for Propulsion: ~40%

Used for Electricity: ~30%

At least half of our fuel was used for heat and electricity generation. Keep in mind there is almost no solar power generation in this area in the winter. A trip through in the summer would lessen the fuel requirement slightly if a boat has a good solar system (self sufficient in the Caribbean) and it is possible to sail more hours in daylight in good weather windows. We did heavily use the autopilot, navigation computers, windlass, refrigerator, and freezer. Our video editing computer ran for many hours each day connected to Starlink and was a huge draw. Our Chinese diesel heater also consumed electricity and ran much of the time. The use of a non-electric drip heater (Refleks or Dickinson type) and lessening power consumption by not carrying frozen food and not working online/videos would yield considerable fuel savings. We feel we could do the trip comfortably with half the fuel in that case.

Our engine is a 76 HP Yanmar with Turbo. It consumes 1.5 Gallons per hour when running at 7.5-8 knots of boat speed plus alternator. We do not have a generator on board, and used its alternator for electrical generation. Motor sailing and without the alternator running, we tend to consume about .85 to 1 gallon per hour.

In short, the longer you stay in the fjords, the more fuel you will use for heat and electricity. Our goal was not to make a fast passage, but to enjoy the area and spend as much time as possible exploring the area. The boat sails much better with less weight of fuel, but skimping on fuel and having to ration the use of the heater can turn an enjoyable experience into a humidity filled moldy hate mission quite quickly.

Other boats that we know making the trip this year consumed the following

2400 Liters (60’+ monohull making a fast transport passage)

500 Liters (36′ monohull sailing and motoring)

1100 Liters (45′ catamaran reported mostly motoring)

1000 Liters (40′ monohull fast delivery passage, no sailing)

Fuel Stops are limited to:

Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Puerto Eden, Caleta Tortel. Be prepared to pay in cash (Chilean Pesos) for fuel and provisions in remote areas. Of note: were able to pay for some provisions in Puerto Eden via wire transfer, but it was a somewhat complex endeavor. With the expansion of Starlink in this area, more options for payment may before available in the future.

Sail-ability

In our opinion, with a good sailing boat the complete trip through the fjords could be done completely under sail (without using the engine at all, or just for anchoring) moving East to West. HOWEVER, it would take ages. The amount of tacking, maneuvering, and sail plan changes required is immense. It would at least add several weeks to any planned trip, if not a month or more to wait for the required weather windows. Keep this in mind while planning.

Shore Ties and Anchoring in Patagonia

We carried and used the following:

2x 100 Meter 3/4″ (19mm) 3 Strand Floating Lines

2x 110 Meter 1/2″ 3 Strand Floating Lines

2x Cables to Wrap Rocks

Rocna 33kg Anchor and 80 Meters 10mm G4 Chain Spliced to 60 Meters 5/8″ 3 Strand Nylon

2x 15 Meter 3 Strand Nylon Dock Lines

2x Spare 30 Meter Double Braid Lines

Also aboard were standard length dock lines, spare sheets and halyards and a spare anchor, chain & rode.

Note: One can swing at anchor in many places. The passage can be done without shore lines. With that said, if there are at least two on board, the anchorages are more enjoyable when completely tied in, and where else can you do this? We were happy with our setup. If spending extensive time here (more than one season) we would increase the size of our bow lines from 1/2″ to 3/4″.

Anchorages and Ports

1. Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a tourism centric town, and in the off season (austral winter) many of the restaurants and shops are closed, however if you are OK with limited selections, lower prices, empty beaches, and essentially the run of a relaxing small town atmosphere, the winter is just fine here albeit a bit chilly when the wind is from the south.

Entry to the harbor is straight forward and easy. There is good depth almost everywhere and the charts are accurate. One area of caution is to take care near the harbor walls. It is built with giant rocks and concrete in a pyramid formation, under the water these rocks fan outward. Don’t get too close. This should also be noted if backing against the break walls, at low tides your rudder may make with the underwater rocks. We had a friend that damaged his rudders here.

Overall Piriapolis is a good stop over for boat work or minor provisioning. The harbor prices are fair to keep a boat here, but the fixed height piers can be a challenge during extreme low tides. Be prepared to have at least 1 or 2 long dock lines (50 ft) to tie off to the bouys med moor style. As with any other South American country, the check in process includes your standard walk around to the Immigration/Customs, Navy, and Port Captain to acquire stamps and pay fees.

The harbor has a good sized travel lift and hydraulic trailer, but still use old fashioned wooden poles and shims (they call them “tacos”) to support your boat. If you have any special concerns on boat support or movement, sling placement, etc. make sure to provide these in a written document, translated into Spanish. It is almost impossible to schedule in advance if you have not arrived. Communication is in Spanish only and emails are not always replied to, however upon arrival everyone is helpful and nice. This may be changing as there has been a recent change in port management (it is government owned and controlled and hence is subject to different management based on the political party in charge).

It is important to note a few things if lifting the boat. A liability insurance policy which covers the boat on the hard is required if you intend to lift out. Policies to cover this, if yours does not, can be purchased locally if required for a reasonable price. We ended up purchasing a Uruguay policy through Mapfre which covered us for sailing as well all the way down to Ushuaia. Also, you can not sleep on the boat or stay overnight in the boatyard (when on the hard), other land based accommodations will be required. Lastly, the yard is specific regarding work hours which when we were there were roughly from daylight to 8pm. There are multiple security guards on site 24 hours a day, which is great for security, but don’t expect to accomplish that one last project before the end of the day as a few of the guards take their jobs, at least in our opinion maybe a bit to seriously when it comes to yacht owners trying to finish the last coat of paint at twilight.

Don’t forget to visit Alejandro and his son Gabriel at SAMS Nautical Supply just down the street from the marina for things you need. Alejandro has crossed many oceans and Gabriel races often in the local regatta circuit. Both are knowledgeable and helpful, and his store has most essentials, but also caters to the many local fisherman and his inventory requires adjusting as such. It is possible to ship things into the country here. Taxes can be waived for Yachts In Transit but a Uruguay licensed broker is required for this. We sent in sails, electronics, etc. It is best to do this all in one large shipment as the great expense is in the brokerage and handling fees. However our items arrived on schedule and were delivered directly to our boat in the port via a sealed truck and lots of stamped paperwork.

There are good tradesmen here, but as with anything in South America or anywhere else for that matter, discuss the expectations, scope of work, timeline, and cost before starting any project. We suggest using WhatsApp and documenting things in writing. Uruguay has an excellent legal system, and agreements in writing are held to a high standard. The workers are very proud here, which is a good thing in a way, but sometimes take any sort of direction or specific requirements mid work as criticism and may react accordingly. The safety precautions, finish work, materials, are normally below what would be seen in a North American or European boatyard, but excellent work can be accomplished with good communication and a bit of extra time. For example, our bottom painter, Chris, has the skills to service yachts anywhere in the world, and took excellent care to deliver a top level finish if asked for. As an added bonus, his father worked in the marina and helped establish the travel lift here which was brought in for the original Whitbread Round the World Race!

Uruguay in general is a wonderful country. We rented a car and drove around. It is a safe country and the people are very friendly. There is good food, wine, and the beaches are amazing. Any tastes can be accommodated for from those that enjoy the city and fine hotels to those that enjoy the countryside and van life expat surf bums. As with anywhere in some areas of the cities, take the same precautions as in the USA. The international airport is very good. Health care in Montevideo is very good and we even found private healthcare here is more affordable than in the USA. We visited the British Hospital and found its standards to be as high as any in the USA, received more personal care, and much more economical.

Overall, Piriapolis and Uruguay are places worth visiting!

Contacts and Helpful Stores:

Boat Painter

Rental House/Apartment

Chandlery

Hardware

Grocery

Wood

ATM/Bank

Rental Car

Shipping Broker

Laundry

Location of Customs, Armada, Port Capt.

2. Puerto Espanol

This anchorage is the first good anchorage after passing through the Le Maire Straight from the north. It was our first rest stop after during the sail directly from Uruguay. It is also a good stopping point, if coming from the South or West to wait for favorable tide and conditions to enter the straight. Holding is good on a mud/sand bottom and one can and should swing at anchor here. The land does funnel wind, so be prepared for strong gusts, especially with a strong Westerly or Northerly wind. The beach landing was difficult due to breaking waves but would be possible. It is protected from the North and West but is open to the South East. We only stayed here briefly to rest before pressing onward into the Beagle Channel.

3. Puerto Toro

This is very much an outpost, but a wonderful stop. One large dock/pier, protected in all but strong north winds, prepare to leave the dock if the wind is forecast to build from the north. Dock is empty when crab (centolla) fishing is not in operation, but one side should be left clear for military boat arrival. The Armada “alcamar” (light house captain) will invite you to dock. have large fenders available as the pier is a working pier and does expose barnacles at low tide. There is plenty of draft, even at low tide and the approach is very easy. Two large navy mooring buoys are also available if you prefer not to dock. Anchoring was not suggested here due to poor holding.

A good place for hikes. Only 2 permanent civilian residents. The rest are naval personnel and caribineros (state police). Small fisherman church. There is a small store here that stocks a few frozen items, snacks, and sodas. Empanadas or bread may be possible to buy if asked for. Bring a few fresh veggies and chocolates for the kids from Puerto Williams for gifts to the Alcamar and his family, and maybe share a few beers with the Caribineros and you may be the most popular people in town for the days you are there. Everyone was very nice and helpful here.

Some big backcountry hikes are possible here.

4. Cape Horn – Isla Hermite

We stopped at this anchorage after rounding Cape Horn from the East to West. It is well tucked up in the center of the archipelago. On the chart it seems to offer little protection from North winds but was surprisingly a very solid place in all directions. It is very well protected. Its only downfault is the encumbering kelp here. The “Blue Book” says one can swing at anchor here, and while it is likely possible, we would not recommend it as there is too much kelp. One should set the anchor and back into the cove in one shot, careful not to be blown into the rocks with the williwaws, securing a shore line quickly. While bringing up the anchor here we collected so much kelp that our 33kg Rocna anchor was floating on it! We suggest because of this one choose the more often used anchorage at Caleta Martial as a primary goal before or after rounding the horn.

5. Puerto Williams

This place was hard to leave! If you are looking for an out of the way place, surrounded with natural beauty, with a small town atmosphere, this may very well be one of the best places on earth. Did you think you can find a place where there are still wild horses running free, this is it. Most of all, for sailors, it is the home to the famous Yacht Club Micalvi, the southernmost yacht club in the world. The future hasn’t arrived here yet, but we can see it beginning to encroach in the form of cruise ships.

If you have youngsters aboard, make sure to contact the Cedena sailing school ahead of time. There is a wonderful sailing instruction program there and they are happy to have short term exchange students! Sometimes they have a sailors barbecue, so be on the lookout for smoke from the chimney on a Friday or Saturday night. Bring a contribution and something to share and your own drinks.

Ordering parts in and flights in/out are difficult. Post is slow due to its arrival by the ferry from Punta Arenas, which can take an extra two weeks above any quoted online shipping time. The airport is small, and there is at the most one flight a day to and from Punta Arenas, and that is on good days. It is best to bring anything critical with you aboard your boat.

Checking in here as your first port of arrival is easy. The main port is very open with plenty of room to anchor, although it is deep. There are a few mooring buoys placed by the Armada which visitors can use in the outside harbor, on the west side, near the airport. Contact the Port Captain by hailing “Puerto Williams Radio, Puerto Williams Radio” on VHF channel 16 (radio is pronounced rah-dee-oh). Let them know if you intend to enter the smaller harbor which is the best home for yachts. Here you can take a mooring ball or raft off of other boats at the Micalvi. Stay mid channel when entering the smaller harbor, the edges shoal quickly, especially near the large red buoy on shore by the road.

If you properly radioed the Armada on arrival, they will arrange for officials to meet you on the deck of the Micalvi. From there it is a short walk to the Port Captain’s office, Immigration, Customs, and finally back to the Port Captain where you can obtain your next Zarpe (sailing papers). We found all officials to be helpful and friendly here. There is a small charge for docking here.

There are several stores for provisions. A very good grocery store called Simon & Simon. Entel prepaid SIM cards for Chile could be found at the blue & yellow store across the street. There are multiple vegetable stands and bakeries and hardware stores. All of your basic needs can be attended to here, just don’t expect them to have everything in stock, it is a small town after all. We found two places which provided laundry services. US propane tanks could be filled by leaving them at the Micalvi where they would be picked up and re-delivered full. Fuel was best done by jerry cans. It is possible to take your dinghy to the rocky beach in front of the fuel station, but better to arrange for a pickup truck to shuttle you. We were able to rent a car in town and explore the island quickly. Great hikes are also a short walk away from the Micalvi.

Hiking

Cedena Sailing School

Micalvi

Sailing Routes GPS from Narciso

Laundry

Provisioning Simon & Simon

Hardware and Clothing

6. Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a full service town. There are hotels, restaurants, a casino, and many touristic activities. The airport has several flights available. Ushuaia is the hub for Antarctic sailing charters and many large cruise ships. Checking in here is an adventure of its own, requiring several stops across town and lots of copies of paperwork. The officials were all friendly, but very official. Expect to spend at least 1/2 day, and up to two days depending on your time of arrival, navigating the maze of chicken procedures.

There are excellent grocery stores and beverage suppliers. Expect to find a great selection of meats and wines. Provisioning here with the US dollar and in cash gets your the Argentine “blue dollar” exchange rate, which can make your dollar go much further for purchases. This is especially true surrounding provisions.

Don’t expect much here though in the way of chandlers. There is no store for yachts here. We found only stores catering to day skiing tourists and no hardcore gear outfitters. Some good hardware stores can be found to supply ropes and more commercial worker type outdoor gear.

The Club Afysn is the best dock in the area, but beware that it can be very busy with Antarctic charter boat operations, almost all of which use the club as their base of operations. Because it can be busy, we recommend you contact them ahead of time if you plan to dock. When we arrived the moorings were full and rafting was required. Some services are available, but any decent sized sailboat is better served in Buenos Aires, Piriapolis, Itajai, or Puerto Montt. The Antarctic charter yachts lean more toward working steel ships than yachts, keep this in mind if arriving in a smaller or light fiberglass boat. The club is a very long walk from town, and taxis do not like to come all the way out there. Prepare for a wait for a ride in to town. We were lucky enough that a generous member offered to drive us to town a few times.

There is another dock which caters to sailboats closer to town, a shoal draft is required there.

We didn’t stay long, just enough really for a passport stamp run to renew our visas for entering the fjords after a long stay in Puerto Williams. We did find the time to sneak in a helicopter tour at the nearby airport, which is highly recommended.

Before entering the Chilean Fjords from the East, one must return to Puerto Williams to check back into Chile. This maneuver also provides an excellent visa extension to allow for maximum time enjoying the wilderness. Keep in mind there are no services past Ushuaia for at least 300 miles if backtracking to Punta Arenas, and over 600 miles if the next planned stop is Puerto Eden.

WhatsApp For Club Afysn

7. Caleta Liwaia

This was our first stop when headed west from Puerto Williams. The entrance is somewhat hard to see at first, but is clear of obstructions mid channel. There is little kelp in this anchorage and landing ashore is easy. There is plenty of space here to sort out your first try at shore ties. It is well protected from Westerly winds and calm when the Beagle Channel is roaring. There is possible hiking available on shore on cow trails if you are willing to push through the brush a bit.

8. Caleta Olla

This is a wonderful bay to stop in. It is well used by charter boats in the region and for good reason. The entrance is easy, it is very well protected, and the sand holding is excellent. Landing on the beach shore is very easy. It also has great hiking and is in close proximity to a large glacier, the first one you will see upon entering the Northern Arm of the Beagle (Paso Bravo Norte).  The beach is shallow and does extend out far from shore, take care when backing in here. We saw Guanaco here and took a long hike up the mountain.

Past this caleta you are entering into very remote waters. The Navy does patrol here in ships, but one does need to be well prepared here and take safety first.

9. Seno Pia Glacier

This large fjord has multiple anchoring options. Although the entrance can be initially intimidating, there is plenty of room. All shoals provide plenty of depth for most yachts to easily navigate. Large cruise ships even enter here. If you are lucky you can find a rare day to have this whole fjord system to yourself, on others there can be multiple charter boats and cruise ships. There is excellent hiking with a trail starting just behind where we anchored.

Beware of ice here and the neighboring fjord. While we were here the bay froze over and we were frozen into our anchorage for a short time. We also encountered large truck sized growlers which have calved off of the three large glaciers.

It is possible to swing at anchor here, but due to the depths we found backing in with shore ties up to the trees was best.

10. Caleta Aklush

Dolphins abounded here. This is a small nook in an uncharted bay on an island in the center of the channel. There is some kelp and one should be quick with a shore tie if it is windy as williwaws will come over the top of the island and spread into the narrow anchorage. The anchorage is free of major obstructions but due take care and stay mid channel on entry and exit. The beach shoals quickly, we dropped our anchor in 35 feet of water and backed into 15 feet of water. It is easy to go ashore here. This island can be explored by foot and has excellent views. We found an old fisherman’s survival hut, one could have a small campfire ashore here if they were so inclined.  If there is a strong easterly (very rare) this bay could become dangerous to stay in.

11. Caleta Silvia / Puerto Engano

This is the last stop before crossing the very exposed Canal Ballenero. Boats are guided in by two manikins dressed in yellow overalls, a spooky sight upon entrance in the wilderness. Many boats that have stopped before have left their mark here on a few trees. There is a wonderful stream and waterfall for fresh water. Land on shore is easy, there is quite a bit of kelp in the inner harbor though. It is possible to swing at anchor in the outer harbor.

One may have to wait several days here for a weather window to cross the canal, which is open to the prevailing westerly winds and can cause dangerous or at least difficult sailing conditions.

12. Caleta Brecknock

This was our next stop after Caleta Silvia. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful fjord anchorages of the area. It is simply stunning and must be seen for itself. We anchored and backed into the small nook and secured ourselves with 4 shore lines. There are other spots available, including tying to the rock wall, which we passed on! Maybe next time. The williwaws here can be quite extreme. Entry to the caleta is easy and free of obstructions.

The hiking and trekking here is absolutely amazing. We only stayed one day, which was not enough. We wish we could have spent much more time here exploring the small lakes and wind stripped glacial rock formations.

There is no radio contact here due to the surrounding high mountains.

13. Caleta Tarmac II (North)

Our next stop as we decided to take the uncharted Paso Aguila and Canal Barberra to the north. This is a narrow anchorage with only room for one boat. We encountered strong winds here as we waited out a deep low pressure system. This was the only place where we put out more than 4 shore lines, and we wouldn’t have complained if we had more than 6! We were getting tossed around by wind gusts and williwaws as it was blowing over 60 on the other side of the islands just out in the ocean.

It was easy to land on the beach here, and one can explore a bit, especially by dinghy or kayak, but there was thick brush which made penetration into the islands upper areas extremely difficult if not impossible.

Although uncharted we found no major dangers here, with the exception of a large rock on the south side just at the tip of entrance to the anchorage. It is surrounded by kelp, so stay out of the green stuff and you are OK!

14. Puerto Nutland

Aside from the funny name, this is a great spot. Some shore hiking is available in the small bay. There is also a salmon stream for fishing! It is a bit open to the NE, so be aware of the weather. This is an excellent spot at the North end of Canal Barberra to wait for the proper tides to pass through Paso Shag. There is another glacier nearby which would be a great side trip for a day sail.

15. Bahia Mussel 1

Bahia Mussel is famous for its Humpback Whale sanctuary. In fact we did see 3 large whales on our way to this anchorage. They were huge, and were on a crossing path with our boat, so we stopped and waited for a bit to allow them to pass by.

There is considerable kelp here, and we also found a fisherman’s line was across the anchorage. We anchored and backed up to the fisherman’s line, securing our stern to it to allow us to take our time with our own shore lines. We waited through another considerable storm here, which caused some storm surge, flooding the surrounding anchorage and submerging our shore tie locations which were above normal high water. We found this anchorage well sheltered and an excellent place to wait out strong weather. One has a view here of the Magellan Strait so the conditions outside can be easily monitored and ships can be seen passing by.

It is a good place to wait while timing the passage through Paso Tortuoso’s strong tidal currents. One can go ashore here and walk around a bit. The Armada has an outpost on the other side of the island, which we did not approach, but it almost seemed like we were back in civilization!

16. Bahia Fortuna

Although we wanted to spend more time in the deep south, it was time to get moving Northward, as by this point supplies were starting to run a bit low. We decided to take an excellent weather window and motor sail overnight in the Magellan Strait and push as far North as we could to avoid yet another passing low pressure.

Bahia Fortuna is an excellent spot to stop. No shore lines are needed, but it is a deep-ish anchorage. While we were there a supply tug also came in and anchored next to us in the night. This is a place that can be entered at night and with radar if needed. It may not be good in rare east winds.

17. Caleta Columbine

This is another easy stop not requiring shore lines. It has a nice beach to land on and stroll, with some possible decent hikes. There was some kelp which prevented our anchor from setting the first time. We anchored a bit deeper than normal and found the holding to be OK. This bay is open to South winds and can get choppy in a moderate to strong southerly, as it did for us, causing us to leave in the darkness.

18. Puerto Mayne

This is an amazing protected set of coves which seem like two small lakes. Anchoring is difficult as it is very deep, but there are several locations to choose from in the “Blue Book”. We found our location had excellent holding and we shore tied to the rocks behind. This was an extremely well sheltered location and felt as if we were on a pond. Lots of exploration is safely available by dinghy, kayak or paddleboard here. There were many dolphins which called this harbor home. This is a place we would have liked to stay a few more days to explore in more detail. There are a few streams which likely offer good fishing, and firewood can be found here.

19. Puerto Bueno

This stop is appropriately named. Puerto Bueno is well charted and very safe. There is a small lighthouse which marks the entrance. Take care to enter on the South side of Isla Payner as the North side is a false passage which uncovers at low tide. It is an excellent and well sheltered stop, offering several anchorages depending on the forecasted winds. We chose to set our anchor in the Northwest cove where a fisherman’s mooring line was strung across the caleta. We set our anchor and backed to it, then set 4 shore ties.

Here we explored the entire area by dinghy and took several different hikes. Small hikes are easy here and there is a trail which leads from near the waterfall on the North end through to the freshwater lake behind the cove. This hike can be easily extened up into the hills with a little bit of extra effort and bushwacking. We found evidence of glacial grooves and boulders here indicating that the this area was once covered in ice long ago!

We waited out yet another low here for several days and spent time here to edit the Cape Horn video. The williwas can be gusty so shore lines are recommended. It is also possible to anchor here and swing. There may be excellent fishing in this area and there was excellent bird watching and a few sea lions. A hike to the top of the hill allows for a view of the main canal. Ships pass here often en route to the Magellan.

20. Bahia Hugh

This is a great hurricane hole! Both ourselves and our friends on the catamaran stopped here several days apart. We referred to it as “The Fortress.”

Although the entrance to the main bay is more difficult than some of the others and can be moderately challenging, it is well charted and once inside things calm down. We would not recommend attempting to enter here at night or in strong winds, at least for the first time. Inside the bay on the West side is a small caleta hidden by an island. Although narrow it is possible to pass on the South side of this small island with moderate draft and tuck into one of the most protected anchorages we have ever been in.

Surrounded by hills with high trees, it does not offer much in the way of shoreside activities, but your boat will not move an inch in even the strongest winds. We set our anchor and backed to the trees with two shore lines. There were several dolphins which escorted us while tying shore lines. Fishing may be good here.

21. Caleta Neruda

This anchorage offers amazing protection from all but the strongest southerlies. Caleta Neruda is just off the edge of the channel, allowing a quick in and out rest stop but is a bit hard to find, tucked into Isla Topar just after passing Paso Caffin. The approach does have some kelp, which we picked up in our intake, take care with this. Once inside it is very deep and we set out 4 shore ties along with a lightly set deep anchor. The tall sides protected us from all but the strongest gusts. There was a small stream and an old fishermans camp. We attempted to hike but could not find any trails. It would be possible to gather water here. Once again, there were many dolphins here.

22. Caleta Refugio

This caleta is a bit hard to find, and may have other names on different charts. Although uncharted we found the entrance safe and had no issues. It is likely possible to swing at anchor here, but we chose to shore tie just in case. We had some wonderful hikes here, there is an excellent stream and some lakes. We waited here for ice to clear which was coming down from the Pia XI glacier. When we passed through in May we found bergie bits, growlers, and some ice bergs the size of our boat. These caused danger to our navigation so we waited for them to clear. There was a view of the chanel from the anchorge and it might be possible here to toss out a fishing line and grab dinner from the sea.

23. Caleta Grau

Our last stop before Puerto Eden as Caleta Grau. This is just a small cutout in Isla Wellington and is well charted. The approach is easy. We backed in and set 4 shore lines. There was a small stream and water could be gathered. We attempted to hike but our progress was stopped by thick brush. It is open to the South East, so care should be taken if winds shift.

24. Puerto Eden

Puerto Eden is a must stop on the way through. You literally can’t miss it on your way through the fjords if sailing between Puerto Williams and Puerto Montt. This small town is lost in time. There are no roads and travel on the island is by boat or by board walks connecting all of the buildings. It is the last outpost of the Kaweskar Indians in Chile, one of the original inhabitants of Patagonia. Very few remain, but those that are there are keen to share their culture with tourists.

Everything on the island must come in with a long ride aboard a ferry ship. Expect to pay double here for any provision, be it food, fuel, or otherwise. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be had here, but there is a limited selection depending on the time of arrival. It is possible to change crew here via the Navimag ferry, or even get parts brought in, but this is an expensive proposition. A friend left his boat here on a mooring, watched by local fisherman, and traveled back to Puerto Montt to retrieve needed engine parts.

Also keep in mind that the ferry can at times be delayed by weather in Gulfo de Penas. At times provisions here, even for the local residents, can become extremely low. Diesel comes in in drums. Be careful to buy from sealed drums here and not old diesel offloaded to fisherman from salmon farms. Dirty diesel is a possibility here if you are not careful. We recommend contacting the supplier on the island ahead of time if you require any significant quantity, only a small amount of extra fuel is kept on hand for emergencies.

The approach to the harbor is a bit complex, but nothing out of the ordinary once you have made it this far into the canals. The holding is good. It is well protected but can be gusty. The charts are accurate and multiple anchorages can be had nearby depending on the conditions. When anchoring keep clear of the ferry dock and Caribinero dock. You can also take a buoy in front of the Armada station, but this is further from the main center of town. Make sure to call the Armada on arrival and check in, likely a radio call is all that is needed, but unlike all of the other small caletas since leaving Puerto Willams, this is a true port and must be treated as such.

Walking the boardwalk is the thing to do here. It is interesting to see the repairs of old wooden fishing boats. The last Patagonian canoe maker is still here. There is an old cemetery. Day hikes, kayaking, and more remote excursions are available as touristic activities.

Fuel Contact

Convenience/Liquor Store Contact

Grocery Contact

Alternative Fuel Contact

Navimag Ferry Link

25. Caleta Sabauda

This anchorage is protected from all winds and offers a small cove which you can back into and 4 point shore tie plus anchor or a larger area which you can swing at anchor. When we were here we shared the anchorage with S/V Artemis, who has shared their drone shots with us. The entry is easy. In the small caleta with shore ties, beware of rocks on the eastern which will be visible at low water. This is an excellent heavy weather anchorage if needing a place to wait out a big system funneling winds from the north.

default

26. Caleta Yvonne

The canals widen a bit at this point and Caleta Yvonne is on the east side after passing the sunken ship mid channel. A note on the ship, it can be approached closely and one could like dock on its port side in very calm conditions, beware of entering it though as the Armada has shelled it as target practice. We anchored in the western part of the small bay while waiting for a weather window to cross Gulfo de Penas. The entry to Caleta Yvonne is fairly simple, we backed in and shore tied here with two lines astern.

*Gulfo de Penas* (Gulf of Sorrows)

A note about Gulfo de Penas. Be prepared in this area. We found this crossing to be a challenge. We had to wait almost one week before making this crossing due to strong conditions offshore. Even large ships find trouble here and the waves and current can push you up against a dangrous lee shore. It is perhaps an even greater challenge than rounding Cape Horn, and the local Chileans speak of this area with great respect. We chose to use a weather window which presented a strong but dying south wind as the crossing from anchorage to anchorage took just over 24 hours. This brought large southern ocean waves up the coast. Great for fast sailing, but for those which may get seasick be prepared for this as it is a dramatic change in sea state from inside the canals.

27. Caleta Mariuccia

We are now north of Gulfo De Penas. This anchorage is a little off the beaten path and hard to spot, but an excellent place. Fresh water is available from a small waterfall. There are three places to anchor. The first is a small caleta with a fishermans line which one could side tie to, we didn’t try this as we could see some rocks in the area. The second is the possibility to swing at anchor in the bay, which is what our friends on SV Artemis chose to do when they joined us here. The third is a small caleta in the northern portion which affords great protection. The small caleta has a fishermans line, which we stern tied to and strung out 4 shore lines to securely lock in. We took some dinghy excursions here to explore the area in more depth, finding a large stream on a small beach across the main channel as well as some other small caletas which sea lions called home. Keep in mind the canal approaching this caleta is uncharted and there are a few small rocks which could present a danger but are easily avoided. Keep a bow watch just in case.

28. Caleta Vidal

This is a wide bay with a nice sand bottom which allows for many mooring options. The charts for this bay are good. We chose to swing at anchor as a fishing boat from the local salmon farm had occupied the smaller caleta which was strung across with fisherman mooring lines. It provided a place to get fresh water as well as a nice beach to walk.

29. Puerto Aguirre

Puerto Aguiree will be the first available marina dock between Puerto Williams and Puerto Montt. It is the southernmost true marina floating dock in Chile. It is small, with only up to 8 spaces available depending on the size of the boats it is hosting at the time. If there is a large yacht or a catamaran or two it could be completely full. Strong winds usually come from the North here, and the large fishing and Navy dock protects the Marina.

When we arrived the Navy asked that we visit their office to check in, it was a short walk away and we were greeted with smiles.

Fuel can be purchased here, but be prepared to use jerry cans and pay in cash. There are limited stores for groceries, but the bare minimums can be easily purchased here. There are not much in the way of restaurants, and those that are listed as such on google may offer some “extra” services, if you know what I mean. Let’s just leave it at that. When we were there, there was a good mechanic and welder who used to work as an engineer for the Navy, but most services are centered around the local fishing fleet.

There is a wonderful nature reserve and park with a gorgeous walk, this is a can’t miss if stopping here. There is also a nice hike to a lookout atop the island with brilliant 360 views.

The manager at Puerto Aguiree Marina, Jaime, was a wonderful and helpful host. He speaks some English and is very helpful. He has a boat of his own and takes great care for the yachts there. Crew changes are possible here, some friends also left their boat long term and flew home for some time with good results. Jaime may be able to arrange for any additional needs you have while there.

WhatsApp for Jaime at the Marina

Website for Marina

30. Caleta Olea

This is a wonderful stop on a small island just north of Puerto Aguirre, just before the channel widens again. Be aware of rocks on your port side when entering that only show at low water. There is room for multiple boats here, and when we were there a local fishing boat joined us. We anchored in the sand bottom and tide stern to with two lines, and put out a third line from the bow to the small point for extra security as srong winds were forecast. Some small waves and wind did filter in during a period of heavy weather, but nothing that was overly disturbing when strongly anchored. The fishing boat that joined us was able to tie bow to stern across the bay. There is a small hiking trail which leads from the beach where you can walk through to see the channel on the other side, and further to a fishermans house in another smaller caleta.

One note here, on the beach we did find lots of trash from the local salmon farms. Everything from plastic pipes and ropes to batteries. It was a sad reminder that we were one again becoming closer to civilization as we proceeded northward. It has been reported to us that the island has been purchased by a salmon farm and the fisherman’s house is no longer inhabited.

31. Caleta Brooks

This caleta is tucked into a small seno which leads between islands. We anchored and tied two lines to shore just to the SE of the waterfall. Beware of water pipes with floating ropes in front of the waterfall which could become entangled in your prop, they are hard to see. You can use these to haul up a pipe and bring fresh water aboard though as the fishing boats do here. There are some small areas to explore on shore and it is possible but difficult to climb a bit up the waterfall.

Roxy was keen on a creature here, and we had a visitor on deck during the night. A marmot type animal which climbed our anchor chain and explored our boat and decided to hide out underneath our dodger. Roxy awoke us to this and Curtis decided to turn the lights on and stick his head out the companionway to have a look around, startling the creature which jumped over his head and scurried off the back of the boat and into the water. We could see him/her swimming in the water around the boat afterward, likely just as startled as we were!

We explored this fjord completely with the boat, but beware of uncharted large rocks and shallow areas. A bow watch is an absolute must if attempting to go deeper into this fjord and passing through to the other channel. A small caleta with fisherman’s lines is on the other side, but we found anchoring here too risky as it was required to pass over some shallow and quite large rocky areas to enter it.

32. Isla Jechica

This is a highly reccomended stop on the trip! It is a beautiful sail deep into the island where the small marina is located. We were greeted by the two lone caretakes, a father and son from Columbia who kept the place during the winter. The luxurious resort facilities were wonderful though closed for the winter. Showers, cabanas (small rental houses), beautiful bar, restaurant, and HOT TUBS!

As the resort was closed for the winter we were allowed to stay overnight on the dock free of charge after the caretakers obtained permission from the owners. In exchange Curtis got out the power tools to assist our new caretaker friends with some dock work and we made them a taco dinner with ground beef from our freezer, a great surprise for them as the caretakers have little resources on hand and don’t see any re-provisions for several months over the course of the winter.

The docks here are good and your anchor isn’t needed. There are wonderfully maintained walking trails on the island, the best of which allows a hike to the top of the island for a 360 view. After a long slog up the channels this place was a welcome reprieve from the boat!

We hope to visit here again!

33. Caleta Momia

This anchorage is just to the south of the small island town of Melinka. Even though rather open, it is well sheltered from waves and has an excellent sand/mud bottom which our anchor gripped tightly to. We used no shore lines here. There is another small caleta which we could tie into here, but we didn’t find the need for extra protection as we waited for southerly winds and incoming tide to cross the entrance to Gulfo Ancud and on to Chiloe.

The crossing from Melinka to Chiloe is another portion which you may see ocean conditions and is recommended only in good weather and with following wind and current.

You will begin to see an increase in ship and fishing boat traffic in this area. The islands start to become more populated as you go north and many are serviced by small roll on/off barges which crisscross the bays providing services to land owners and fish farms.

34. Puerto San Pedro

This is an excellent small but deep nook! There is a farm on shore but we did not visit as it was private. The anchorage is very deep but well protected and beautiful. We stayed here only for one night and in light winds. Several other fishing and ferry boats use this as an overnight anchorage as well, be sure to properly light your boat here at night to avoid any uncomfortable moments.

35. Estero Pellu

This island in the middle of the Gulf of Ancud is wonderful. The clear water bay is wide an easy to enter with a wonderful sand bottom. Don’t approach the shore too closely as the tides here are large and the bottom slopes gradually. It is possible to approach the docks at high water in a sailboat.

This is a great island to walk around and see the local culture. There is also a small tidal river which allows you to take a dinghy into a small lagoon in the center of the island. We would highly recommend this excursion, you could even take your sailboat through here at high water and anchor in the interior lagoon, but we wouldn’t recommend this without local knowledge or a dinghy scout.

36. Puerto Calbuco

We decided to ride a strong southerly and bypass most of Chiloe to get to Puerto Montt as our visas were expiring. We pushed passed our intended anchorage and decided to sail to Calbuco at night (we had a wonderful following breeze and were making 6 knots downwind with only the jib). This was a BIG MISTAKE! The area around Calbuco is filled with Chorito Farms (lines of buoys to grow oysters) and Salmon Farms! It is literally littered with buoys and obstructions, most of which you can not see on radar and are black, grey, or green, so almost invisible at night! Furthermore there is an immense amount of boat traffic here. Boats were zipping at high speed in the blackness in all directions, most of which did not expect a sailboat or understand our lights. We ended up using all of our running lights and turning our deck lights on as well as using a spotlight.

Through all of our racing and offshore sailing we are very confident navigating at night, this was a nightmare however and we had several close calls. Navigate this area during the day or avoid it completely by taking southern passage into Gulfo Reloncavi.

We also found all of the spots which are supposed to offer good anchorages to be filled with fish and chorito farms. The inner harbor was filled with ferry traffic and small boats. We ended up anchoring in 90 feet of water in the ship anchorage as we found it more prudent than entering the small buoy filled bays at night. Likely we could have had a better experience if we didn’t go through here in the night.

We are well adapted to night time navigation through all of our offshore sailing, racing, and exploration of new to us waters. This was a level up though!

Unfortunately we didn’t take any photos here. We arrived in the dark and left first thing in the morning.

37. Puerto Montt

Arriving in Puerto Montt you will see things have changed just a bit from the description in the Blue Book. It has grown a bit and has become much more industrialized with the main industry being salmon farms. Large ships have taken over Marina Oxean, it is no longer a place for yachts. Even getting fuel here is difficult as normally the fuel dock is filled with large fishing vessels fueling for many hours. We fueled via taxi cab and jerry cans at the Copec gas station for cars. Fuel can also be obtained in larger quantities (at least 200 liters or more) via truck brought to Club Nautico Reloncavi, where it will meet you at the travel lift dock. This has to be done at high tide and with no other boats scheduled to launch.

One thing that was awesome was upon arrival Club Nautico Reloncavi had a dock waiting for us as we messaged ahead on WhatsApp, and the dockhands and marina staff were excellent, kind, and some of the best line handlers we have seen. They are professional and will do a wonderful job helping you get settled. Don’t forget to say hello to the two friendly marina dogs and give them a pet which keep the docks clear of birds and more importantly the harbor and boat swim platforms clear of sea-lions!

Services can be had here. Most everything is available, but keep in mind, this is South America. Your selection of products may be limited, and some service providers may not have your same sense of urgency for completion of projects. It may be best to import some service providers from Valprasio or Santiago if in need of higher end race boat or fine yacht services.

Products can be bought online from Europe or the USA and shipped here. Customs can be very slow at times, so keep this in mind. We have had some items arrived on schedule via UPS, and some not. A friend had a package waiting in customs for a month. It really seems to be a roll of the dice with no specific reason for delays. Keep this in mind for timing of critical items and make sure to have all paperwork in order before shipping. The marina does a good job of receiving packages and the office staff is helpful.

We also had some good and bad experience with service providers. Some wanting to charge more than what was agreed, and some with inferior quality work that cost us more time and money to repair their damages than the service was worth. Use caution, agree on price before hand, and supervise closely. We found that Marina Sur has more “yacht focused” workers available than Club Nautico Reloncavi, the the prices are higher at the former. Both places had friendly staff. The constant flow of fishing boats heading to Marina Oxean to refuel continually rock the docks at Reloncavi, so have extra fenders and dock lines at the ready. The traffic generally slows to a halt at night, so sleeping on board is ok. Both marinas have restaurants that serve lunches only, but they are 3 courses and usually excellent at a fair price. The water is potable on the docks.

There is a good selection of Garmin, Furuno, and Raymarine parts but no B&G or Simrad. The local chandlery has most critical items, but they may not be the brand or exact type you want. It is far from the Budget Marine selection in Sint Maarten, but much better than nothing! The sailmaker there can handle most repairs and is a friendly and helpful guy, but there is only one and therefor a backlog of work. The local certified Yanmar mechanic (Lennar) is good, but he also is in great demand and scheduling can be difficult without speaking Spanish fluently on the phone. There are two large grocery stores that rival the size of any Wal-Mart in North America, Lider and Jumbo, and countless other small ones that can be used for provisioning. There are many hardware stores and specialists, we will attempt to list the ones below and detail our experience with each.

Navy, Agriculture, Immigration, and Customs are slightly more strict here than Puerto Montt. Nothing to worry about, everyone is good, but expect big city, rather than small town, treatment here, and with it a slight increase in the bureaucratic norms vs the deep south.

Sailmaker

Rigger

Boat Washing

Diver

Conclusion

This is possibly some of the most challenging sailing we have done! Going up the Patagonian canals in the winter was amazing, but difficult. The short days, cold, lack of sun, immense amounts of rain, headwinds, and adverse current makes this a tough passage. Would we do it again? We are split 50/50 on it. Kate says no way, or at least not without a boat with more insulation. Curtis says lets ride the pain train again as the experience of sailing the canals is truly amazing! We did find it well worth spending extra time in the Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, and Puerto Williams areas during the austral summer.

We are now turning south again to explore more of Patagonia during the summer. We will create more posts as we explore more areas. We can so far say though that the summer presents a much different experience. Long days, sun, solar power, and warm enough to sail at times with bare feet and short sleeves. Did we mention the thermal hot springs? Patagonia is delivering on all promises!

The post Patagonia Cruising Notes & Overall Route Guide appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Boat Heater

We survived with 3 heat sources, but we could have had some better solutions had we intended to stay longer at high latitudes. We could have made it with no heat, especially in the Austral summer, but it would not have been pleasure cruising.

Our primary heat source was a cheap Chinese forced air diesel truck heater. After an installation learning curve, this heater performed flawlessly for us throughout our trip. The 5000 model was enough to keep our boat warm enough inside but was underpowered in below-freezing temps and icy waters.

We also carried two small plug-in electric heaters (one 110v and one 220v), which we used on rare occasions at a dock. Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, Puerto Aguirre, and Puerto Montt, are the only places where plugging in is available, and prepare for unstable power supplies and long cords.

A note on wood heaters. It is possible to use a wood stove. We know of at least one sailboat in this area that does this. This is what heats all of the old fishing boats down south. There is a special type of wood in the fjords that burns when damp, but you will need to be able to identify it, and all the fishermen carry chainsaws. It does add an element of risk of a blowdown fire, which is the #1 reason for house fires in Southern Chile. As romantic as it sounds, we would stick with diesel.

Sleeping Bags

We consider a 0-degree sleeping bag for each crew member a must. We have four on board, two as spares. They are small and light to carry and make for a welcome cocoon on cold nights when it is blowing 40 and hailing outside. We also consider them important for safety. In case of injury, hypothermia, or heater failure.

There are a variety of options on the market to suit all types of different preferences and budgets. Ours are mummy type bags, but keep in mind that though warmer, they do restrict the movement of your feet just a little. Depending on how extreme your cruising will be, you may be able to compromise a bit in this area. No doubt though, a 0 degree sleeping bag of some type on board your boat in this weather is a must!

Jet Boil

You won’t find this in any cruising guide, but we loved making coffee, tea, and ramen noodles without Jet Boil camping stove while sailing in Patagonia.

The gas bottles can be found in Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, and Puerto Montt. It saves on our main stove propane supply, and lugging the larger propane (gas or gaz) for refills.

Most of all it helped keep condensation at bay. We made our coffee in the companionway with the hatch open, allowing the steam to escape the boat out of the open hatch.

Yeti Cups

We aren’t brand loyal here, consider the term Yeti used by us like Xerox for copy machines. We recommend some stainless steel vacuum double-layer mugs with sipping lids. We use these Yeti Rambler Tumbler / Coffee Mugs pretty much every day.

Not only do they stop spills on the boat, but more importantly, they keep the steam in the cups. This keeps it off of your ceiling and from raining back down on you from your through deck fasteners.

They work well for hot drinks, and they are also a stable and spill-free platform to enjoy your Chilean Carmenere red wine on a gusty evening at anchor.

Insulation

Since we touched on the topic of condensation, you are beginning to see how much of a problem it is. Our boat is not insulated (we would highly recommend an insulated boat, or installing boat insulation, if intending to spend many seasons down south) but we did take some steps to control heat loss and minimize condensation.

We used foam mats which we cut to fit our windows and hatches. We also covered two of our windows with foam and shrink-wrap tape. This was a cheap and temporary solution that worked well for us.

We would consider more foam mats inserted above our headliners and against our outer hull, especially in cabinets with little ventilation or clothing.

Most long-term boats had added a second lexan layer to the interior of their hatches and windows, making them essentially double-pane windows. For a one-time pass-through, we would say this is nice but not required. If staying for a while, it would be a good idea to do. Keep in mind though, it is important to be able to open your hatches and ports to ventilate and dry out the boat on the rare nice sunny days.

Ventilation

As one can imagine, a heater, large temperature fluctuations, condensation, and dampness are a nasty combination that can ruin the wood interior of a boat and cause mold growth.

As tempting as it is to load the boat with provisions and spare parts, don’t pack all of your cabinets so full there is no airflow. Make sure there is room for the boat to breathe.

We would encourage vents in damp lockers and bathrooms. The marine solar vents work well, but get the sealable type for extreme conditions.

Dorades are also wonderful. Our boat has 4 huge dorade vents which give the cabin excellent airflow. Don’t forget to vent your anchor locker and aft Lazerettes. This can be done by just opening the hatches on good days.

Our fans we used all the time in the Caribbean, we thought would have little use in the cold high latitude sailing climates. They came in handy to move air around the boat.

If you can’t tell by now, condensation is really the worst enemy of your boat in these parts.

Shore Ties

This may be the first thing most picture when thinking of sailing in this area, and most cruising guides cover this topic in more depth. We originally arrived hoping to buy them in South America….forget about it! Just buy your shore ties before you leave.

Mooring line reels were awesome (we only had one). We suggest buying two or having some fabricated.

Our two primary shorelines were each 100 meters long. These were 3/4 inch 3-strand polypropylene floating ropes. This worked well.

Our secondary lines (we used these for the bow) were 1/2 inch 3 strand polypropylene, each 110 meters long.

This setup worked well and seemed a good compromise of weight and strength for our boat. There were only two anchorages where we wished for more shore ties (6 ties in total) and in those instances we strung together some old Jib sheets and dock lines.

Along with our shorelines we also had 2 cables, looped at each end, for wrapping around rocks, which we used a few times and came in handy. These are easy to source locally and can serve a secondary purpose of a dinghy lock when traveling in more “civilized” areas.

Small Sails & Reefing

We were very glad to have our staysail set on an inner forestay. it was used often here. The third reef in the mainsail is also a must-have in Patagonia. We suggest addressing these items before you leave your home port, as sailmakers are few and far between in these parts.

We also had a 4th reef in our mainsail and carry a storm Jib.

We haven’t had to use each (we used the 4th reef once to test it and set the storm jib to practice and learn), as we are careful with weather routing, but we are happy to have these at the ready. Think, if we do our weather routing jobs correctly, we should never have to use these items, they are an insurance policy.

Our storm jib was made by Andy @ Evolution Sails Chicago, give him a ring and tell him the crew at Sweet Ruca sent you. He has extensive experience discussing our specific needs for high latitude sailing aboard a performance cruising sailboat. Both our 4th reef and our storm jib were sized specifically for our boat, our existing sail plan, and the conditions we would likely have to use them in (real storm conditions).

Keep in mind most “storm” sails on the mass market are normally designed for racing minimum sizes, or for wind conditions the majority of cruisers will see. In the cold air and big storms of the deep south we found things a bit different, we put together a well balanced and usable setup to allow the boat to sail well off a lee shore in sustained winds above 45 knots. https://www.evolutionsails.com/sail-lofts/usa/chicago/

Anchoring

We only used our primary anchor here, and never used a stern anchor in the fjords. We do carry a second spare anchor, just in case. There have been reports of lost anchors due to deep snags in some anchorages.

We chose an oversized Rocna  33kg anchor for our boat (the maximum size recommended by Rocna on their website, which Peter Smith personally confirmed was adequate when he saw it on the bow of our boat). We think any similar modern anchor will fit the bill as well.

Our primary anchor also has 200 feet of 10mm G4 chain, and 200 feet of nylon 5/8” 3 strand rode spliced on the tail. We are prepared to anchor in up to 200 feet of water in an emergency. Twice we anchored out in the big ship anchorages in 90-100 feet of water, and we were very glad to have this ability when needed.

Our secondary anchor is an Aluminium Fortress FX-37 anchor with 50 feet of 10mm chain and 150 feet of 5/8” nylon rode.

Lastly, get yourself a sickle or tree pruning saw to cut away any kelp that comes up on your anchor. We aren’t joking! We had so much kelp on our anchor once, our big Rocna floated in the patch of weeds! We used a small folding saw, locked at a 90 degree angle, and lashed to an extendable boat brush handle, this worked great. We also had a machete on board, which also comes in handy if you need to get through the thick brush on shore.

Jerry Cans

If southbound fuel is less of a concern, but if northbound, against the prevailing wind and current, be prepared to carry more fuel! We bought our extra cans in Uruguay and Puerto Williams, but if buying in South America be prepared for slim pickings, and don’t expect to see a Budget Marine or West Marine! Parts for yachts are hard to find. You can find some cheaper options for jerry cans than those marketed for boats, such as those containers used for bulk oil sales or industrial chemical shipments.

We wished for more built-in fuel capacity (we have 90 gallons of tankage, but would have loved another 30 built-in). Another option we have seen used is fuel bags, dedicated expandable tanks which can be strapped down on deck for extending the yachts range. We opted for standard 20 Liter (5 Gallon) jerry cans, 19 of them to be exact on board our boat! We purchased O rings for our Jerry cans to seal them better and stored them below why sailing (make sure to secure them). We aren’t a fan of cans on the deck while sailing for multiple reasons: better sailing performance, trip hazards, lines, stability.

You will need Jerry cans to shuttle fuel as fuel docks for yachts are difficult here. If you are coming from the USA, make sure not to get the EPA nozzles, as they are a real pain to fill with large boat nozzles (think buying your fuel from the same hoses as huge fishing boats) because of the little plastic piece inside. Once out of the USA, no one cares what color your jugs are.

Navigation & Weather

With the advent of Starlink, this game has changed. It worked for us throughout the fjords, and we were perhaps the first sailing yacht to go through the area with it. We did find that many of the local fisherman were using it as well.

Access to weather information is the key to a safe and fun trip here. Predictwind offshore app worked well and also allowed us to download satellite AIS which was handy.

C-Map charts were junk here, except for in the main shipping channels of the Magellan Straight and Puerto Montt.

We used mostly the iSailor app which was recommended to us by multiple Chilean Armada captains and by the Antarctic charter boat crews. We supplemented this with Navionics and Sat2Chart in OpenCPN. We didn’t touch our paper charts with the exception of Cape Horn, and that was just for nostalgic purposes.

Patagonia Cruising Guides

There is only one you need, the Bible. The Patagonia & Tierra Del Fuego Nautical Guide. Some of the information is a bit dated at this point, but for the most part, all of the anchorage information and depths are pretty spot on (we always used caution and worked slowly in uncharted waters using our depth sounder and suggest you do the same, there are keel crushing sized rocks down there).

The tide and current information was OK, but we never quite found an extremely accurate source of data for this, as even the Navy here acknowledges that the tides running between all of the small islands are too complex to forecast. The data in the two guides though gives you a good overview and we never had any problems timing the tides with a careful eye and a wrist watch.

Any others we consider supplements, many carried the Imray and the RCC guide, which have some details on a few anchorages not covered in the Bible.

Spare Parts

Getting parts in South America is a pain in the bottom! Expect a minimum of 2-3 weeks to receive anything offered online (even if you next-day air it) and sometimes up to 2 months. Just throw out any ideas of ordering what you need and getting it in a few days. Bring what you need from your home port or somewhere like St. Maarten.

Here is a short list of maintenance items to bring:

Water Pumps
Water Filters
Fuel Pump
Fuel Filters
Oil Filters
Engine Fluids (oil, trans, coolant)
Alternator
Exhaust Elbow
Engine Belts
Heater Repair Parts
Head Repair Parts
Hoses
Wire
Wire Connectors
Fuses
Rope Clutch Spares
Winch Rebuild Kit
Furler Repair Items
Mast Cars or Bearings
Sail Repair Kit
Dinghy Repair Kit
Epoxy (We like GFlex in the mixing tube)
Snatch Blocks

We didn’t use most of our spares. We did go through an engine impeller, a set of fuel filters (primary and secondary), and two oil changes (oil and filters).

We would possibly consider adding windlass spares to this list, especially if yours has some miles on it already. We suggest going to Amazon.com and creating a cart or a wishlist, searching for your needed spares, and adding them to your cart or list. Save it for later and you will always have it at hand to quickly go back and order from. This has saved us quite some time over the years.

Safety

Make sure your safety gear is up to snuff. One should have all the offshore gear already on board if venturing to these parts.

The only special item we added for safety while sailing here was immersion suits (some call them Gumby suits). This is true cold-water sailing, and help could be days away in the remote areas of the canals. We didn’t have to use them, but we were happy to have them on board.

Conclusion

As with sailing in any new place, there is always a learning curve. The bottom line is to be prepared. Don’t expect help from others, but do have the ability to help those in need. That is the way we travel and the mantra has done well for us. Safe and fun sailing to all!

Affiliate Links: Links to products in this article may contain affiliate sales links. We do this to pad our cruising kitty so that we can offer this information at no charge. By clicking the links and buying items from Amazon, we earn a small commission. In our opinion, Jeff Bezos’ yacht is plenty big, and we aren’t fans of sending more customers that way, especially over small businesses, but this way we can take a little from his boat fund and put it toward our grocery, diesel, boat maintenance, and web hosting costs we we can keep creating inspiring content for you!

The post 14 Essential Items For Outfitting Your Boat To Sail The Patagonia Fjords appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

We were not planning on coming to Brazil. Our goal was to get south and make landfall in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, but the man upstairs had other plans for us.

We had a problem with data spikes in our wind data, which of course, feeds our autopilot and steering. It is important that we sail by wind angle offshore, as it not only rides the wind shifts, it keeps us in proper line with the waves for the most part. This problem caused a big crash gybe while offshore.

Luckily the boat and people were OK. Nothing more than a few scratches, but a crash gybe in 30 knots while surfing in double digits is not a laughing matter. It has the potential to bring the mast down, roll us, or be a trip or life-ending situation offshore. It was very important that this problem was fixed at the first available opportunity.

We did as many diagnoses as we could while at sea and determined the problem was coming from the wind data at the masthead (B&G 213 MHU). This wasn’t something we could fix while at sea. We got on the sat phone and contacted our shoreside support (my brother Kyle) to find the nearest B&G dealer in South America. There was one in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and one in Ilhabela, Brasil.

Upon contacting them both it was determined that the best course of action was to go to Ilhabela, a place we had never heard of or researched. Boats were having problems entering Argentina now, as they had closed their ports again while we were at sea due to the resurgence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Brazil did not have a problem taking in boaters in need, which was excellent to hear.

We turned more westward and aimed for the coast, just north of Rio. We saw our first land in weeks near Cabo Frio after sailing through massive offshore oilfields and lots of shipping traffic. This was all cool to see but was challenging to navigate. 

We then sailed by Rio de Janeiro and Ilha Grande, as our goal was still to get our parts and keep moving south. What we found was a stunningly beautiful place. Words almost can not describe the first views we had of the rainforest meeting the sea. Amazing!

We anchored to rest a few times as we navigated along the coast. We saw quite a few fishing nets and did not want to tangle with them at night in a place where we hadn’t planned on being, had no local knowledge, and never studied the charts. 

At first, we were very intimidated and on high alert, as we had heard some scary stuff about Brazil in the press and from other travelers. I want to take this opportunity to say that we now know cruising and sailing in southern Brazil is not to be feared, but embraced. It is a wonderful place filled with kind people and a huge and vibrant sailing community. More on that later!

Checking in During Covid-19 Border Closures

Yes, we have our passports stamped, boat cleared, and are 100% checked into Brasil. Brazil was closed to Yachts though at the time, so an exception had to be made. Luckily there is a very high regard for mariners here (Ilhabela is essentially the Annapolis of Brazil) and we were accepted with open arms.

YCI required that we had Brasil paperwork to stay here, but allowed us a mooring and to get a cab to the ferry, etc. YCI was incredibly helpful and has a wonderful manager named Armando, who, lucky for us, has spent some time in England and speaks very good English. 

We communicated via Whatsapp (and also used Google translate to assist at times) with them ahead of time to determine if it would be OK. We explained that we had a problem with our autopilot and the required part was available at North Sails Brasil, in Ilhabela.

We were instructed to report to the Port Captain/Navy first by the YC. We did so. We were asked the reason and the amount of time required to fix it, which was accepted. 

Then we were told to follow the standard check-in procedures listed on Noonsite.

1. Policia Federal*

*We went to the main office in Sao Sebastiao but were told we needed to go to another place, as they do not handle Yachts at the city office. There is a special office (not listed on Google) inside the commercial port, which requires passports for ID and an electronic card for each person to be created to enter. It is quite some distance back, near the water. Just a small unmarked office in a white building. 

We are not sure we would have been able to enter this area alone, as we were escorted by a Receita Federal employee (who was also a sailor).

The Policia Federal officers did question our route and reason for entry. We showed our Predictwind Tracker. 

He asked if the autopilot was an emergency. I responded honestly and said, “In the Caribbean, it would not be an emergency, but we intend to round Cape Horn, and it is vitally important for safety with 2 people in heavy conditions as we sail south.” He agreed, then laughingly said we were crazy. He was a sailor also.

We were stamped in and given 90 days. Upon discussion, we were encouraged to see more of Brazil while we were here.

2. Receita Federal

They weren’t quite sure what to do with us and wanted us to talk to an English-speaking inspector. For that, we had to come back the next day. We were instructed to send them an email with our reason in writing. We did. They replied with an appointment time.

The next day we were asked the standard customs questions but informed we should have gone to an online link and filled out the form and printed it.

The inspector did this for us. She said the screen said she was supposed to now go to the boat. She said photos would suffice, which I showed her on my phone. Dog paperwork was reviewed and cleared also at this time Receita Federal also granted the boat 90 days to match the passport stamps.

3. Port Captain

First a discussion with Navy guards for the reason. Then escorted to the Captain’s office. A form must be filled out stating the movements. We listed a few ports we knew but explained that as this was an unplanned stop I did not review the charts beforehand. I said that I would appreciate any ability to stop on the way south for fuel and to see the country. This was granted.

Along with boat paperwork, he also asked me for my Captain’s License. I explained to him I did not have one as a US-flagged non-commercial sailboat of this size does not require a license in the USA and the licensing requirements stay with the flag. He said he still needed to see a license, so I presented my driver’s license which was accepted and photocopied.

He stamped me in. Then he was very explicit in the importance that I return to clear out before sailing out of Sao Sebastiao/Ilhabela. Which I agreed to.

I returned to the YC and the Nautical Secretary for the Yacht Club also copied all of the papers. Done!

The Paperwork Process

There is really nothing to worry about regarding paperwork in Brazil. It is very straightforward and by the book. The first time will surely take longer, especially for a non-Portuguese speaker that does not know the lay of the land. Could it be easier? Sure, but in reality, it would likely take the same amount of time and paperwork for a foreign-flagged cruiser to enter the USA.

The whole process took over a day and a half. 4 ferry rides, 4 taxi rides, and 2 ubers. The cost of transportation was the only cost (35 brl for a taxi from YC to Ferry, uber is not needed since the trip to PF downtown was not required). 

One more trip will be required to check out.

It all could be done possibly in a morning if you know where all the offices are and have the forms pre-printed and filled out. I would also suggest 3 photocopies of all documents to hand to them to expedite.

Also, one could anchor off the southern beaches of Sao Sebastio to save a bit on the taxi and ferry.

All officials were extraordinarily professional, helpful, and friendly. Especially considering my poor Portuguese and use of Google Translate. I also think it was helpful that most everyone knew someone who was a sailor or boater here.

Now what?

We have now been here for a bit, we are learning some Portuguese and will update you further about what we learn about this magnificent, diverse, and broad country. We have completed all of our required repairs and are ready to go, but it is getting late in the season, so we are weighing our options while enjoying time with our new friends here.

The post Making our First (Unscheduled) Landfall in Brazil appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Miles Sailed: 392.1

Average Speed: 7.5 knots

Min/Max Wind Speed: 4-38 knots (5-44 mph)

We made it safely from USVI to Grenada, despite catching the front end of what was to become TS Isaias (Invest92 or Depression 9 or whatever they want to call it.) We knew the storm was coming and it was time to get out of dodge, but ALL of the models were wrong. It moved much faster and much more of a westward course rather than NW.

The first 24 hours of the sail was great. Sunny, 18 knots of breeze from the ENE. All was smooth, except seeing some unexplained lights near Isla Aves (Venezuelan Island in the Caribbean Sea). Possibly 2-3 three small fishing boats, maybe fish traps, maybe ocean data buoys, but we could not see them on the radar. Lights were intermittent, did not have a steady flash period, and were white/amber, gaining in intensity and maintaining bearing. Whatever they were, they were closer than I liked, and I didn’t want to find out. Thankfully a squall came through, we went into stealth mode, and we no longer saw them afterward. We could still see the lighthouse light from Aves.

The rest of the night was uneventful other than a few wind clouds to make things exciting. We downloaded more weather reports via the sat phone. Everything was good. More fast reaching sailing and the storm predicted to maintain north of us. Kate and Roxy were re-adjusting well to the ocean motion!

As we went into the evening we could see clouds building. I was nervous as the wind had been shifting northerly more than forecasted. A telltale we were closer to the storm. The pressure was also dropping and become in line only if I sped up and shifted the models. Nervous, we tried to gather more weather data. Should have looked in more detail at the GEOS Satellite Images rather than rely on written forecasts, discussions, and gribs. According to the experts, the storm was still above us and lacked the rotation to make it a TS. I think they were wrong, both about the storm’s location but also about the wind direction/velocity.

As night fell on day two, lightening was picking up to our west. This was big. We could go faster with the spinnaker up and try to outrun, this was thought about, but it would have only lasted a few hours and gained us only a few miles before the wind increased too much.

Just about 80 miles west of St. Lucia we put in 2 reefs in the main, and two in the jib. We had plenty of room to run off. The lightning increased so much, we decided to wrap a few backup navigation devices in foil. Our big carbon rig was the only thing sticking up for 80 miles in any direction. Thankfully it wasn’t hit, despite seeing bolts hit the water around us.

I have never seen a radar screen with so much red. The storm had that freight train sound just before it hit. The radar coincided perfectly.

Max wind speed in the storm was 38.4 knots. It dumped buckets of rain. Pre-trimmed the sails and waited it out down below, put the hatch boards in, steering via autopilot remote control and instruments. We hit over 10 knots surfing waves like this, it was kind of fun in an adrenaline junky way.

After the storm, there was little wind and lots of leftover waves. Thinking we could be in a loose eye, we fired the engine up to continue to motor sail south as fast as possible, fearing being hit again by the backside and worst of the storm. This was probably a good idea.

As we moved south through the morning the wind continued to shift and build, until it was 20 knots out of the south. Head on in the direction we needed to go. We motor sailed the rest of the way in.

Check in to Grenada was easy and stress-free. Super nice people and officials. Easy and protected check-in dock. The took our temperature and presented us with a temporary check-in card for 10 days quarantine. We have to stay on the boat, we can swim, but no socializing. We are used to that by now. Anchor holding here is sketchy, but for now, it’s fine, unless there are storm conditions. It is not rolling as some suggested.

They are very well organized here. You can order just about anything you need online during Q. Pay via CC and they deliver it to the dock and you pick it up in your dinghy. In short, a great experience here so far.

Oh, and the best part, no nasal swab Covid-19 test. Just a finger prick test, similar to a blood sugar test, with instant results. This is excellent, as I am not a fan, to say the least, of someone jabbing a stick in my brain!

We hope to be productive during and catch up on a few videos before we get out and can explore the island. Please share with your friends, as we enjoy sharing this experience with others. More pics on FB.

The post Position Update: Quarantine Anchorage – St. George’s, Grenada appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

It was Friday, March 27th. We were sailing from Peter Island to a reef off of Necker Island (Sir Richard Branson’s private pad) to meet some new friends and do a bit of snorkeling. (Our friends Nils and Ashley aboard Liberty are racing sailors from the Midwest chartering their 44 Lagoon.) We are now sailing everywhere, using the diesel engine only for safety to save our diesel as marinas here are closed. The sailing conditions were perfect, 10 knots of breeze, flat-ish blue water, and no other boats about. We were reaching along under jib alone, we decided to hoist the main and make a detour to Anegada because the wind angle was perfect. A few minutes after the mainsail was up and we were dialed in on course to the next island, we heard a really loud go-fast boat behind us.

A grey cigarette boat blasted out of Leverick Bay and was headed directly at us at a high rate of speed. Must be some people are taking a quick run to Anegada also we figured until they got closer. They were zeroing in on us. I grabbed the binoculars and checked them out. We could hear them better than we could see them, but upon inspection, this boat was well equipped. As they approached, we could start to make out the blue flashing lights among the radar and FLIR cameras. Four members of the BVI customs/drug interdiction team were on board, and they looked like the meant business.

We eased off all sails and waited for them to get closer, careful to keep our hands where they could see them and not to make any sudden moves. Intimidated, we thought for sure were going to get boarded by force. They idled alongside us, asking questions about what we were doing and if we were aware of the upcoming curfew. We said we were but weren’t quite sure how it applies to us as we were in our “home” already on the boat. We had some back and forth, it turned out, they weren’t really sure how it applies to us as well. After a few conferences in the back of their boat, they came back and told us, “You need to Check Out of BVI NOW! Go directly to the post office and check out! YOU WILL COMPLY!”

Well, you don’t argue with four people in a grey boat with 1000 horsepower and guns. Yes, sir! We gybed away and set every sail we had, headed toward Sopers Hole/West End. Main, G3 Spinnaker, staysail. West End was the location of the only customs currently open to recreational vessels; unfortunately it was all the way on the other side of BVI. Looking at our GPS, our ETA was after the port would close. We would be in a catch 22 situation of “you can’t leave, but you can’t stay here” if we didn’t check out, as our visa ended before their lockdown was over and BVI requires vessels to check out. We still aren’t sure about the legality of all of this, but as I said before, I don’t argue with guys with guns.

Making things a little more stressful, the customs boat was following us. Essentially we were leading a low-speed sailboat vs. powerboat police chase. They stayed about ¼ mile to our port quarter, hovering almost like they were stalking their prey, waiting for the time limit to run out so they could arrest us. Not good. We decided we needed another option, so we tried hailing them on VHF channel 16 to ask if we could divert to Spanish Town port and visit the customs office there. No answer. After continued hails on VHF, we waved our hands at them. No dice. We then googled the customs office phone number and called them. They weren’t sure what we should do and told us to contact the boat, they also offered to wave at them as a solution. Great!

We did ‘t want to drop the kite and turn the boat 100 degrees without informing them. The last thing we wanted to do was make a surprise movement. We are trying to play this cool, remember. So how else do you hail another boat on the water? Were we left with flags and horns? We brought out the air horn, and after a few blasts, they finally called us on the radio and asked us what we wanted. They OK’ed our diversion to Spanish Town, but that was still over an hour away, and as a commercial/ferry only port, they were closing at 3:30 pm. Even worse, it was directly upwind. Another sail change to drop the staysail and unfurl the jib. Remember, we are trying to conserve as much diesel as possible in case we can’t access a marina or fuel docks are closed because of lockdowns.

We sailed into port, right up to the rocks, and dropped a sketchy anchor set in 9 feet of water. With minutes to spare, I donned my painting/fiberglassing respirator, long sleeves, gloves, shoes, and socks and shot to the beach as fast as the 5 hp Tohatsu would allow. It seems they haven’t seen too many people in the customs office with masks or respirators, the crisis hasn’t really come to full realization here in the BVI. I was laughed at, but they processed my paperwork. I explained to them that we have been on the boat since this has started and intend to keep the boat as close to a safe place as possible.

We thought we were going to have to leave the BVI immediately based on what the guys on the customs boat said. We were relieved to hear from the customs office that we could date the check out form ahead to our expected check out date when their office was closed, allowing us to stay the length of our current visa. We anchored off of The Baths for the night, catching our breath.

We woke up to a ghost town of sorts. There are a few anchored boats, mostly charter yachts with no guests and nowhere to go. No boats were moving on the water. No ferries, no cargo ships, no sailboats. A sight one doesn’t really see here. We were off today to dive the wreck of the Rhone, a popular dive spot in the BVI, which was usually swarming with tourists.

There was no one there, all the moorings were empty. We were completely by ourselves, seemingly in a very remote place. It was eerie, especially considering the story of the Rhone. It is a mail/passenger that was diverted to the BVI (Peter Island) for fuel. With an oncoming hurricane attempted to get out to sea to ride it out. The wind shifted and drove it onto the rocks, killing over 100 people in the sinking. Because of the curfew, there is no rescue, towboats, or coast guard to help here. We were diving alone, which would test our skills and confidence.

We finished off the day sailing to Norman island. There are a few boats. A large charter powerboat which seems to be moored for a hurricane, a Gunboat catamaran, and a mono-hull charter boat. We grabbed a mooring as there is no one around. We are not allowed to go on land because of the lockdown, but no-one said we can’t go swimming, sailing, and free diving. We are off to explore The Caves and the Indians today.

Cheers, from Lockdown in the BVI!

The post Ghost Town appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

December, 2019, Hatchet Bay Eleuthera, Bahamas

Part 1a

We were making our way south down the western side of Eleuthera. We checked in at Spanish Wells, stayed a night at Meeks and then made it to Hatchet Bay for a few days. It was a well-protected hurricane hole with a few local “clubs”, which are more like hole-in-the-wall bars with music that will certainly ruin your eardrums. But before we knew that we anchored as close as we could to shore near a sign that we could just make out saying ‘convenience store’. Seemed like a place we could dinghy in so we dropped anchor and set it in reverse… oh shit. Our first big oops “we’re idiots” finally came into play. As we reversed I could hear this winding sound that was not usual to the motor. As I look back I notice the fishing reel tugging as though we had caught a fish! For a moment I felt excitement until actual horror set in, realizing we had run over our own line. 

We had sailed a good five hours and trolled the line during the beautiful sunny day, but the entrance to Hatchet Bay had distracted our focus with its narrow-hilly channel and no major signs of good spots to anchor. Keep in mind that we are also seeing places for the first time and are entering with the bare minimum of a road map which is our charts. Our charts show great detail regarding the water, but not lay of the land, so to speak.

As I pointed out to Curt our plunder he held back a bit of frustration and anger and turned off the engine. The anchor was not fully set and we were in about 25 ft of water. It seemed ok with the calm, but we needed to get that fishing line off of the propeller. The water was a bit murky and it did not seem appealing. However, it was hot and a swim seemed nice, and somebody had to do it, so I volunteered to jump in. I’m not so good at holding my breath for a long time, but I managed to get the line free… that is the lines as our line cutter had done its job and sliced the line in two. Only one cut seemed fine and we still had plenty of usable line left.

Just as I finished, I was sitting on the stern trying to make sense of the mess and Curtis had gone down below to set the anchor alarm or check our depth, a colorful handmade dinghy made its way directly towards our boat. Before I continue, I must fill you in with a story from a previous anchorage…

We had anchored in Spanish Wells right near the town dock. For all we knew this was the only place to anchor and probably the only place our draft could fit (although we found out later this was not the case). We had also thought docking was too expensive (also not the case), but the winds were blowing 20-30 and we needed to officially check into the country yet. Not sure where we could dock, we dropped anchor between the narrow channel and a mooring field. We stayed here for a couple days as the wind blew out of the east giving us just enough room to fit into the “anchorage”. A catamaran and ketch were moored and we didn’t think the other balls would be deep enough for our depth or far enough from the other boats. After the ketch left, we decided to take his mooring for the night as the wind was planning on shifting and would blow our stern directly in the way of the channel. It seems not but a half an hour went by before the mooring captain, famously known just as Bandit came and grabbed our davits and knocked on our hull. I came flying out of the cockpit to see him there as he had begun to quickly and somewhat angrily speak to me. Curtis quickly picked his head out of the cockpit as well as Bandit had scolded us for anchoring outside his mooring. He said the space outside his mooring field was not a permitted anchorage. We were unsure if this was true, but if that was actually the case, why did no one ask us to move? We became a little defensive as Curt and I made short choppy sentences explaining our situation of strong winds and areas of little protection to check in, which pretty much fell on deaf ears. Eventually he asked us how many nights we planned to stay and we definitely knew at that point it would be just the one. He collected his payment and asked how our day was going. It was an odd exchange, but we were relieved it was over. The next day, we were off the mooring and onto the next place.

With this story in mind, we were not at Hatchet Bay long before being approached by a couple in a colorful dinghy. Out on deck by myself I yelled quietly for Curt that we were once again being approached. “Another mooring captain out to tell us we could not anchor here!”, I thought. Thankfully I was wrong and it was longtime Hatchet Bay visitors, Sue and Earl, coming to be our official greeters. We soon learned that they had been coming to this same spot for 20 years as it was one of their favorites. They built their own boat from a kit and have sailed it all around the Caribbean and Latin America. They were on a mooring ball that some would say they wouldn’t trust to floss their teeth with, but the protective hills of Hatchet Bay made it fairly safe. An anchored boat next to them ended up floating away and washed ashore so the holding wasn’t too good. Where we were, with our half set anchor, turned out to be good holding for us and besides, the winds had lightened and the bay was well sheltered. They invited us over to see their boat and we were excited to see a boat that had been made by the owners and successfully sailing long distances for many years. Curt and I were amazed when they said they hove-to for 40 hours before entering the Bahamas banks. (There had been a solid week of strong winds and squalls rolling through). They didn’t squeeze into Spanish Wells mooring field as we had. Even though we were interested in checking it out, we thought we’d stay in Hatchet only for a night, so if we didn’t see their boat later that day, it probably wasn’t going to happen.

Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera Bahamas

Part 2

After our debacle with the fishing line and hot midday chat with the crew of  My Bonnie, Curt and I were very desperate for some cold, local beer. The two convenience stores we found did not carry any alcohol and we were pointed in the direction of the liquor store. Curt and I ventured mapless into the abyss of neighborhood/boarded up houses/clubs/small shops. If we had been in the United States, this neighborhood might have been home to a few restless and reckless souls, but this was the Bahamas. Still, we had both never been and this was not exactly a strong tourist spot. The liquor store had a loud gangly bunch hanging out in front, of what appeared more like someone’s house. We decided to bypass it and head to the beach. 

Our thirst continued however and right next to the beach was a white concrete building with two guys at the bar and music so loud a conversation was really inconceivable. We looked at each other for a bit before my adventurous side grabbed Curt’s hand and said: “Let’s go inside”. Da club had been painted above the door of the one-room, white, concrete building. As we approached, one man got up from his seat at the bar and went behind the bar and started fiddling with a few things. The room was nearly square-like with a long bar that opened up right at the front entrance and extended to the back wall. There were no other tables or chairs and the walls were covered with posters for calendars clad with women or rapper type musicians or advertisements of liquor from four or five years ago. Against the back wall were four large black speakers, two stacked on top of two, nearly as tall as the ceiling. A TV hung in the back corner behind the bar along with a top opening refrigerator. Youtube on the TV was connected to the speakers and playing the loud music. 

The speakers blared and Curt tried to order our beers. The man and Curt had to lean in towards each other to make out what was being said. Eventually, we learned it was 3 Khaliks for $10 so we agreed to that and began to enjoy the cold refreshing beer to the loud local music. A few more local men came in and sat near the other man at the open end of the bar by the door. The bartender changed the screen to a festival where bands played and men and women in hand-made sequins and feathered costumes danced the streets. After some discussion and watching, we asked the bartender about the festival. It had taken place Christmas night and into the morning. It was Boxing Day in the Bahamas and this festival was called Junkanoo. (We later googled the significance of Boxing Day and Junkanoo in the Bahamas). To find out more about Junkanoo click here.

Being the social butterfly that he is, Curt noticed the other “original” man sitting at the bar was nearly done with a fifth of Fireball. We had partaken in this popular college type drink of cinnamon whiskey at a few parties back home and thus Curt had complimented him on his drink of choice. He responded by offering us two of the three final shots in the bottle. We reciprocated with buying him another Khalik. Next he pulled out a few cigars, and having been to Cuba, Curt was quick to compliment him on those as well. Next thing we knew we were nearly best friends with the guy. Carey was the name he offered to us, as we later found out this was his last name as is custom to offer up when meeting a new person not from the islands. Carey and his younger brother and best friend Jack asked if we wanted to join them at the next bar. We were already in an adventurous mood and accepted. 

Before we left, Carey had mentioned an older couple that frequents they bay. He knew them well (as they had been coming here for 20 years). We shared that we had just met a couple in similar detail. Carey’s face filled with excitement as he said, “let’s make a stop at me mom’s”. As it turns out, Sue and Earl were just visiting there as they became near family to the locals. The house was just around the corner from Da club and we entered in Carey’s mom’s house where many women were sitting around sharing in talk. We had just missed Sue and Earl, so we decided to be off on our way. It was a holiday and it was midafternoon and there was still a lot of bar hopping to be had, little to our knowledge. Carey, Jack, and Carey’s brother took us to the next bar a few blocks down in the little brother’s car. Another concrete building that was more of a house with a second story on top. Just like the bartender at “Da Club”, RJ was another friend of Carey’s and as Carey explained, he tries to split his time equally between the two bars. 

As you walked into RJ’s Sports bar, there were two high top circular tables directly in front of you with a small bar directly behind them. A few TV’s hung above the bar and played basketball and other sports. To our right was a worn pool table with two large paper posters on the wall behind it. One of Lebron James and the other of Steph Curry. Carey quickly brought us over more Khaliks and Curt and I gave each other a look of trying to slow down. We are both lightweights and the night was young. It was still daytime! Carey offered to play Curt in a game of pool and warned Curt that he and RJ played in tournaments together. What Carey didn’t know, was that Curt’s parents’ had a pool table in their basement. Without too many details Curt won a close game and went on to play RJ. The table was fun like any other table in a small-town bar where there is not quite enough space on one side of the table and thus a short stick is needed at times to hit from that side. Even so, Curt went on to win the second game and then retired to yet another beer. I claimed Curt’s wins were beginner’s luck and RJ and Carey played a round as Jack made conversation with a man at the bar. After billiards was done and about three rounds of beer and another round of shots, Carey took us to another friend’s house. 

This time, it was not a bar, but a house. We drove miles and miles and Curt and I knew that if we weren’t getting a ride back, it was going to be a long walk back to the boat. A homemade barbeque had been slow-roasting some meat and vegetables all day as Carey introduced us to his old chums that were having a bit of a party. We got to meet one of the Bahama’s best softball players and a few others that told us about how they know Carey. Everyone assured us we were going to get to partake in the barbeque and we could not be more excited. More beers were brought to us and we stood alongside the house along the edge of the woods (which would later end up being some of the worst mosquito bites we’ve ever had to date). It was time to eat and the first dishes were given to Curtis and I. We were strangers showing up randomly to this party! We could not accept being given the first bits of food, but alas our cries were unheard and we were given chicken and pork and corn and a shrimp alfredo pasta from inside. It was one of the best meals we’d had and the smiles on everyone’s faces added to the enjoyment of the meal. We all finished eating and Carey loaded the five us up and headed to the house of his next friend. We had passed it on the way there and were technically on our way back now. 

This house was connected to a convenience store and auto shop. It was actually very well-to-do as we could tell this was one of the wealthier families on the island. The woman of the family, whose husband had passed, had a banner made with the family’s surname in the middle surrounded by the first names of everyone in the family. When introducing herself, she pointed to her name on the banner and asked if we could read what it said. She had chosen a strong cursive font and clearly and been given some criticisms earlier. Fortunately, as a teacher with skills in reading all sorts of handwriting, I could make out that her name was Sylvia. We were offered more beer to which I successfully declined, however, Curt was not so lucky. 

As it was night now and dinner was done, we were offered leftovers and desserts. We turned down the main meal, but Carey insisted we try the guava duff. Essentially, Curt and I had no idea what we were eating but knew it was to be sweet. A piece of cake was covered in a creamy colored sauce so much so we couldn’t make out what it was. We both gobbled it right up and later I googled that it’s made of pound cake with a guava swirl topped with a rum cream sauce. I can’t wait to try and make this myself someday. Curt and I listened to Sylvia and Carey catch up on gossip and reminisce in days of yore. Behind our round table was another round table in which children and young adults of all ages playing a rather heated game of Monopoly. You could tell that a few were more into it than others. Curt and I enjoyed watching the young banker excitedly take and hand out money. We learned that Carey lived in Ft. Lauderdale now with his wife, who was back there with her family for the holidays. A few family members of Sylvia also did not live in Eleuthera. Sylvia herself lived in Florida now and her daughter lived in Nassau. Her son ran the auto parts and convenience store here in Eleuthera, where they were all from. It was a family reunion of sorts. We hugged everyone we met and said our goodbyes before getting back in the car with Carey, Jack, and the little brother. They asked if we wanted a ride back which we surely accepted. We explained the best we could which dock we were anchored near, not knowing any street names. 

Of course, connected to the convenience store at the end of that dock was another little bar. Although Curt and I were already at the end of our energy ropes, we offered to buy them some final drinks for the night as a thank you. So after a couple of beers and a last round of shots we exchanged some info, took a group photo, and parted ways. Carey would be returning to Ft. Lauderdale and Jack would return to work. After they left, the bartender, son of the bar owner, seemed a bit lonely and engaged us in conversation. We sat with him for a while, although I could barely keep my eyes open at this point. Somehow Curt managed to pull through and we chatted for an extra five minutes before stumbling back to our dinghy and to Sweet Ruca. Roxy was happy with our return and I chugged a bottle of water before falling into bed on that calm starry night. 

Hatchet Bay

Part 1b

Earl and Sue

The calmness of the bay did attract us to do a little boat work and one night planned turned into three. Two days after our day with Carey, we motored our dinghy over to the handmade boat My Bonnie where Earl and Sue accepted our somewhat surprise visit. Sue did most of the talking, which was fine as she had plenty of stories to tell of their different adventures. They shared stories about the building of the boat and people they’ve met and places they’ve gone. Curt and I discussed interviewing them for a video, but time fell short and I only managed to see them off in the morning before they went to church. Sue explained to me that they were basically honorary members at this particular church as they made it a point to go whenever they were in Hatchet Bay, and they often stayed for weeks at a time. A snagged a quick picture with the couple before heading back to the boat with Curt to leave Hatchet Bay, and all it’s little clubs and houses.

The post Tales of Sweet Ruca and the People We Meet-Eleuthera Bahamas and Mr. Carey appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

What’s it like to be a true Mainer? I still don’t know. But I will tell you that it’s all about the lobsta! We noticed pots after we sailed through the Cape Cod Canal, but it’s a whole new world when you get to Maine. The ocean is sprinkled with multi-colored and patterned buoys connected with long lines to lobster traps dangling below. Autopilot is out of the question as you enter this northeastern state. Sailing is the safer bet when traveling for when you catch a pot on your propeller it could mean a cold swim below to clear it, only IF there is no permanent damage. We had not left Narragansett Bay yet, not far from where we launched, and were getting quite antsy to explore somewhere new. We left the bay, anchored one night off of Third Beach on the east side of Newport and headed towards Maine. 

Lobsta boats!

We went straight through to Rockland, Maine, with only one stop at “Sandwich” Massachusetts on the north side of the Cape Cod Canal to refill our fuel and water tanks. We soon pushed off the docks and headed towards what would be our first night practicing our two man-shift, four hours on and four off. These shifts did not work out perfectly this way as our decision to leave so quickly did not leave us the most rested for this journey. Before the sleep could begin, we noticed four large dark figures on the horizon heading in our direction. As they drew nearer, we observed that they were four large naval ships that provided Curt and I some discussion. I suggested he slow down and go around the convoy. Suggesting to Curtis to “slow down” is like asking a fish not to swim! He radioed the ships and asked in true midwest fashion if we could just “squeeze by ya real quick”. Okay he didn’t say it quite like that, but they agreed that we could motor through two of the large vessels and before I knew it, we were on our merry way.

Motor sailing through the Cape Cod Canal

And this is truly where all the pots began. Sprinkles in the Cape soon became an impressionist painting of pots on the horizon. A combined artwork by all the lobstermen in Maine. It was tricky to navigate.

Rockland

The sun was getting lower in the sky and we lowered sails and motored around Owl’s Head looking for the best spot to anchor in the 20 knots of breeze we were seeing. Curt chose Rockland as our initial spot of landing for its many options to anchor in a variety of wind conditions. We chose a spot in the northwestern side of the little bay which at this time gave us a bit more protection from the wind. The charts suggested a muddy bottom with good holding and quite a few other anchored boats in this area gave us the confidence to drop the hook. However, we were still getting our anchoring communication of gestures down and we took a second try at our spot. Curt did quick math to make sure we had enough rode for depth and swing as the strong Maine tides were something new to us. We chose a spot between some covered rocks (from the high tides) and the mooring balls and successfully wiggled into the mud where we stayed a week completing boat projects we did not yet get to in Narragansett Bay. 

People. Perhaps the best part about Rockland was the people. I met a woman on shore that allowed me to interrupt her day by extending her morning with dog play. Roxy the dog got to play with her one adult and one puppy black labs. We discussed different harbors nearby and dog training frustrations. We were complete strangers yet friends in this moment. 

The second night of our arrival we noticed Tuesday night racing inside Owl’s head and, where there’s racing, Curt is 

soon to follow. He convinced me to dinghy into shore and stop in at their yacht club that we had found online, hoping that there might still be some racers hanging around to chat. Inside, a handful of sailors were enjoying some pizza around foldable tables and chairs and had no problems inviting us in. We stayed to chat for just a brief while and they invited us to their Maritime Education Dedication Race that coming weekend. We thought on it during the week, keeping an eye on the weather and our timeline of not wanting to stay in one place for too long. It worked out perfectly, as did the wind, providing us with ample propulsion around Penobscot Bay for the race. We took 2nd in the cruising/JAM class and brought chocolate chip cookies to the potluck/cookout where we, including Roxy, enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs off the grill. We were lucky enough to take home an engraved glass to cherish that day and the people we met.

Seal Bay-Vinalhaven Island

We got the sailing itch again and pulled up anchor to head to a new destination. We were ready to get off the grid a bit and made our way to the nearby island of Vinalhaven. There were a few anchoring options as we jib sailed through the split of the island looking at different anchorages. Curt had mentioned Seal Bay and I knew we could get there before sundown. What I did NOT know is that the tight turns around rocks combined with lobster pots would make for a difficult navigation. Add that to a pretty full anchorage at dusk and we thought maybe we had bitten off more than we could chew. We found a narrow spot we hoped would not gain too much current and plopped the anchor down amidst the mosquitos. We stayed for two days and explored the nature via dinghy and even saw a seal sitting on a rock and later, one swimming around the boat!

People. As we finished up our self-provided dinghy tour and “seal rock” we spotted a trimaran anchored just around the bend from us. We noticed a kayak departing from it and decided to motor over and inform them of the sunbathing seal. It was a man and his daughter out for a ride. We chatted briefly about the area and then he told us to get a tour of the boat while his wife was onboard waiting for him. We took him up on the offer and were impressed by the boat and its abilities. Later, we combined resources on Sweet Ruca, with us providing drinks and “Friends”, the name of the trimaran, providing snacks and games. We chatted and snacked and drank the night away. As is the cruising lifestyle, you sometimes run into friends that you haven’t met yet. 

In our usual way, we go where the wind takes us. We are familiar with the area in the form of charts, but not so much in the form of activity. Without internet access, we weren’t sure what our next adventure would be. Should we send it far east or make for a closer, more civilized port? We settled for the latter- Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert Island. 

Exploring Seal Bay

Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert Island

We sailed some 30 some odd miles from Vinalhaven Island to Southwest Harbor in somewhat foggy and light to moderate windy conditions. When we first pulled anchor it was clear, but we got a taste of true Maine weather when we lost everything but a quarter mile visibility leaving the bay. Dodging lobster pots called for full attention from both of us and autopilot became out of the question listening to lobstering boat motors behind the layers of fog. It was incredibly bright for the amount of fog and as we made it to Merchants Row we enjoyed navigating the tight islands, pots, and rocks surrounding us. We turned off the motor and let the sails breath, just in time for Curt to “oops”, he said as I heard the buoy bounce off the side of the hull. Boat speed slowed and we knew the toggle was stuck under the boat. It looked to be caught at the bottom of the rudder as Curt used a boat hook to push it down and off of Ruca. Boatspeed came back up as we exited Merchants and finally came to Mount Desert Island. We saw some beautiful views as the fog cleared and were happy there wasn’t any damage to the boat or lobster pot. 

Radar came in handy!

We decided to “vacation” and treat ourselves to a mooring at Hinckley Yacht Services for a Thursday through Sunday stay. With the comfort of the mooring we could head into town and restock on groceries, hit up West Marine for more boat projects, and order supplies to be shipped to the Marina. But first, we were starving and ready to commend our first foggy navigation in the Straights of Maine with what would be our first lobster dinner at Beal’s Lobster Pier. There we met a couple with “mobility issues”, their words, not mine. They asked if we could save them a seat next to ours. We felt fine about it, until two groups of people at separate times asked to sit at the table next to us, as it was a seat yourself restaurant. Saving seats was probably against the rules, but we held firm and had the best time talking with the couple. We discussed anchor options, old businesses, Maine terminology, and ended the night with a selfie and business card exchange.

Internet was unstable, but relatively consistent and we were able to get a few projects done, and to my surprise, laundry! Hinkley had showers with hot water and laundry! Oh happy day! We had uploaded a few posts on social media about our entrance and trip to Southwest Harbor where an old friend happen to catch the update. Curt’s phone rang on the second day of our stay and it was Thomas Beebe, originally from Traverse City, Michigan, and fellow Melges 24 racer. He had moved to Maine unbeknownst to us and got Curt’s number from a mutual friend. 

More people. Thomas and his wife,  Kristin, lived about an hour away from Southwest Harbor and offered to show us the “sites” of Mount Desert Island. Although there is a free bus, not having a car to drive made it difficult to explore the parts of the island we really wanted to see. I was eager to get hiking up the mountain and Thomas was looking for an outdoor adventure and mentioned to Curt the Precipice Trail. He mentioned that it was difficult but one of his favorite trails to do. When Curt hung up he did a quick Google search only to discover that it was considered the most difficult trail on Mount Desert Island with vertical climbs, ladder rungs, narrow ledges, and gorgeous views being the highlights of the trail. We started to question our accordance to go along, but were in dire need to stretch our legs. 

The next day we met with Thomas and Kristin on the Quietside of Mount Desert Island. We missed the bus and decided to walk two miles into town to “help” shorten their drive to us. They greeted us with fresh vegetables from their garden and a 25 minute trip to the base of the trail. We quickly shed our jackets as the cool Maine weather failed to keep us as so and we warmed up as we rose up the mountainside. We could see 360 degree views before heading back down. Thomas gave fantastic directions to multiple hikers along the trail, and soon lead us to our descent down the backside of the peak. “You don’t need to go down the same way you come up”, he informed us. Midway down the descent we came to a split-the quick way to the road or more paths back to the boulder garden and THEN to the road. We chose the more difficult return and quickly became out of breath. We all escaped unscathed except for the hornet sting on Thomas’ left ankle. We finished with a quick dinner in Bar Harbor before saying goodbye and taking the bus back to the boat. 

Thomas and Kristin live in Maine now!

More Melges 24 Friends

Curt spent the next two days and nights researching anchors for Sweet Ruca. She had a 44 lb Delta on her with 236 ft of chain road that had held pretty well. As we plan on mostly anchoring, we wanted to step up our anchor game so we could expand our anchorage options. Curt nestled in on the Rocna 33 (77lb) as our primary anchor and had it shipped to Hinckley to arrive in a few days. 

The phone rang again and another Melges 24 friend was on the other end. Him and his wife happen to have some vacation time and asked if they could join us in the next couple days in Maine. This timing worked out perfect as we needed to wait on the anchor’s arrival. They drove the 15 hour trip from Cleveland to Hinkley, helped us put on the anchor, and then sailed with us Downeast to Roque Island. This is a private island, but sailors can visit its great sandy beaches to the north and south sides. We stayed on both sides for a night before taking Nate and Diane back to their car/lives. We saw seals, ocean birds, lobster pots, waterfalls, cliffs, and a sky full of stars. Having friends on the boat so soon was such a special experience. The places that we went were some that not very many footprints take!

Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island

By this time we had made friends with the Hinkley workers who had suggested we visit Somes Sound before we depart the island. It is the only fjard (smaller fjord) on the East Coast and definitely one of the most breaktaking sails I’ve had. Rocky cliffs surround you on each side of your narrow journey down the 6 mile watery crack in the mountain. We stayed here a few days, but did not really meet any people as we were met with rain and decided to complete some boat projects. No internet made it difficult to get some other projects done, so we packed up the boat and sailed to Castine, Maine- our chosen hurricane hideout.

Castine

Castine also had some good anchoring options in its bay as we could move around if needed for different wind directions. Large enough to run if the anchor came loose and protected enough to sleep soundly through the wind and rain. The hurricane mostly missed us and did anything but put more trust in the Rocna and make us cold and wet. We anchored in a spot with spotty internet access, which we decided at this point we would take. 

Colgate 26’s racing at Maine Maritime Academy

People. In traditional Sweet Ruca fashion, we found ourselves amid a college race course on the day Hurricane Dorian brushed by us to the east. Two regattas were happening right next to our boat via Maine Maritime Academy. About 20 420s and seven or eight Colgates passed by, some displayed a bit of boat carnage as two Colgates collided and rigs went down. We managed to capture it all on video and the local college team noticed and radioed us about the footage. We exchanged information and planned to take more photos and videos of the racers the next day. 

TS State of Maine

After the weekend of racing, Monday came and we connected with the Colgate 26 racers from Maine Maritime Academy. They surprised us with some Academy swag of t-shirts and buffs and we shared our videos and photos on a flashdrive. Later, one of the sailors offered and delivered us a tour of the TS State of Maine, the Academy Ship formerly known as Tanner when it was used by the Navy.

When the tour ended, we invited skipper Thomas and a few of his friends out for a sail on Sweet Ruca. A kind and considerate bunch, I barely lifted a finger as they sailed the boat with spinnaker nearly to Belfast and back. Corinne skippered the whole 

way and enjoyed her time off of the bow of the Colgate. The night ended with pizza at Danny Murphys and a promise to stay in touch. Thomas requested we invite him for help in a passage, particularly the French Philippines. We stayed our final night in Castine before getting up early and heading out. We took the long way and swung through Belfast and Camden before dropping the hook at our original starting place- Rockland, the land of the internet. Future route planning could begin.

Leaving Maine

What does it mean to be a true Mainer? I still don’t know. Just as I still don’t know what “Tack ‘er up and dump ‘er” means. I do know that there are all types from life-long Mainers to out-of-town new Mainers. But the spirit of adventure is alive and well here. Most people have an opinion and aren’t afraid to share it. Maine is aware of what is happening in the world but their hearts are big and they’re proud of where they are from. Many youths are leaving Maine, but there is a treasure here that’s trying to hold on. While the beauty of the landscape is a cause for destination, the true treasure is the people you meet.

Sweet Ruca-My Maine Squeeze!

The post My Maine Squeeze appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.