1. DAY USHUAIA (54°56'S / 68°06'W)
Beautiful view from the plane across the Beagle Channel and glaciers -
we meet at the jetty of Club Nautico - you choose your bunk and get
familiar with the boat - sailing across the Beagle Channel - we pass
'Isla dos Lobos': Sea Lions and Cormorants before we arrive in Puerto
Williams, Chile (54°56'S / 67°36'W).
The wreck of the 'Micalvi' is our jetty and provides at the same time
all harbour facilities: pub and shower - here are a handful of boats
tied off already, getting ready for Antarctica, Cape Horn or just
coming down from the Chilean Channels - Yamana Indians - Martin Gusinde
Museum - last shower at Micalvi
2./3. DAY ROUNDING CAPE HORN (55°50'S / 67°18'W)
"The classic aspect of Cape Horn is the cliff face to the southern
headland. Well below its summit, the old lighthouse I saw burning back
in 1977, still stands, but shines no more below the clouds. On exposed
rocks, a mile offshore, the sea breaks heavily even on a calm day, as
the rollers coming in from the Southern Ocean pile up on shelf water,
75 miles away to the south-west."
"Cape of the ultimate challenge" - many destinies and catastrophes have
taken place here - symbol for the end of the world. - visit to the
island: Chilean navy control post - passport stamps and post - chapel -
monument - wildlife - deep tussock grass.
This will most probably be a tough day, the sea is very rough, we get
short waves, we get changing local winds, its cold and wet - we have to
fight - last radio contact with navy patrol station at 'Cabo de
Hornos', they will contact Puerto Williams and have our names
registered: we have rounded Cape Horn - the sea contains plenty of
life: Commerson- & Dusky Dolphins, Seals. Wandering Albatross,
Condors, Giant Petrels, Skuas will follow us.
We deserve a quite rest at caleta Martial.
4. DAY PUERTO TORO (55°05'S / 67°06'W)
Puerto Toro: most southern settlement of the world - fifty inhabitants
- dealing one bottle of whisky or some fruit for more than enough King
Crabs, Centollas, to feed the whole crew.
5.. DAY PUERTO WILLIAMS /USHUAIA
At the navy control post we can pick up our Cape Horn certificate - we
can make a splendid trekking up to the 'Pico de Bandera' from where we
get a tremendous view across the Beagle Channel - we exchange our
experiences with the other yachts around - yachtlife.
For the last time we sail the Beagle - back to Ushuaia
