Passing Through the Straits of Le Maire

Positions:
12/04/06 0900 UTC 52 45.471S, 66 08.115W
12/04/06 2100 UTC 53 37.157S, 65 41.624W
12/05/06 0900 UTC 54 35.596S, 64 51.901W

We are currently passing through the Straits of Le Maire, leaving the Atlantic Ocean and entering the Pacific Ocean. Hard to believe that we are finally here. We've had good weather most of the way down the Patagonia coast, though light winds required lots of motoring.

We will soon be entering the Beagle Canal, on our way to Ushuaia, Argentina's claim to the most Southern city in the world. Chile makes the same cliam for the settlement of Puerto Williams.

Now starts a new journey through the Chilean canals north to the city of Puerta Montt, Chile. We do not expect to reach Puerto Montt until June or July 2008.

80K From the Strait of Magellan

Positions
12/02/06 2100 UTC 49 53.536S, 65 58.435W
12/03/06 0900 UTC 50 39.650S, 66 51.314W
12/03/06 2100 UTC 51 44.190S, 66 33.141W

Winds died last night and we began motoring at 12:30am. Finally got a light NE breeze and began sailing at 1:00pm but once again the winds have died and starting motoring again at 5:00pm. Expect this to be the pattern for the next couple of days. We don't want to complain about the lack of wind because the opposite could be true and we could be hove-to in 40k winds. So we are happily taking what we get.

We're 80k from the Strait of Magellan and 180k to the Straits of Le Maire.