16 May 1999 - Sunday

01.04.99 we left Puerto Natales moving northwards along the verge of the Great Patagonian Iceberg. 12.04.1999 we reached Puerto Eden. The weather was extremely unstable. We were sailing only in a daytime, our daily route from 8 to 30 Nm. We filled our container with fuel for a double price. Buying food was out of the question (a very poor fishing village).

17.04.99 we entered the Penas Bay. Just before the midnight we were caught by the heavy storm from the north which threw us 48 Nm southwards. During the following twenty four hours we managed to make up for this delay and we found ourselves 48 Mm from the Anna Pinc Bay when the second storm caught us. After 48 hours we were pushed back to the Penas Bay. From time to time the yacht got covered with big waves which kept snatching numerous things from the deck. The hull was working hard. For the whole night we were forced to pump the water out. What was more we were being drifted ashore. At the point when there was only 2,5 hours left to be shipwrecked the wind changed direction and after a few hours of strenuous sailing we found shelter at the Chico Bay nearby the station on the San Pedro Island which we had radio communication with. The staff of the station helped us to bring the fuel from Tortol (the price four times higher than normally).

23.04.99 we left for the Francisco Bay where, along with two other yachts, we waited up till May 6th for the weather to get better. The spectre of hunger which was hanging over us was staved off by the crew of the French yacht who lent us part of their supplies. 12.05.99 we arrived at Seno Aicen to get some food and fuel.

There is still 250 miles to Puerto Montt. We are leaving tomorrow. All this situation brings the schedule of the expedition in question. It is most probable that from the Hawaii we will start the returning cruise as sailing to Alaska would prolong our voyage by a year. Reaching Puerto Montt is planned for May 25th . We are going to stay there for couple of weeks to prepare the yacht for sailing across the Pacific Ocean.

Capt. Jurek Wąsowicz

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