Location 50° 45S, 74°48W
Thursday 11.29.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 50° 45S, 74° 48W at noon on November 29th. We were making our way through the Angostura Guia inbetween Canal Inocentes and Canal Sarmiento. It is still blowing out of the NW with an average speed of 15-20 knots. It is overcast, raining occasionally and not too cold. We have the fore up alone, with the engine helping a bit. There is plenty of wind to sail, but it is generally funnelling straight down the channel, which tends to make the jib useless and the main dangerous.

We have come 779 NM from Puerto Montt and have 407 to go to the Horn. The barometer is at 995 and continues to fall.

Last night we tucked behind the well-named Isla Bun in Bahia Hugh. It was perhaps 200 meters by 200 meters, with 10 meters of good mud for the anchor in the middle. I could have dropped our “Away Party” with their lines off over the bow, as almost all the shores were steep-to. The entrance carried 10 meters of water all the way through, though the trees on either side almost brushed the gunwales. The wind whistled overhead, but we barely moved all night. We toasted the Italians for finding this lovely spot for us.

Our trip since the marvelous spot last night has been immensely spiced with dolphin playing around our bow and jumping out of the waves. We believe that they are Lagenorhynchus australis, known as the Blackchin Dolphin. But the usual name in literature is Peale’s Porpoise as they were first classified by Titian Peale, who was naturalist on the USS Vincennes on the 1838-42 expedition to Patagonia. Titian Peale is an ancestor on my mother’s side.

We hope to spend tonight in the marvelously-named “Caleta Moonlight Shadow.” It is a two mile long inlet in Isla Piazzi. The isla was named by Fitzroy in 1830 in honor of Guiseppe Piazzi, the astronomer in the observatory of Palermo. At the end there is a tiny caleta, just 25 meters wide by 100 meters long.

The big news today, though, is that we have had our first knock-down. We were carrying just the fore with the wind at about 20 knots, on the port side at about 140-150 degrees relative. We had been watching a black cloud catch up to us, certainly full of rain, and we expected some more wind. We didn’t realize how much. The wind jumped to 40 knots and all was obscured by the rain and flying spume. All the crew was on deck in an instant, in full foulies, ready for anything. And it was something. The wind increased to at least 62 knots (highest noticed on the wind gauge), and shifted in an instant 40 degrees starboard, jibing the fore. She took a knockdown, burying the port rail and more, but Hannah, cool as a cucumber, eased the starboard, windward, sheet and Freddie trimmed the port. The Maggie B sat right up, responded to her Captain at the helm and took off downwind like a shot.

With steady 40-50 knots, the Maggie B was surfing at 10-12 knots, in zero visibility. We functioned perfectly as a crew. Hannah went forward as bow watch, Curtis was on the radar to help keep us in the channel, and Alden and Freddie stood by the sheets. It was wild but safe. Great credit goes to North Sails for building the fore to take such a ride.

All is well.

Location 49° 31S, 74° 26W
Wednesday 11.28.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 49° 31S, 074° 28W at noon on November 28th. We are off the northern tip of Isla Saumarez (yes, the famous English Admiral) in the Paso Abismo (no translation necessary). We are heading south under power, making 8-9 knots with the current. The wind is northerly at 15, blowing in fits and spurts out of the different intersecting fjords. It is overcast with very rare bright intervals. Rain with occasional sleet. This northerly breeze is due to continue for at least the next several days. The barometer is down to 1008 and continuing to fall.

We have come 690 NM since Puerto Montt and have 468 NM to go to the Horn.

The landscape is definitely changing. Now on the high hills there aren’t occasional waterfalls any more, often the whole hillside is a waterfall. All the hills have snow on the top, not just the distant Andes. Trees hide along the shore and in gullies. Low tundra is spread across the open slopes. The water is cold and choppy. Winds alternate from NE and NW, making sailing essentially impossible as we would be gibing every minute. If only Nigel would have let me have a proper yard!

Hannah is making good progress on sewing up or rip in the main. Curtis and I believe that we have traced the Onan generator problem to some feed restriction from the port tank. More investigation to come. Freddie is working on the verses and score to Barrett’s Privateers and painting the scenery; Alden is reading 1421 and Curtis is everywhere.

We are getting good at setting up and clearing from three point anchorages, improving every time.
Tonight we are planning on being in Bahia Hugh, tucked behind Isla Bun on Isla Figueroa, at 50° 24.2S, 074° 45.7W. The Italians describe the entrance as “delicate and difficult to find,” being encumbered with islets and submerged rocks, but once inside “a hurricane proof cove of great beauty.”

All is well.

Location 48° 59S, 74° 27W
Tuesday 11.27.2007

At noon on November 27th, the Schooner Maggie B’s noon position was at the Angostura Inglesa, 48° 59S, 74° 27W. I used to think that Angostura was a secret brew that my parents put in special alcoholic drinks. In fact, it means “narrows” in Spanish. This narrows is transited by very large ships, which must be quite wild at times. There is a tight 90 degree turn in the middle and currents run at up to eight knots. The small island at the tight turn has a statue of the Virgin, which is no surprise. After the narrows, we stopped at Puerto Eden to check in with the Armada (obligatory) and to buy whatever supplies we could. That consisted of three kilos of potatoes (US$3) and 60 liters of diesel (pesos 650/liter or about US$1.25). Sixty liters isn’t much, but that is 60 NM of steaming.

The Lieutenant at the Armada office didn’t have a secretary, so we escaped with only a long entry in a big book. He was enthusiastic and helpful. Also he had no English, so I had my first full successful technical conversation in Spanish. He had a big iron stove with a wood fire, which was very welcome.

Yesterday we motored up to the Seno Glacier. It was stunning. The incredible fractures and the deepest, lapis lazuli, blues. We stopped the engine for 1/2 hour just outside the bergy bits field and listened to the glacier crack, groan and explode. It threw off Volkswagen bus-sized pieces every few minutes. The experience was only slightly diminished by the intermittent rain and sleet.

As we circled around after the glacier, we went by a small prefab house with one resident glacier scientist. He was the first human we had seen since Bahia Dorata, several days ago. He called us on the radio and said “come my house” but there was, unfortunately, no safe anchorage.

After the glacier we motored out to Caleta Ivonne at 48deg39.8S/074deg19W. It was a spot so tight we could have tied up on all four corners with 100 meters of line and had rope left over. It was marvelous. We had captured one bergy bit at the glacier and it made for perfect ice for our Mt. Gay and Laphroaig.

Tonight (writing at 2130) we are anchored at Puerto Riofrio, named after Lieutenant Mauel Riofrio of the Chilean Schooner Covadonga, which sailed these waters in 1872. It is at 49° 11.8S, 074° 24W.

Outside, according to the GRIB files, it is blowing 35-40 knots from the NW. It was supposedly blowing 25 knots the day before yesterday when we experienced 40 knots sustained. We are SO happy to be safe in the canals with two lines ashore and the anchor out with 6 to 1 of chain. The clouds are streaming by overhead and we rarely have more than 20 knots in the anchorage, which is picture-postcard pretty.

Alden, with help from many sous-chef’s, made a stunning dinner of onions, carrots and sausages, chopped fine, wrapped in spring roll wrappers with ship-made mango sweet and spicy salsa.

We have come 664 NM from Puerto Montt and have 483 NM to go to the Horn. Perhaps we will knock off another good 100 NM.

I just paid to have our insurance restrictions eased as we will pass south of 50 degrees south tomorrow.

All is well.

Location 48° 11S, 74° 46W
Monday 11.26.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 48° 11S, 074° 46W at noon on November 26th. We were proceeding SSE down Canal Messier at 8.2 knots under reduced sail and engine, pushed by a favorable tide. We hope to make Glacier Seno by about 1700, where we may be able to spend the night, depending on wind and ice.

We have come 567 NM from Puerto Montt and have 540 NM to go to the Horn.

Last night we got what is apparently a typical Gulfo de Penas spanking. There was a proper NW’erly gale with winds sustained for a while above 40 knots. We sailed with the main with three reefs and jib, and the Maggie B handled it well. The waves were large and confused, breaking all around us, but not often on the boat. All watches got wet and cold and no stomaches were unsettled. We made the famous light at San Pedro at a little after dawn and we were as happy to see it as the lighthouse keepers were surprised to see us.
We found, or caused a one foot rip in the main between second and third reef, which seems contained and fixable on board (Hannah! Help!). During one of our reefing evolutions, one of the lines looped around the helm station Furuno display and ripped it free of its mounting. The display is fine, but the balance arm is only good for recycling.

As the wind petered out and we started the engine and the Newport Stove, we have been mostly able to dry out and warm up.
Our plan is to head in to the glacier and see if a nice cove on the north side is relatively ice free for us to stay tonight. If not, we will admire the glacier and slide back out ten miles to a snug anchorage (Caleta Yvonne) near the mouth of the fjord.

All is well.

Location 45° 49S, 74° 54W
Sunday 11.25.2007

At noon on November 25th, the Maggie B was at 45° 49S, 074° 54W. We are just on the south side of Bahia Anna Pink, making for open water. We finally have our sails up, but are still motoring as the NW’erly hasn’t come in yet. (As I write this at 1500, the wind is NW at 10-12 and we are almost ready to shut off the engine).

We have come 381 NM from Puerto Montt and the Horn is 674 NM away. The skies are clear and it is warm and sunny (for 46 degrees south in Chilean Patagonia).

We expect to reach south at good speed, passing Cape Rapier at about sundown and crossing the Gulf of Penas during the night to arrive at the mouth of the Messier Canal (Bahia Tarn) at about dawn. We plan to push on the the Seno Glacier for the night of the 26th, which should be spectacular (Position 48° 42.3S, 073° 59.3W. We are not sure where we will be able to anchor as it depends on the ice and the wind.

But spectacular €“ we are running out of adjectives. We came into Puerto Millabu about 1700 yesterday and were all just gob smacked. The hills are steep on either side – perhaps 1000-1500 feet, with the inlet fairly narrow. The fjord is about two miles long and has a wide sand beach at the end. The base of the fjord is highlighted by the Salmon river which cascades down the hill in a series of stair-step waterfalls from lakes up the side of the mountain, which is almost 3000 feet high, closing the North end of the fjord.

Our arrival was further highlighted by a swarm of small (3 inch) red crustaceans that rushed about under the boat. They looked like crayfish and traveled by snapping their tails, but the red color surprised us — it was as if they were lobsters that had already been boiled. If we had had a dip net, I believe we would have had a feast. As it was we ate marvelously: Carrot ginger soup with a garnish of cream, balsamic vinegar and spicy pepper; chicken marinated in garlic, morel mushrooms, heavy cream and red wine (Chicken Millabu); potato pancakes with lemon zest. Dessert was “After Eights.”

The generator isn’t working. It is a problem with the fuel supply which we think we have licked. Curtis is on the hunt. We suspect a physical break or kink in the supply hose. I guess that there always has to be something deviling us.

All is well.

Location 45° 43S, 74° 06W
Saturday 11.24.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 45° 43S, 074° 06W at noon on November 24th. We are motoring west towards our anchorage for tonight, Puerto Millabu, on Isla Clemente, at 45° 44.1S, 074° 36W. We should arrive early, at 1500-1600, in time for a shore expedition.

It is overcast, somewhat cold with occasional drizzle. The wind is light out of the west. We have come 336 NM since Puerto Montt and have 668 NM to go to the Horn.

Nautical twilight at dawn is now 0540 and twilight at sunset is 2158, or more than 16 hours of daylight. At the Horn, in a week, it will be about 18 hours.

Currently we are threading our way through the Islas Canquenes. We have seen two concrete markers in the 20 NM since setting out this morning. Otherwise, no boats, no houses, no nothing. It is wild and beautiful. The water is getting cold — 50F or 10C — there has been no more talk of morning dips.

Puerto Millabu is described as: “An inlet, around 2 miles long….surrounded by beautiful high mountains. The anchorage lies deep into the west side, facing a small beach with large round boulders, in 10 meters of water. The Rio Casma flows into the head of the inlet creating shoals and a nice white beach. The beautiful Cascada Salmon falls down the NW slope. Follow its course to the higher lakes for a great excursion. The highest hill is Monte Haddington, at 982 meters (3,222 ft.). The anchorage is subject to strong gusts in NW and SW winds.” (Rolfo & Ardrizzi, AKA “The Italians,” the authors of our best guide).

Last night we spotted several (or maybe just one fast one) dark weasels. One stunned us by diving into the water from a rock, and going underwater far enough so that we never saw it surface. We know that there are otters around, so perhaps we were mistaken as to the ID. Perhaps someone can advise us as to what a Chilean otter looks like. Those of us who have seen weasels/ferrets think that is what we saw.

Alden chose the perfect wake-up music this morning: The New World Symphony.

The weather still looks just right for a big sail south starting tomorrow morning. It looks like a three-four day NW’er, so we will have the possible chance to put some big miles in. The Armada wants us back inside at about 48 South, to go down the Messier Canal. We’ll see. Commanders has also been advising tucking back in around 48S as the SW swell is supposed to come up to perhaps 20 feet, which might be a handful if the wind is from the NW. The winds are supposed to start at 15 and crank up to 35 knots. We’ll reef early and be cautious. We plan to get lots of sleep tonight.

All is well.

Location 45° 10S, 73° 31W
Friday 11.23.2007

Happy Thanksgiving (yesterday). No Turkeys in Chile, but Curtis made us a lovely seafood stew with fresh salmon and abalone. At noon on November 23 we were just leaving the pier at Puerto Aguirre at 45° 10S, 073° 31W. The wind is calm and the sky is clear. It isn’t quite warm enough for shirtsleeves, but jackets are left hung up. A lovely early spring day…in the Roaring Forties.

We have come 287 NM from Puerto Montt and have 695 NM to go to the Horn.

We spent last night in a lovely cove just next to the town of Puerto Aguirre. We were totally comfortable with land all around us, and anchored in 10 meters of mud with a line ashore to a huge tree root. It was overkill for the calm conditions, but if we perfect the routine of anchoring and lines ashore now, we will be skilled when we need it.

We arrived at the pier at about 0900. Curtis had walked the 1/2 mile into town to aid our docking. It was a new cultural experience. No one had any English and our Spanish is only progressing slowly. A lieutenant from the Armada greeted us as we tied up and took me up to the Capitaneria. It was manned by the Lieutenant and a secretary. My zarpa (permission to navigate) covers us from Puerto Montt to the Horn, but the Lieutenant insisted on issuing another “updated” one. It was painful. First the secretary had to copy out by hand all the information on the Zarpa into a huge book. Then she typed out the same information into her computer, with some updates and minor clarifications of the route. Then she tried to print it, but it had to be on different paper stock than what was in her printer. She hand fed the special zarpa paper into the printer, one page at a time, having to restart the “print” on the computer between each page. Only then would the Lieutenant read it. Each mistake he found was marked and the zarpe had to be reprinted before he would read further. Then the next mistake would be found, reprinted, etc. You can imagine the incredible effort I put into being the cheerful American. Of course, once it was presented to me to sign, I found that they had laid out a geographically impossible route, and offered changes, back to what was on the original zarpa. Sigh. Three hours for what could have been done with a sixty second: “Let me look at your zarpa. Any changes? All OK? Have a nice trip!”

We left at noon from the dock, which was 20 meters from the Capitaneria. At 1300 we got a call on the radio asking for our ETD from Puerto Aguirre. We were told to report to them when and where we anchor tonight. I think that part of the problem was that we have been making our morning and evening reports of our position and intentions by email to the Armada Headquarters, but I did not radio the base at Puerto Aguirre that we were anchored in one of their coves (caletas).

We bought some minor supplies at the store in Puerto Aguirre, but were mostly interested in filling up on diesel. No diesel in town. There was a service station just 10 meters from the dock, but they had no diesel, only gasoline and kero. We were incredulous because there are many boats around that clearly had diesel engines. After a bit, a fisherman sidled up to us and said that he had diesel that he would sell at 500 pesos a liter (mainland prices!). We immediately emptied all our new jerry cans into our fuel tank and hopped in his truck with a fistful of dollars and pesos and got an additional 150 liters (enough for 150 miles) of lovely clean fuel.

According to the Armada Lieutenant in Puerto Aguirre, there is no reliable diesel between here and Puerto Willams. We’ll see. Puerto Eden supposedly has some, though generally at high prices and infrequent availability (delivery every four months). I suspect that if we are friendly with fishermen, we’ll find lots at reasonable prices. Reasonable given the situation, the compensation possibly assisted by cigarettes (we bought some Marlboros for this reason in Puerto Montt) or rum bottles. Curtis and Alden are very entrepreneurial in this way.

Tonight we will be in a tight little caleta called Jacqueline, named by a French yacht called Maris Stella. It is on Isla Humos at 45deg43.8S/073deg57.4W. Speaking of names, the Royal Cruising Club guide has the following engaging advice: “Many of the names used in this guide have been coined by yachtsmen and have no official status whatsoever. Hopefully some of the more historical ones will become recognized, as appears to be the tradition in Chile (Mischief Narrows and Tilman Island are excellent examples). The present editor has bestowed many names on anchorages: usually they have been called after vessels or people who provided information. Any users who are aware of a local name or official name for such anchorages are urged to report these for inclusion in future editions.” Perhaps we’ll discover a Caleta Maggie B?

All is well.

Location 44° 37S, 72° 44W
Thursday 11.22.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 44° 37S, 72° 44W at noon on November 22nd. The wind is light and variable, the sky overcast with occasional drizzle and rain. We are headed down Canal Puyuguapi under motor.

We have come 236 NM and have 713 NM to go to the Horn (if we could fly).

Yesterday was marvelous with the views of the snow capped mountains. Today we can’t always see the sides of the channel, but somehow it is more personal. Motorboats, large and small bustle about, tending the endless salmon farms or fishing. One boat came alongside to offer us a conger eel, but we passed on it.

Our current plan is to anchor tonight on Islas Las Huichas in Caleta Poza, near to Puerto Aguirre, at about 45° 09.5S, 073° 31W. We should arrive at about 1800. Then tomorrow morning we will tie up at the pier in the village (population 1200) and fill up on diesel and buy a little fresh food.

The weather reports still look good for a big NW’erly on Sunday and Monday to blow us south out of Bahia Anna Pink, across Golfo Penas and well down towards the Straits. The Armada wants us to go “inside” after Golfo Penas, but if we get a few days of good NW’erly, we may stay outside and put a big piece of our southing under our belts.

In yesterday’s noon report I mentioned light winds from every direction. We did get a nice fresh 35 knots at one point during the afternoon, needless to say just when we were threading our way through a very tight spot.

Last night we arrived at Bahia Dorita and picked up a mooring right off the marvelous Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa. Check their web site at
. I’m afraid that anyone who looks at photos of the lodge will feel no sympathy for us poor sailors. It is a well run five star hotel and restaurant, sited right next to a series of hot springs. So before dinner, we floated around in lovely thermal pools, temperature 38 degrees C (100 F), or in the spa, where there were five different temperature pools, including ocean water. The sauna was broken, dang! Then Pisco Sours and a world-class dinner with Chilean wines. It was just lovely.

In the morning we had a test, which we’ll share with all of you. The engine wouldn’t start. Nothing, nada. Just crank and no fire. I immediately suspected sabotage, as there certainly are worse places on the planet to be stuck, and not many better. But all the crew claimed innocence. Here are the clues: 1) we had had extensive fuel problems in Puerto Montt, with new injectors and lots of fuel drained and polished, taking out more than a liter of water and gunk. 2) But we had motored successfully for 38 hours after the engine work. 3) On inspection there was another cup of dirty water in the primary filter, but none in the secondary. 4) The oil level was down a fair ways. 5) We suspected a blocked secondary fuel filter and changed it. Still wouldn’t start. 6) When the fuel supply lines to the injectors were opened, proper amounts of fuel came out. 7) The engine had been working perfectly coming in to the anchorage, but was totally dead. Hmmmmm. Answer at bottom.

Alden, Curtis and Freddie want credit recorded for their dips in the cold ocean the day before yesterday when we were anchored in Bahia Anihue. So be it. Hannah and I watched and photographed.

With help from my brother Ed, and his dolphin and porpoise contacts, we have ID’ed the dolphins we saw two days ago as Cephalorhynchus eutropia, the Chilean dolphin, a “relatively rare species.”

Engine Quiz Answer is: “The ‘Off button’ corroded and was stuck in. Once WD-40′ed, all was fine.”

All is well.

Location 44° 07S, 73° 17W
Wednesday 11.21.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 44° 07S, 073° 17W at noon on November 21st. We were navigating out of the incredibly beautiful Canal Refugio, where a ship called the Anna (she was properly called a “pink,” hence Bahia Anna Pink) took refuge in 1741 after having been dismasted off the Horn. The wind has been from the north, west, south and east, and calm. The sun is bright and the sky is clear. The barometer has fallen 15 millibars since setting out on Monday.

We spent last night in a lovely spot called Bahia Anihue or Bahia Islas, in an unnamed harbor. Our anchor was out ahead in 8-9 meters of water and astern we tied to a tree with about 100 meters of dock line. We had no swinging room to our starboard and a small island was about 10 meters in front of our anchor. Despite some current (3-4 meters tide) through the harbor, we spent a perfect night. A small pod of active dolphin met us and played close around the boat. They were small in size, like a US harbor porpoise, but had a quite different dorsal fin, quite rounded and relatively soft.

We are briefly out in the big Canal Moraleda, in a maze of fishing bouys, and then we are tucking into the narrow Canal Jacaf. Canal Jacaf will take us to Canal Puguguapi, then Seno Ventisquero and finally Bahia Dorita (44° 24.9S, 072° 38.6W). In Bahia Dorta there is a five star hotel with a series of thermal pools. We have a reservation for dinner at 2030 tonight.

Our new Spanish dictionary includes: Seno=sound; Canal=channel; bahia=bay; cabo=cape; boca=mouth; caleta=cove; goleta=schooner; punta=point or cape; faro=lighthouse; racha=williwaw; velero=sailing yacht; zarpe=permit to navigate.

It is hard to describe how beautiful it is here with the almost deserted green shore with the snow capped Andes as backdrop. Those of us who know and love Maine, Tasmania, Newfoundland and New Zealand are still searching for new superlatives.

Hannah and Alden are both knitters. We bought some lovely yarn in Puerto Montt. Alden can only knit hats and Hannah can only knit scarves. The rest of us are looking forward to hat and scarves and we are also wondering if they get together, perhaps there’ll be a sweater in it somewhere.

This area is a bit of a nightmare for the Navigator. While it is exciting to discover, the charts are sketchy, if marked at all. Every bay, channel, sound, or cove has a different name on every chart, if it is named at all. Depths are infrequently recorded, and will have 45 feet right next to 774. The general rule is to look out for kelp, which marks 30 feet, or maybe zero. On top of all this, the Armada (the Chilean Navy) has changed the position of things, presumably to make invading Argentineans run aground. Sigh.

Hot baths and great food tonight!

All is well.

Location 43° 10S, 73° 05W
Tuesday 11.20.2007

At noon on November 20th, the Schooner Maggie B was at 43° 10S, 073° 05W. We were powering at 6.8 knots, headed south. The wind is from the south at 18 knots. We are crossing the Golfo Corcovado, en route to the Canal Moraleda. We plan to spend tonight at anchor in the Bahia Anihue, main anchor out and a line to a tree on shore.

We have come 105 miles since leaving Puerto Montt at 1715 yesterday, and have 796 NM (as the condor flies) to the Horn.

The Chonos Archipelago protects this area from the ocean. Hundreds and hundreds of islands run from about 44S to 46S. Canal Moraleda is a deep channel separating the Chonos from the mainland. Our general plan is to explore and play in this area until Sunday morning (November 25th), when we will emerge “outside,” hopefully into a nice NW’erly, which will blow us south efficiently. Between now and Sunday, the wind is forecast to be from the South, at speeds up to 40 knots. A good time to hunker down.

Tonight we hope to visit with the Szydlowski family in Bahia Anihue. The family is Chilean/American and are great supporters of the yachting fraternity. They have extensive holdings in the area where we will be anchoring ( 43° 52.3S, 73° 02.4W). We hope to show anyone interested around the Maggie B and hopefully get a visit ashore.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we plan to deviate (by necessity?) from our Zarpa a bit to east to the Canal Puyaguapi, to visit a five star hotel and hot springs called Bahia Dorada or Dorita. Thursday? We’ll see what we learn.

Today is lovely and clear, even with the unfavorable wind. The excitement after lunch was a new and not nice sound from the rear of the engine compartment. On inspection, it turned out that the stuffing box had lost its lubrication and was almost ready to ignite. We stopped the engine, tightened bolts, blew out the water supply line (it is a “dripless” system), and, after a while to cool, all is well.

East of us is a series of National Parks. There is just one stunning snow-capped mountain after another. This morning the perfectly-shaped pyramid of Mt. Nevado in Parque Nacional Corcovado emerged first out of the low morning fog like a Japanese dream of Mt. Fuji. It looks as if tonight we will be anchored under Mt. Melimoyo.

All is well.