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.