Farewell Falkland Islands

16 January 2024

Farewell Falkland Islands

Saturday our new guests came aboard we left immediately. The weather was relatively calm, so we got along nicely at first. Until the next morning. The wind was just a little more westerly than predicted and just as hard again. The last 40 miles to our destination took us another 12 hours. That night we anchored in a bay on the northeastern tip of Saunders Island. The next morning, we sailed the last 7 miles to The Neck where everyone went ashore. Getting back on board required tight action, as by now a big swell was running around the island. And despite the higher shore, we still had breaking waves on the beach. High enough to have the dinghy full of water at once. To avoid that, we had to leave two men with immersion suits in the water to keep the bow of the boat on the waves. Then time it right, and between a few waves quickly get the people in and push the back past the breakers. That went fine. And everyone could really appreciate the visit to The Neck because in a few hours you can see 3 species of Penguins and Albatrosses there.

In the afternoon we sailed on to Death bay, arriving just after dinner. During the night the wind picked up tremendously and despite 6 lengths of chain at a depth of 12 meters, the anchor did not hold. Only when we anchored again with our second anchor added did the ship remain safely anchored. Fortunately, the wind was short-lived and, in the morning, we went ashore at Grave Cove. The place gets its name from the graves of whalers that are buried here in the period 1700 – 1800. The nature turned out to be a little less spectacular than at The Neck, but there were still a few thousand penguins on the shore. This place is only rarely visited by people and the penguins were a little shyer than at the places where more people visit

By now we are on our way to Punta Arenas. Over the next few days we have to work our way up against the westerly winds to the entrance to Magellan Strait. It looks like there will be stormy winds again on the 19th, so if possible, we will try to be in the Strait by then, so we will have fewer waves. But it’s a bit ambitious, so whether it works out we’ll see.

Jenny