S/Y "SARAH W. VORWERK"
USHUAIA - CAPE HORN - ANTARCTICA - USHUAIA
(4 weeks)
1. DAY USHUAIA (54°56'S / 68°06'W)
Beautiful view from the airplane across the Beagle Channel and glaciers - first
meeting of your crew at the jetty of sailing club Afasyn - transfer of luggage
to the Sarah by dinghy - storing last shopping for the coming four weeks,
paperwork to clear out - sailing along the Beagle Channel, we pass Isla de los
Lobos: Sea lions, Cormorants, light house
2. DAY HARBERTON
After having spent a quiet night at anchor we go ashore, visit the farmhouse of
the famous reverend Thomas Bridges (writer of a dictionary trying to cultivate
the original language of the Fireland Indians) - possible visit to Nathalie
Goodall’s Dolphin museum.
3. DAY SAILING EAST IN THE CHANNEL BEFORE HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS BAHIA NASSAU
We will pass Puerto Toro: southern most settlement in the world - 50 inhabitants
- If the weather is favourable, we cross Bahia Nassau, pass Cape Horn and head
out into the famous Drake Passage
4.-7. DAY DRAKE PASSAGE
Albatross and Cape Petrel join the ‘Sarah’ – Black browed and Wandering
albatross accompany us – we monitor weather by checking weather reports
frequently, using twice a day weather fax, daily gribb files and the Inmarsat
satellite system – We also maintain radio contact with the other yachts and
Antarctic weather stations - Reaching the Antarctic convergence zone: water
temperature drops from plus 5° Celsius to 1° C, polar waters with greenish
colour and lots of life and the mysterious fog, described in Captain Cook’s
bibliography - Who sees the first iceberg? – Watching out for growlers and
icebergs keep us busy
8.-9.DAY HANNAH POINT (62°39’S/60°37’W )
We made it – Relieved, we drop our reliable Bruce (anchor) - cabins get aired ,
the dinghy prepared,, all ready for the first shore visit. Hannah Point situated
at the south coast of Livingston island, has pebbled beaches and sandy slopes
perfect for exploring wildlife - Nesting Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins - Among
them two or three couples of Macaroni penguins - Elephant seals in wallow areas
- Blue Eyed Shags - Southern Giant Petrels - Kelp gulls and Skuas - Climbing the
ridges, beautiful view over to Deception island - At times a Whale blow is
visible - Beautiful icebergs float by
10. DAY DECEPTION ISLAND
Spectacular sailing through the entrance into the “crater“ of Deception Island -
walks along the shorelines in Pendulum Cove - Whalers Bay - if weather
conditions are right, who dares to bath in the hot thermal waters on the
“steaming“ shoreline ? Hike to Bailey’s Head possible, with a visit to one of
the biggest Chinstrap Colonies on the Peninsula.
11. DAY CAPE HERSCHEL( 64°10S / 61°04 W )
Sailing through Bransfield Strait - having a peak into Cierva Cove crammed with
spectacular icebergs on the southern side of Cape Herschel
12. DAY PARADISE BAY (64°55S / 63°00W)
Big chance to see whales: Minke and Humpback Whales - They often come close to
the boat - Chilean station Videla might be visited, as well as some champagne
Coloured Gentoo Penguins (Colour mutation of the feathers) - Cormorant colonies
- Dinghy cruises - Incredible scenery – Leaving Paradise bay, will we see our
first Leopard seal basking in the sun on an ice floe?
13. DAY PETERMAN ISLAND (65°10S / 64°05W)
Lemaire Channel also nicknamed KODAK channel: very narrow channel with up to
1000 meter high rock faces, sometimes huge icebergs get stuck in the middle of
the channel - Peterman Island: Circumcision bay - Gentoo and Adelie penguins
nesting - Blue eyed shags - Refuge hut, historical features and scientific
activities - Maze of islands, rocks, grounded icebergs south beyond Petermann
island - Possible kayak tour
14-15. DAY VERNADSKY STATION (65°15S / 64°15W)
The passage to Vernadsky is always an adventure; ice floes, witnesses of the
Antarctic winter often make it necessary to look carefully for open water -
Impressive glacier walls, beautiful mountain tops - Vernadsky (Ukrainian base):
15 men in summer, 10 during the winter - Former English station (Faraday,
discovered with their „Daphne“ the ozone hole. Daphne keeps working and her
collected data still gets analysed in Cambridge), station members get a supply
ship twice a year only - Sauna, pub, discussions - Visit of Wordie hut (part of
British operation Tabarin, mounted in 1943) - Possibilities to: explore ice
caves, walks, climb Mt. Demaria from Cape Tuxen
16.-17. DAY PORT LOCKROY (64°55S / 63°30W)
We head north to one of the prettiest anchorages of Antarctica - Good chance to
meet another yacht or cruise ship – Beautiful view on Fife mountain range -
visit Port Lockroy (established in 1944 and operated till 1962, restored in
1996), historical site, museum under Antarctic treaty. Operated by the United
Kingdom, the only postoffice in Antarctica. There is a boatshed and a number of
artifacts on Goudier island and many Gentoo penguins. After being told to stay
at least 10 meters away from wildlife, in keeping with Antarctic Treaty
guidelines, we might be surprised, that the penguins do not stick to these
rules, but stand practically on our feet and lay their eggs on the footpath up
to the station.
Visit to Jougla Point: Gentoo penguins, Blue-eyed shags, Kelp gulls, Antarctic
terns, Skuas, Weddell seals, complete, rebuilt Whale skeleton
18. DAY PALMER STATION (64°45S / 64°00'W)
If we are lucky, we get permission to visit the American base - very different
set up than Vernadsky or Lockroy: thorough biology research - Aquarium – Krill
tanks – Exchange with scientists, base workers
19. DAY ARTHUR HARBOUR OLD PALMER (64°45S / 64°06'W)
Visit ashore; mosses - Giant petrels, beautiful view on glaciers, Elephant seals
wallowing - Visiting some of the monitored Adelie colonies, if Palmer gives
permission for that
20. DAY NEKO HARBOUR (64°50S / 62°33'W)
Located in Advord bay, named after a whaling factory ship that operated in this
region 1911-1924 and frequently moored in that protected bay, a small bay with
cobble beach. The glaciers in Neko Harbour are highly crevassed and regularly
calve, quite a spectacle - Gentoo penguins, Kelp gulls and Skua breeding area,
some species of moss, Argentine refuge hut
21. DAY CUVERVILLE ISLAND (64°41S / 62°38'W)
Island north of Errera Channel - the island is a steep sided dome, two third of
which is covered by a permanent icecap - breeders: Gentoo penguins, Kelp gulls,
Antarctic terns, Snowy sheathbills, Blue-eyed shags, Wilson’s storm petrels,
Skuas, Snow petrels, Pintado (painted) petrels - beautiful anchorage, shallow
area with loads of stranded icebergs - incredible views from the top of the
island into Errera Channel or due north into Gerlache Straight - Walks -
Refilling water tank - Last paddle in kayaks - One of the last sunsets in
Antarctica
22. DAY GERLACHE STRAIT / GAMMA ISLAND (64°20S / 63°00W)
Regularly frequented by Humpback Whales: they are inquisitive and often stay for
more than ½ hour with us, we bring the boat to a stop and let the whales spy at
the Sarah, dive under her, „play“. Who does not get enchanted being bathed in
whale spray? - Just listening to their blowing is beautiful enough, being able
to watch them feed, breach, swim is an unforgettable experience – We head for
Gamma Island, part of the Melchior islands - last opportunity for extensive
dinghy tours - Preparation for the Drake – Water tank filled up - Dinghy
deflated and packed away - Storm jib set - Lee cloth engaged – Sea legs prepared
23.-27. DAY DRAKE PASSAGE
We should see the passage with different eyes now; it’s all that much more
familiar - Sea birds accompany us again - We head for Cape Horn - How beautiful
to see this cliff face again, scent of bushes, flowers in the air, impressive
how the swell brakes on the rocks - No wonder this Cape has so many mysteries
written about it - Tired, but happy we continue our journey north towards the
Beagle Channel
28. DAY USHUAIA (54°56'S / 68°06'W)
Heading west towards Ushuaia dolphins welcome us back - Last sail across the
Beagle - Sarah’s sturdy mooring awaits us already - Packing - Paperwork for
arrival of the boat with the Argentine authorities - Farewells
