14.02.07 – Caleta Punta Porvenir

AguirreRefugio006Leaving Aguirre we turned north into the broad canal. Cheerful little fishing boats everywhere. With one of them we exchanged 4 beers for a big, slimy pink congrillo which made for a rubbery meal. Hobby-horsed into a fresh northerly along the w shore of Isla Canalad before turning out of Canal Moraleda into Canal Frodden via Canal Salqueman. Anchored behind Isla Wegney in delightful Caleta Punta Porvenir. A white sandy beach, high noisy waterfall and misty mountains.

But what a bleak, unsettled, anxious night we had. Strong westerly squalls and heavy rain lay us over repeatedly. Constant anchor watch. Visibility nil, despite an astonishing luminescence with ghostly whitecaps. The sounder gave cold comfort as the depth increased from 18 to 27 metres at 2.30 am (high tide, plus 100 m drag to the east). We had almost no room behind us. The cold dawn was warmly welcomed. We had held well, but the rocky islets were only 50 metres away.

By 10 am breeze had subsided considerably and at 1500 we upped and awayed into a cold rainy day. 15 knots of W breeze and barometer shooting up. A civil VHF exchange with an Armada patrol boat At 2100 we anchored in Puerto Refugio in no wind at all, among monstrous, brooding granite peaks. Waterfalls all round us.

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