Sir Ernst Expedition

Wednesday 19th January 2022. Sir Ernst has been back out at sea since Monday 18:00. The departure was like the arrival – rock n’ roll!

While pulling up the chain on a low tide, we noticed that the rocks were very close. And Sir Ernst took the liberty of letting her keel touch the bottom of this bay…

The tension abated once the bow was pointing out to sea and open water. And as if to wish us bonne voyage, the Commerson dolphins reappeared to caress the bow.

We have made the decision to moor at Isla de los Estados near the lighthouse at the end of the world, so dear to Jules Verne.

Our ETA is Thursday afternoon (20th January).

 

 

We left Punta del Este ten days ago, which was how long we thought it would take to get to Ushuaia. However, there are still five days at sea and the yacht’s store is starting to look seriously bare. We will have to be doubly creative to satisfy the crew’s bigger appetites due to the cold. No question of finding freeze-dried meals or other processed foods on Sir Ernst. On board we cook and cultivate that famous art de vivre la mer!

We pass the Strait of Magellan abeam around 30NM. Memories of reading Stéphane Zweig’s biography, the famous navigator, fuel the discussions particularly the passages where for lack of food the crew attacked the leather in the boat.

No leather on the menu this evening, we’re having an Indian soup to warm us up and remind us how lucky we are to be here.

François,  19th January 2022 at 50° 07′ S, 65°47’ W

 

 

This evening after a gloomy day, the sun has come out and the sky is clearing, the expected lifting wind fills in and settles at 18 knots. A gift that can only come from Patagonia! Dressed warmly, we celebrate with an aperitive outside!

Fabrice