The importance of having a large crew
Joy Sailors!!
All Antarctic expeditions are different, this time we have had sun and good weather every day, this is the first time we have so many sunny days in a row. The crew of this expedition are taking an Antarctica very different from the others, on top of all this, this year it snowed more than normal and it shows, the mountains are loaded to their limit. There are more landslides than other years, the IAATO warned us of this issue, we should not approach walls or cornices, some when falling into the sea can generate large waves and this can be dangerous.
Today we have arrived at the Melchior archipelago, it is new to me, it has an Argentine Antarctic base since the early twentieth century. It is only inhabited in summer, we have it about 300 meters from our anchorage and it is practically buried under the snow.
After resting we will take a walk in the chinchorrito, we have just arrived and we have seen several whales, I want to photograph them from the auxiliary.
The return to Ushuaia begins
Tonight we start the journey back to the continent, I had to advance a little because in this area of the world the captain does not command … Who commands is the weather and I must look for the safest and most comfortable navigation for my crew.
Here on the Antarctic Peninsula, the weather is quite calm and stable but the Sea of Sickles is something else… The low pressures pass very quickly, the wind and the sea accelerate near the continent and if you add that the forecast you get is about 5 days ahead (which is what it could take to arrive), it is not so reliable.
It’s almost a bit more intuition than anything else, that’s why I like to win windward, in case the flies… or the winds near Hornos.
The engine and the captain
We have had a small problem with the engine, it warmed up 2 times… This is no joke, here there are no workshops or trailer or spare parts at the moment we are saving the situation, the truth that navigate with Lucas Hernádez is a guarantee, the guy always has solutions and a lot of common sense, I feel very safe with him and we make a good team, for me he has already known for a long time, he is like my nephew …
It turns out that after going round and round, both times it warmed up after stopping the boat for a few hours, however once it cooled it went perfect again for hours, thank goodness that on both occasions we realized and stopped it before reaching more…
Well, I have already talked before about the subject of nautical theories regarding repairs, you have to try them and eliminate them until you reach the solution and the explanation, as important is to fix as to know why the breakdown was caused. After the theory of the air bubble / failure in the pump / some momentary jam in the circuit, it seems that Lucas found the solution “The thermostat” makes its own decisions and works intermittently and that we put it new about 2 months ago. We had to remove it, so it no longer cuts or opens (this can be done especially in warm waters) but here the water is less than 0 degrees and the engine does not get hot. This is not good, everyone knows that it is not good to demand engines cold because of the issue of the expansion of the different materials that make up an engine … Well, the Lucas has transformed the thermostat, he has cut it (a little) to let the water run but not all of it and we have managed to at least be tempered.
A great crew
Around here we are all very well, the crew have already told me on several occasions that their expectations have been exceeded, they have made a very good group, some are cooks and we are eating wonderfully and too much, I am getting chubby again … There is no way to lose weight…
The rest of the crew, Paula Gonzalvo and Paula Cavicchia, what could I say about them… Both are a 7 or in Spain a 10!
I’ll give you an example… When I sail, I have been a few years, and I leave the others on duty, I have always indicated that if they call me, sometimes I must insist that some believe that they are capable and do not need anything from anyone … Well in the case of the two who are captains and responsible for their guard corps, there is nothing to say about anything, I am going to sleep calmly, they solve everything perfectly, they have common sense of people with experience. For me they are the best sailing companions you can have! I mean it, I’m safer with them than with myself heh, heh …
In a few hours we set sail for the continent, it seems that we are going to make an Antarctic barbecue, Antarctic farewell party and to give the north course to the windward that we can and to continue enjoying this wonderful life …
Joy Sailors
A hug from the small Melchior archipelago
My dream, your dream stop rolling, come! and we dream it together that it is not the same to see than to do!
