We have finally shed our long johns and are enjoying sunny warm weather. The hatches are opened and Frannie is airing out. We have taken the storm shutters off and have stowed the storm sails. Hopefully this is not premature.

Once again, we began looking for good weather to sail the 120 miles out of Ushuaia, through the Beagle Channel and then through the dreaded Estrecho de la Maire and when we found it we had to hustle. we checked out of Ushuaia on the 18th of February and began our passage East and North. We arrived and went through the straits, notorious for overfalls, huge waves at about 5 AM. It was dark but the tide was as neutral as it ever gets (3k with us) as was the wind, southwest. We sailed through in squalls and dark clouds but all was well. This was followed by two days of rolly but good downwind sailing. I felt that we were very lucky to get these three days behind us and looked forward to moving out of the 50 degree latitudes and into the 40s. Looking at the "GRIB Files" I knew we would face some upwind days and they arrived exactly as scheduled. Frannie B plowed ahead under double reefed main and a handkerchief of a jib. No leaks! THe biggest problem perhaps was staying seated on the toilet seat which was on the uphill side of the boat. A day or two of this and things died down, other than the lumpy seas which seemed to always remain. Next on the gribs was a very strong SE wind coming from offshore. Happy that we would be once again going downwind I relaxed, but none too soon. This new wind, perhaps a Sudestata, came with a vengeance and blew 30 to 40k. Again, the seas coming out of the deep Atlantic unobstructed, climbed onto the shallow continental shelf and were confused and extremely short. Reefed down to a double-reefed jib with no main our autopilot did a lovely job through the night, although we felt pretty mch like we were in a washing machine for 18 hours. Things died down to the 20-25k range and although the seas were still unpleasant the temperature was rising and with an end in sight good humor resumed.

Yesterday at around 2 pm we took the sails down and motored into YCA, Yacht Club of Argentina, pronounced EEE-CA and are tied up to a dock. How calm it is. Spent the afternoon hosing all of the salt off and gathering what would turn out to be 7 loads of laundry. Ice cream cones for dinner. Argentinian helado is great!