L'Eau Commotion Westabout

Day 178 4pm Monday 2nd December 2019 ( UTC-4 )
A pleasant night was spent with full main and jib under a gentle Northerly with regular checkups to see we didn't accelerate into the Diego Ramirez group of Islands West South West Of Cape Horn. The plotter said all OK despite no long range visibility till suddenly at 9am the atmosphere cleared and all was revealed. They hadn't shifted of course but it is always reassuring to have the physical facts of the Islands standing out. Looking around the island of Cape Horn stood out 43 miles to the East and the whole Northern horizon was filled with the snow clad mountains of Isla Hoste , a thrilling sight in the crisp clear air. This didn't last long as what I took to be molten snow slowly settled over the land and sea but the thrill remained long after. And now to the Pacific. There is a blow forecast in a day or so and I have decided to tack up fairly close to the coast of the Beagle and Magellan Archipelagos to try to get above at least some of these strong winds which I am now doing with staysail and single reefed main and continue this to about Puerto Mont and then head more or less directly to Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, Rapa Island and Norfolk Island, all of which I have sailed to and spent many memorable days. This route could possibly be a little South of the main trade wind belt but I hope not to fall into the trap, so clearly outlined in Jim and Ivan Cornell's Sailing Atlas Of The World, of the light and variable winds to the West Of Tahiti. Last year I spent many idle days in those parts wondering why I hadn't heeded their sage counsel.
And a footnote. It is great to get all your comments and encouragement on the blog as it is my only link with the outside world being without radio or internet. It is something I really appreciate.