The scenery of the Channels is never ends to fascinate. But after weeks of majesty and grandeur one begins to notice what is missing. In some stretches it is so wet that even most of the birds have abandoned for better climate. The sea life is more scarce with no whales and fewer dolphins and sea lions. What is remarkable in those very wet canals ( where even inside the boat water drips from every cold surfac) is the silence. The noise of the wind is dominate and almost constant but when we find a quiet spot all that can be heard, and heard everywhere, is the sounds of waterfalls, the white noise of running white water. The odd, unseen song bird might chirp but there are no crying sea gulls. Once we stop, when there are no more boat noises there is silence as there are no other living creatures but the trees, bushes and silent sea life. As we are approaching the coast of the Gulf of Penas more birds are present but the environment still will not support mammals without outside aid. Nature is alive with the atmosphere at its most energetic level. It is a very difficult place for anything to thrive in.

So we are approaching the "dreaded" Gulfo de Penas. The paths through channels are closed of by the mountains. We must sail into the open Pacific for the first time. The weather across the 60 mile gulf and around the outside of Peninsula de Tres Montes is notoriously bad and we don't want to be exposed to its fury. No one does. So we watch for a "weather window" to make the leap. A period of time where the winds and seas are moderate to light even to the point of having to motor across if we must to avoid 30 or more nots of wind and large seas. A weather window, our weather window, of almost three days duration opens tomorrow. And we are going to run for it. A 200 mile sprint. That is if the forecast is correct. We have 45 miles more of channels to drive through before the Gulf. There will be two more weather forecasts to study. And, there is a very competent light house with a competent keeper that can give us an up to date forecast as we approach. If it is the same as it stands now, 21:30 8March19, we will go. If not? Well, we will pull off to another caleta and wait. Likely that wait would only be a day as the forecast looks. The low systems approaching from the west are being delayed by the extremely strong high pressure, 1030mbs,, that is over us now. Could they be delayed even more? Could the high pressure break down and let them accelerate? Yes, either. We will watch closely but be must go. We must not miss the window if it is open.