December 2010 Mar del Plata / Pto. Williams
Mar de Plata is a good port in which to make all the necessary preparations for travelling south bound; The port in the city of Mar del Plata is an artificial port enclosed between two important jetties, North and South. It´s geographic location is 38º 01’00”S 57º 31’00W.
The southern sector is purely commercial by nature and has three breakwaters. The North sector has a wharf located by the Northern breakwater, 220 metres in length it is used for touristic cruise ships.
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Joined to the city of Mar del Plata by means of a paved road; Prior to the port there is a 700 metre long access channel; the yacht club, next to the submarine base protected to the South by breakwater 4; and the submarine base located to the Northwest of the port protected by a breakwater that measures 474 metres and which runs from the Northern breakwater and is reserved for the Argentinean Navy.
Navigating south along the Patagonian coast we have to be careful about getting too close to land owing to the currents the currents that run towards it. However from Rio de la Plata to the South we will navigate close to the coast due to the water being protected and to avoid the Faulklands current which runs North. In this area the wind usually comes from the West.
The storms from the East are scarce and can be foreseen well in advance. From September to June there are heavy storms from the S.E with rain, fog and very rough sea conditions. From September to June there are storms from the South East with rain, fog and rough sea conditions.
The storms from the South are very heavy and offer hardly any warning. One sign is to see large banks of black clouds coming from that direction.
When we reach the level of the Magellan Strait we will navigate with great care through the tides and currents which are very strong and head towards the Sarmiento Bank and Cape Virgenes.
If we are level with the first narrowing of the Magellan Strait and the current towards the West is beginning, we will be able to navigate for 9 hours with the current in our favour towards the city of Punta Arenas (Chile).
The current moves along at a speed of 5 – 7 knots through First Angostura and between 3 – 4 knots through the second narrowing. The tide changes between 12 mts at the Eastern exit and only 1,5 mts in the Western exit.
We can obtain information about the weather and tides at the Argentinean base of Buen Suceso on the Island of Tierra del Fuego via radio channel 16.
When we continue south there shouldn´t be strong winds accompanying us from that direction because the 3 -4 knot current whips up the sea.-
In this event, we can find shelter on the northern coast of Staten Island, for example, in Hoppner Bay, which is quite well protected.
The route south continues along the Beagle Canal to Port Williams, a small Chilean port on the north coast of the island of Navarino. There, we have to carry out all the official formalities necessary in order to go to the Antarctic.
In Port Williams, there is only a very basic infrastructure and for that reason, in order to carry out any repairs or to buy provisions for our journey, we will follow the Beagle Channel until we reach the city of Ushuaia in Argentina. This port has the best infrastructure in the area and there are also flight connections to Buenos Aires.
Everything in the world flows, without delay.
You will not enter the same river twice. Here in love´s hands, you go mad ¡submerging in the Magic of Now!
Heráclito de Efeso (544 adC - 484 adC)