End of the world...

And I don't mean that in a "virus spreading" kind of way but rather "there is no more land south" kind of way! (yeah yeah, Antartica.... Get over it you know what i mean...!)

First mooring in Puerto Deseado

Then finding some other way of leaving your boat... Always some options around if you ask nicely!

So we did end up not just stay for 24 hours this time. But we wanted to leave much earlier than we actually did. Don't get me wrong here. We were absolutely utterly and amazingly protected for the harsh southern "roaring forties" winds. And that was just amazing. But at the same time, the town was very sleepy and not very much to be done. Or rather, we didn't really take take much time doing anything. So we were merely just waiting for the winds to change, drinking wine/beers and waiting some more and then just did small choirs on the boat. Absolutely nothing special. Got to see a Penguin though so all good... really! That made the entire stay I would say. Penguins must be a good indications we're getting south. Right?

Close encounter with Penguin in Camarones

A few other penguins on the shore while leaving Puerto Deseado

Another handful of sea lions on a small cliff outside Puerto Deseado!

But then the winds changed and we planned to go past Puerto Deseado to San Juliene. Winds were looking great. We let loose of the lines and started the sail further down south. But there was just no wind. So an approx. 18hours of motor before the winds showed up. When is the motoring ever going to end...? Then during the sunset we started seeing the blow outs from whales all around the boat. Big ones as well. Not just a small dolphin squirt but rather clouds! Amazing. An amazing sunset with these huge creatures all around. Wind were slowly dying during the night and we started realize that San Juliene were just not going to happpen before the strong southerly winds were to come back....

Some of them even came to play around the boat!

But even these animals leave after a while...

So one thing worth mentioning about sailing in Argentinian waters is that you are supposed to check in with the Prefecturas (coast guard) about 1-2 times a day. They normally want to know position, speed and direction. When getting closer to the destination they also would like to know ETA. Which always is changing anyways. But yeah. That is what you need to do. If missed and ignored, HEAVY fines can be received. At first this seemed like an annoyance but it rather have been growing on me since the start. It is always nice having a chat over the VHF at times. Many times you are to far away from shore to get any replies anyways. But when it happens it is normally a good little chat. However, the English in Argentina is a little... lets call it non existing among the Prefecturas. So many of the conversations is pretty much: "Me not understanding what is said, and me trying in spanish giving information". What cannot be greater than those conversations right? But you also can get weather updates. This would be just amazing. If they were just correct. So we've had the pleasure two times of getting weather updates so far. Both times they have not really been so accurate. So most likely will not spend to much efforts getting more of those. But still. A for Efforts! Golden star for trying!

Dolphins were around at times though....

And these guys were around alot!

And a lot....

Did i mention they were around a lot...?

Albatross picture #7589....

So day two of the sail we were still not doing more speed than 2,5 knots at tops. Great right? Nah, not really. But all calm seas and warm. Crazy how much the temperatures changes around here. One second it is freezing and then the next hour you are sweating like a pig and changing to shorts and T-shirt. The same now. And while having a early morning shift i started to see the big clouds of water spraying up in the air. Way to far off in the horizon in front of us to really see anything. And also way to far away to wake the other two sleeping "beauties". But as we were crushing forward at record speed (still the 2,5 knots - So yeah, you got it! Irony!) the sprays came closer and closer. Because really. We did not get closer to them. They must have been coming our way! A quick grab of the Camera, waking the others and we were pretty much spending the rest of the ENTIRE day having whales, panda dolphins and other incredible animals all around us! There was not a single moment where we did have a chance to even reflect and gather our thoughts. "What are we actually experiencing right now?". The big animals all around us just kept on coming and as soon as we thought it was going to end, they just showed up again. And again. And again... Lets just say we all went to bed with a BIG (if not the biggest!) smiles that day. Thats for sure.

This is not even zoomed in... Just by the side of the boat...

Again and again...

Hour after hour...

But dolphins are still dolphins though...

we got to Puerto Deseado. As planned. Even if we did not really planned it at all. Even if the sail was nothing as expected (Ecounters + wind). But we got there! Even if we missed the outlet of the river by about 30min. But a small correction of course (about 180 degrees!) and we got there. Yeah yeah, I know. Shouldn't have happened. It did anyways... Lets move on!

Fishing luck returned... Salmon blanco (White salmon!)!

Deseado gave us some great mooring buoy and we were all about settling down when the unexpected happened. Low winds and good winds for 7 days. That would take us all around the horn and then to Ushuaia. So we gave it one day of hungover (Antons birthday day before!) and we started working. Not so much on the boat per se, but it is sometimes a hustle getting the things fixed that you need. Water and Diesel among all things are not always easy, or it is, but takes a loooong time! Jerry can after Jerry can and water bottle after water bottle....

I've always tried to keep all of my travelings and thoughts like a "open book" or even "naked truth"(as a reporter in Sweden once mentioned it...). That is not always so easy. What am I really to tell or not? How much is actually intresting or not? What are to be mentioned in order to keep that "red line" going through the blog or not. Is it really the truth or is it just a "vague" piece or it...? Or even for that matter, just how I, as a "writer" can make it sound as good as possibe? And many of these blogs really seem to have one thing in common. We are all pretty much so incredible stoked about doing what we've all set out to do. What we love: Seing the world. Seing new places. Meeting new cultures. We are so happy even to write about it. We want to share it. Or, we also love to share the downside which is pretty much all of those crappy occasions where the world seem to crumble apart because of a failed engine, a ripped sail or similar. We share it all. Good and bad. But at many of these blogs there is rarely, if not ever, mentioned what is sacrifices doing your dream. What is actually sacrificed you might think? It might all look like the dream. But is it really? ... It all come with it's ups and downs, like everything else I guess. A couple of weeks my Grand father passed away. I was all blown in, in a location where there would be absolutely nothing to do and not even possible to get out of there. Really when all you wanted was to be around family. It really get you to think about all people at home. What you do, just for yourself and whom is "left behind". Don´t take it the wrong way. My Grand father was my biggest fan, by far, always the most interested person in all my doings and all my idiotic things. He loved me being away, even if I might been missed at times. But he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. But still, it just make you understand, how absolutely alone and far away from family and friends you really are. You are sacrificing a lot being and doing what you really love to do. More than what sometimes is realized. By yourself or others. To be fair, I'm not even sure where I am going with all of this rambling. I just wanted to include the one person that really got me in to all of this in some kind of way. I wouldn't be able to swim without his way of teaching me how to. Or even teaching me how to just behave in a small boat. How to fish. My Brother wrote a real nice dedication to him and I couldn't agree more. But all I write seem to be a copy of that. But then again. We are brothers 2 years apart. His memories of this great man is pretty much the same as mine... and vice versa...

I guess it is the circle of life, no matter what one can think about it. But it just stinks, and are incredibly crappy when this happens and you are on the other side of the world no matter what... But at some kind of sense, I feel it is very much because of him, I really am here where I am. So I am also so incredibly grateful to have shared some time on this earth with him, even if it would have been amazing with even more.

My father said a very "trying to sound better than it is"-thing about it though. "Your grandfather wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Continue your thing. He will most likely help you out with good winds and weather in any way he can now". It was nice and all, and I didn't think to much about it. As I was to occupied thinking about my grand father... But all of that happended. The weather miraculously changed. From struggling to get a single day sailing in to have a full 7 days sail, from Deseado to Cape horn, trying to round that little petit island and getting to Ushuaia.... Weird... I just have this small tingling feeling that it might be true. What my father said... "he will be helping out from here on...."... Thank you! I really made it! I just wished I could've told you in person...

hard not to smile in these amazing views!

First view just after sunrise!

Yeah, that is just how I sail all the time. No posing or anything. To easy otherwise!

Just to the port side of the boat right now. Like all the time. Not even kidding...

Another great view coming in to the Beagle strait. The entire Argentinian coast has otherwise been so flat... Can't say the same here, ey!?

It is a shame you cannot catch the feeling you get after a long sail and get to see this...

Took a walk up the mountain. Almost died. not because of the mountain. Just haven't moved like that for days and days (yeah, i know. More like years!)

tried getting to the Glacier here. But just laid down in the grass instead...

The sail here was a interesting part as well. We've gone in no winds what so ever, motoring (que suprise...?). We've had way to much wind. We were crushing down in 25m/s downwind, full sails and butterfly up. That's when we (or at least me) realized we were in for a handful for the rest of the way! We aborted the sail around the horn, the wind might have turned around or not. We've got different updates on this. So I decided to abort and just go to Ushuaia. "just". We made it what ever to the most southern town in the world. And we did it good. And couldn't have done it any other way (was nice seeing the weather once we got into land again - right decision taken! Even if it didn't feel that way at the time....) I know I said how amazing the entrance to Rio de Janeiro was. But believe me when I say, that after a couple of cold and long days sailing to Ushuaia, the view was just mind blowing. There are no words to describe the hours we spend going through Beagel strait into Ushuaia. Mouth opening, constand on your chest, experience de luxe!

Got this bottle of Champagne(?) from an incredible lovely family in Rio grande do sul (Brazil). "Don't open it until you get to Ushuaia!" Well... HERE I AM!!

Now we've had some, I must say, intresting days in Ushuaia and soon getting ready to move on. North. Towards the warmth again and then heading west. Pacific here we come! Mike is off for a couple of days and instead we are filling the boat with Camilla and Johanna for a couple of weeks while Mike is "out of action". Will be very, very great getting some new "blood" on the boat and getting to explore the glaciers and scenery of Chile's south coast. Can't wait!

Until next update!

// Captain "cold" in Ushuaia!