Cape Horn - Chilean Fjords
After a morning spent in Ushuaia
we will sail toward the East for an afternoon of down wind navigation
to Puerto
Williams , a chilian navy base, where we will have our passport
checked by the Chilean customs. We will need about 2 days of navigation
to get out of the Beagle Canal, cross the Nassau Bay often exposed
to strong winds and reach the Wolaston archipelago, just north of Cape Horn
island.
Back in the Beagle Canal, we will then sail (motor)
against the prevailing winds, towards the West, to a succession
of fjords and glaciers surounded by the ever lasting snow covered summits of
the Darwin cordillera.
If it is a beautiful day, with a good visibility,
then you will have a fantastic and unforgettable sight... Moreover,
you will marvel at the feeling of purity that releases itself from this
natural sanctuary.
14 days cruise from Ushuaia to Ushuaia
lst day : Crossing of the Beagle Canal to reach Puerto Williams.
This naval Chilean base deliver the entry to Chili and the Fuegean
Canals . Distance 25 nautical miles.
2nd day : departure of Puerto Williams. Sailing
East toward the end of the Beagle Canal, and then South through
the Paso Picton (between Navarino Island and Picton Island). Calling
at Puerto Toro for the night.
3rd day : Sailing South to cross the Nassau Bay
and reach the South of Wollaston Island, mooring at Caleta Martial
(Herschel Island) for the night. Distance: 35 miles.
4th day : Sailing through the Franklin Canal,
between Wollaston and Herschel Island, we will pass the famous Cap
Horn around midday with chapain . Weather permiting, we will anchor
at the South East of Cap Horn island the Chilean navy's camp and then
land to visit the chilian navy base. This chilian family always makes
us welcome and you may sign the visitors book, get your passeport stamped
by the local post office and visit the church and the monument to the
memory of all the sailors who died around this infamous cape. We will
then sail 12 miles back to the very sheltered anchorage of Caleta
Martial.
5th day : Crossing of Nassau Bay and back to Puerto
Toro or Caleta Banner (North coast of Picton Island) . Distance:
35 or 53 miles.
6 th day : Back to the Micalvi bar, at Puerto
Williams.
7th and 8th day : departure from Puerto Williams
to the Darwin Cordillera; We will anchor for the night where allowed
by the Chilian authority.
9th, 10th, 11th day: Sailing the north west branch
of the Beagle Canal. Anchorage near the entrance of Garibaldi Seno.
12th day : motoring up the Garibaldi Seno
until the front of the Glaciers (distance 10 miles). Mooring at
Caleta Olla, an old indian camp site.
13th, 14th day : Back to Puerto Williams and
Ushuaia via the south west arm of Gordon island.
Period : November to May
Best weather : In summer, from December to March:
temperature from 10 to 20 degrees celcius , variable and unstable
weather, possibility of strong wind. During autumn : from April to
June, temperature from 0 to 15 degrees celcius, weather more stable.
Interest : Rounding of the Cape Horn, the wild
splendor of the Patagonian Cannals and Chilian Glaciers.
Difficulty
: The canals are protected from the swell and strong wind, but
the day sailing around Cape Horn can be tough.
SAILING OUT OF BONDS WITH SKIPPER ERIC BARDE
Eric Barde, swiss citizen born in 1959, has first graduate in Philosophy before sailing single handed his first boat THEOROS in the austral ocean for five years.
He is the first unprofessional to reach both antarctic peninsula (1990) and South Georgia (1991) with such a small yacht (7.80 meters).
Since 1997, Eric shares his passion for the white wilderness, taking guests on board PHILOS, a steel schooner specially built for ice navigation.
He speaks english, french, german, spanish and portugese.
Philos is not a fast racer, because of
her weight, but she can handle any storm. This Damien II type sailing boat has been specially
designed and built for the french sailors Jérôme Poncet and Gérard Janichon
after their first ice navigation, in the seventies. These yachts have been
sucessfully used since 25 years in extreme sailing. Her strong rounded
hull escapes from the tremendous pression of the fast ice. In fact she's
the perfect boat to overwinter in the ice. Her moderate size alows her to come very close
to any icebergs, whales, birds, seals, and penguins.
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Port
of registration: Basel (Switzerland) Registration No: 03543 Radio call sign: HBY3393 Designer: Michel Joubert (French) Constructor : Meta in Tarare, France Year: 1980 Hull no: 1107 Material: steel Model: Damien II Bulkhead: 1 Type: Schooner masts: 2 Length: 14.14 meters Beam: 3.9 Meters Draught: 0,90-3.00 Meters (lifting keel) Sail area to the wind: 132 square meters Fresh water Capacity: 1200 liters Diesel Fuel Capacity: 1400 liters Displacement: 24 tons Engine: Perkins 4236 diesel, 54 KW. Electronics: Radar, depth sounder, barograph, weather monitor, GPS, VHF and HF radios, 2 VHF handeld, Satelite Email GSC100 (philosexp1@damos.net), weather fax, laptop computer. Anchoring: 3 anchors with 100 meters of chain and windlass. Safety: 10 persons offshore life raft, 10 life jackets, 10 safety harnesses, 1 horseshoe buoy, 1 set of hand and smoke flares, 2 fire extinguishers. Tenders: 1 rubber boat Zodiac with 15 HP outboard motor, 1 rigid dinghy with 10 HP outboard motor. Interior: sleeps 5 guests (two cabins with doble bunk, 1 cabin with single bunk), bunk beddings and pillows are available but not the sleeping bag. Leisure: books about the austral zone, compact disks, mini disks, tapes, fishing and diving gears, 50 meters fishing net. Power supply: 220 volts, 250 watts. Crew: skipper and cook. |
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LIFE ON BOARD
Philos has ample place to accomodate a crew of seven. Five
guests sleps in three different cabins (two doble bunks and one single),
with lots of storage space and bedside lamps.
Social life concentrate in the cozy salon, in front of the galley and the eather, which dry the condensation out of the boat and the soaked equipments.
The cooking, very important in cold climat, is mainly french with some swiss specialities (fondues, roesti) and served with chilian and argentine wine.
The captain and his crew handle the boat, but all willing hands are welcome. During long passage (Antarctic, South Georgia) a system of watch may be organised.
All expenses on board are included, except liquors.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
Foul weather gear (jacket
and trousers), duffel bags (no rigid suitcase), good sleeping-bag, warm clothes,
Polartec-Fleece (like Helly Hansen or Patagonia...), thermal underclothes,
waterproof socks or woofly or fleece socks, plastic boots, slippers, trekking-shoes,
gloves, hat, sun-glasses, personal medicaments and medicine against sea-sickness,
ears plugs, eyes shade, sun-cream and lip stick, towel, flashlight (with spare batteries),
music tapes, CD, MD , magazines (i.e. sailing), books (i.e. novels, easy
to read), camera and a lot of films or memory stick!
Antarctica is said to be the coldest, driest and windiest place on earth,
but none of these describes its attractions as a small craft sailing destination:
this icy wilderness with no permanent human inhabitants is our planet's
last frontier, a fabulous and virtually pristine paradise for wildlife
with incomparable scenery.
It is a privilege for the daring sailor to reach this awesome land, and experience the special magic that has lured explorers, early wahlers and sealers, adventurers and scientists to brave its climatic extremes.
MIDNIGHT SUN
The four weeks cruise on board Philos will
first pass south of Cap Horn to cross the stormy Drake passage, named after the
16th-century English navigator, before
reaching the Antarcic Peninsula, the region closest to South America. Both ocean
passages will take us between 8 to 10 days, so you will enjoy during nearly three
weeks the sheltered water of the peninsula.
Taking advantage of the long days of
the southern summer, you will explore vast colonies of penguins, observe some of
the great whales, watch hundred of seals resting lazily on drifting ice floes,
and marvel at the extraordinary variety of shapes, sizes and colour of icebergs,
towering mountains and dramatic cliffs dropping almost vertically into the sea.
ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY FIRST
Although expedition sailing is adventurous in its nature, the safety of our guests and crew is paramount. Philos has been built, equiped and is maintened to cope with the most challenging conditions, and manned by experienced and conscientious crew.
You will also receive appropriate briefings before every landing to minimize the impact of our expedition on sensitive wildlife, delicate natural habitats, zones of special scientific interest and historic sites.
Relatively few people have ever set foot in Antarctica, and even less in
South Georgia is viewed by many who have been there as one of the most beautiful places on earth. It has awe-inspiring scenery, with towering 7,000-foot mountains and mighty glaciers, but also low-lying, grassy areas and beaches. The wildlife is extraordinary, not only in its variety, but also for its sheer abundance. South Georgia is home to some 300,000 elephants seals, millions of fur seals, and 25 species of breeding birds, including Wandering Albatross, colorful King Penguins and an estimated five million Macaroni Penguins.
Dare to explore these seldom visited places and pristine wilderness regions that
will remain a lasting memory!
Contactez-nous !
Keep in touch!
Notre adresse postale à Genève:
Write to Geneva:
Eric Barde c/o Charles Wyser
72 Chemin de la Montagne
CH 1224 Chêne-Bougeries GE
SUISSE
Tél.: +41 (0)22 348 36 36
Mobile: +41 (0)79 338 26 68 (SMS welcome)
Antarctic, 4 weeks, USD 6'470.-
South Georgia, 5 weeks, USD 8'0905.- Eric Barde Philosexp@hotmail.com www.perso.ch/philos
or, till mid-december 2000: Velero en transito PHILOS c/o Maffoni
& Cia. Ltda. Ruben A. Maffoni Varadero Y Rep. Navales Bs. Aires y Ao
de las Vacas Carmelo Uruguay tél/fax (00598) 5422114 Any other expedition
welcome, please contact: philosexp@hotmail.com