Hi paddlewisers, Some time ago there was a post talking about kayaking in Tierra del Fuego. I didn´t have time to write back then so I appologize for the delay. In April '99 a group of Argentinean paddlers circumnavigated the Cape Horn, launching from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, navigating the frozen waters of the Beagle Channel and surroundings. Here´s their report and information I could collect about weather, equipment, etc. I hope you find it usefull and enjoyable. Fill free to contact me for pictures or more information. So the story goes ... END OF THE CENTURY AT THE END OF THE WORLD In April 1999 Martín Grondona, Emilio Caira and Pablo Basombrío and their fragile kayaks challenged some of the most dangerous seas of the planet, paddling almost 500 km in 21 days to join Ushuaia with the mythic Cape Horn. The three of them are very skill sea-kayakers with a large background, including working as part time kayak instructors. Every sport has its challenges, and no matter how far they are, we dare to reach them. They may be the Olympic Games for an athlete, or an 8000 mts peak for a climber. Cape Horn has been especially attractive to Argentinean kayakers not only for the assumed sportive difficulty to reach it, but also for its extreme geographical situation, that makes it one of the last virgin regions of the planet. After so much effort, the day had finally arrived: their equipment was already in Ushuaia and they were waiting for the flight to glide down the runnaway of the southernmost city of the world. Forty-eigth hours later, they were in Bahía Ensenada, loading their kayaks while some curious onlookers looked incrediously at our tiny vessels and the inmense sea behind us. The Parque Nacional the Tierra del Fuego ( Tierra del Fuego National Park ) was the perfect point of departure. The sun was shining bright and didn´t left them untill they finally launched. They started paddling with relief, after twoo years of planning and training. During the first days they paddled along the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, tuning their bodies and equipment for the conditions ahead. While paddling through the Beagle Channel, the weather already provided a glimpse of what lay ahead: sun, wind, calm, rain, snow, more wind, sun again ..... the "lights and shadows" necessary to condiment the adventure. After leaving Punta San Juan, while admiring the beauty of a cloud that seemed painted in the sky, a huge storm reached them, forcing them to paddle hard to reach the cost. Their first storm. Tired, they realized that their goal was not going to be easy to reach. They crossed the Beagle Channel arriving to Puerto Williams, in Isla Navarino, Chile, very early, in order to avoid the strong winds that pick up at the sun break. This Chilean Naval Base, with almost 2000 employees and only a few civilians, is an obligatory stop for all those vessels heading south. There they presented themself with all their papers at the Capitanía de Puerto ( Port Administration Office ). What they thought would be a simple migration stop turned to hard to overcome. Even when they had their permissions taken at the chilean consulate in Buenos Aires, the authorities didn´t let them continue, showing not interest at all. They thougth this was the end of the trip. Militars said they needed direct authorization from Santiago, Capital city of Chile. Finally the authorization came but a new obstacle was set up. They required a support ship to be with them for assistance while crossing Bahia Nassau. Without it they would not be able to leave port. But the luck was good and they met Greg and Eva, and their "Noomi", a nice couple of Swedish that recently arrived to the office to get the permits to sail the southern chilean fiords. They already knew each other as the swedish contacted us before, while beeing in Buenos Aires, looking for advice and assistance as they needed to buy some stuff. These guys have been sailing all aroung the world for the last 20 years. After explaining their situation they acceeded to escort the paddlers during the trip. Finally everithing was right and they were allowed to leave. Exited they headed east. The day was cold and windy but they were happy to be in their kayaks again. Cold and wind had already become their inseparable companions and, as the days passed, it became more and more difficult to get up and emerge from their tents. Some rites surged by, like "never pee towards the sea, so the sea won´t pee them back", or repeating every morning " the trip starts today !", or kissing the earth after landing on a different island. While paddling they killed time telling stories to avoid getting bored. For example the topic was "start with your grandpa .... " or " tell us about your schooldays .. ". As the time passed by, they were knowing each other better, and a strong frienship developed soon. When they arrived to Puerto Guanaco, they hit upon their first mayor obstacle: 35 km of open sea. The well protected and almost inaccessible peacks of Wollaston Island could be seen on the other side. Every detail was prepared: safety equipment, the landing point, GPS, clear alternatives, VHFs on, etc. The Noomi was ready in sight and, after checking metheoreological conditions, they leapt into their boats, taking the advantage of the east winds, that had stabilized the weather. Against all odds, dificulties were more psychological than technical. The weather remained stable, but deep ocean swells made some of them feel sick and dizzy. They could see the coast in front, but as time passed by it look farer, making them feel they didn´t advance. A group of dolfins swimming among our kayaks was the only distraction. But they finally made it, and once in Caleta Middle, chilean marines promised them some "Pisquitos" when they were back. On the next day, when arriving to Bahía Scoufield, Martín caught sight of a group of Franca Whales. They tried to reach them to take some pictures but they refused, swimming down to reappear far away. So they continued to Herschell Island, this time under the rain. Hornos Island could be seen a few kilometers southeast. As the weather was stable they felt tempted to paddle the final strech. They were afraid that contitions might change the next day. But as the night was almost falling over the cold sea, they decided to stay, makig camp in Caleta Dublé. They were right. The next day the wind stopped after midday, and after receiving a weather report, they launche towards Hornos Island, with their heads full of thoughts and adrenaline flooding their vains. They knew they were very close to their goal, but they also knew they were padling the most dangerous waters of the trip. The west coast of Hornos Island, made up of high cliffs, was the most risky point: " if you happen to see a black curtain blocking the sky, you better run out of the sea !!!", was the advise give by Greg and Eva from the Noomi. So they crossed the last channel and started to turn, bording Hornos Island along its northern coast, watching carefuly at the sky. Once the sought "Ras Cathedral", they remembed what the members of the former British expedition (Frank Goodman, Nigel Matthews, and Collin Mortlock´s expedition, in 1977) had written 20 years before: "When we saw the 80 mts high tower that rose up in the middle of the ocean, our knees began to shake". The sound of the ocean exploding against the cliffs and the vastnest of the sea extending wesward returned them abruptly to our reality - they were just three insignificant points in middle of the inmensity of the sea. After a moment of doubt, they watched each other and paddled with strenght for the last stretch. The sky was black when they reached the southern coast. The sea started to shake violently and it started to rain. Once they saw the Cape Horn, they reported by radio to the guard. Adrenaline flew their brains as the "back curtain" was over them. The sea heaved violently with huge waves. They surfed them trying to gess which would be the safiest landing spot. But the cost was not good for landing so they kept on paddling, fighting the fierce of the wind. Finally, 5 hours later they arrived, exhausted, to Caleta de León. They kissed the earth, thankful to be alive. It was 5:30 pm, night already, the Sunday 11th of April 1999 and they were at the end of the world ! The Silva Family, who run the lighthouse, welcomed them exuberantely, having followed them during their last strech with anguish and an increasing feeling of impotence. It was cold, the hail lashed at their precarious refuge all night long. But they deeply slept untill the nest day. They were literally trapped in Horn for days. There was only wind, rain and cold. The sea surrounded everything getting lost far into the distance. They had the clear sensation of beeing at "the end of the world". They waited quiet, staring at the horizon, waiting with hope for the weather to better up. Then, after the third day, the wind seemed to calm so they decided to launch. They got dressed and descended the 220 steps of the ladder towards the beach. A snow storm fell rapidly on them as they loaded their kayaks. Their hands froze. They knew the weather was not stable enough for a safe departure, but nevertheless, none of them even considered delaying it. Victims of the "Confinement Sindrome" they were desperate to be freed from their cage. We jumped on water, wrapped in their gore-tex suits, only their eyes exposed. It was almost evening so they decided to remain close to the coastline. Once they left the coast heading NNE, they felt the gusts of wind and hail knocking violently over their heads. The storm, in a flash, darkened the sky, and navigation become more difficult by the minute. Visibility was almost null and Emilio warned them to get back to port. He was feeling sea-sick. But as the wind was blowing from their back, they decided to tie the kayaks together. The situation was dramatic but they never fell in panic. They were disoriented, floating in total darkness, but they fell secure as far as they could remain tied up, except that the waves crashed them agains the rock gardens of the coast, that they coulg not even seen. They radioed the Noomi for help. Comunication was intense but they couldn´t locate us. So we shot 1, 2, 3 flares, but frozen fingers didn´t respond well and the gun fell in the water, lost forever. Hand flares didn´t work. So they relied on the strobe-lights and the vhf. Things were getting worst when the Noomi almost passed over them in their atempt to reach them. Beside their little kayaks it seemed a fierce huge animal fighting wild. They droped them a rescue rope, but leaving their kayaks would have been suicidal. They decided to stay joined and asked Greg to sail ahead, leading them into the channel, entrance of Herschel Island. As the wind was blowing from their back, they would try to steer with their rudders. This 3 hour ordeal almost costed their life. They landed in a dark rocky coast, with the water on their knees, all soaked and chilled to the bones. It was 10:00 pm, and while raining hard, they managed to make up camp. They slept all night long. They still had to cross Nassau but felt the worst had passed. The next day they remained resting at the camp, thinking on their mistake on leaving so late from Hornos, and under such a bad conditions, but they felt good as they could manage fear staying together, helping each other to succeed. They finally left towards Caleta Middle, in search for the promised drink. And it was this mooving feeling who made them paddle for 6 long hours under the cold rain. They were received with joy and happynes by their chilean friends, who had the bottle ready. "For the Cape" they toasted the first time, then "for the friendship", "the Navy", .... and noone remembers the rest .... The next day they crossed Bahía Nassau without problems and reached Puerto Toro. Then the longest stretch of the trip: 9 and a half hours and 45 km to Puerto Williams. They arrived Williams at night. On the pier of the Micalvi Sailing Club both Greg and Eva were emotionally waiting for us under the rain. They also had had their own fright and wanted to hugh them tight. At the Capitanía they made them feel as bad as the first time, but they didn´t care, the goal was reached and now they were heading home ! CASE HISTORY: Only a few kayakers have achieved the goal of crossing the meridian of Cape Horn, and all preceding expeditions don't reach the count of ten. But the most famous was the first one, formed by the British Frank Goodman, Nigel Matthews and Collin Mortlock, who left Puerto Williams on the Christmas Eve of 1977, paddling the channels of Tierra del Fuego for the very first time since the old times. With a road open, the Argentinean kayakers didn't wait for long. It was 1986 when Ricardo Kruseuszky led it with a very heterogeneous team formed by the Rolfi Di Leo, Tico Peralta, Luis Mack, and the Swedish Adrian De Domine. Then in 1989 Marcos Oliva Day, a famous Argentinian kayaker repeated the odyssey, this time with Atilio Mosca and Victor Hugo Temporelli. They lounched from Puerto Almanza and returned 19 days later after circumnavigating Hornos island. A few other expeditions should be added to the list, even when not all of them succeeded and not always followed the same route. We know of one Swedish-Spanish, one Japanese, one Canadian-American, one German, and even a solo accomplished by Howard Rice. But this list is not definitive so may be a few other missed. PLANNING A very good planning was one of the secrets that made this expedition succeed. They spent many hours learning some basics as: Swells and Currents, Weather, Beaches, Alternative routes and Logistics. It was over these basis that they traced the route, taking care of a regular paddling time for every day, and always having an alternative scape route for safety. TRAINING: Training involved: Resistance ( 40 to 100 km per day ), Technique ( rolling, rescues, sculling, etc. on swimming pool, sea and whitewater. Also intensive paddling with waves and strong winds in open waters ), Endurance ( Maybe the most difficult topic as it refers to physical and psychological enforcement to sustain prolonged and extreme storm situations. Recreations were done at the sea under storms of different forces ). BUDGET AND SPONSORS: Two years of work and U$S 27980.00 were required to accomplish this trip, and this give you an idea of how complex it was to achieve. Fortunately they found some sponsor companies who gave products or services for free, or at least under an important discount price. These savings represent the 35% of the total cost of the trip. They are: Makalú, mountain equipement. Del Río y Font, comunications. Aerolíneas Argentina, air transportation. Hotel del Glaciar, Ushuaia, hosting. Instituto LEMM, swimming pool. Tía Laly, swimming pool. Chuanisin, kayaks & adventures, logistics. Basombrío & Asoc. Insurances. Unifón, satellite comunications. Mayer Fueguino, ground transportation. Transportes Latapie, ground transportation. Revista Tiempo de Aventura. Agfa, photographic stuff. Bio Bio, kayak euqipement. Gatorade. Power Bar. Kokatat, gore-tex drysuits. Patagonia, outdoors clothing. Black Stone, outdoors clothing. Fugate, outdoors clothing. Andariega, camping. Perception, kayaks. Luli Gaviña, photographic stuff. A special thanks should be given to the Agregaduría Naval de la Embajada de la República de Chile en la Argentina, who helped to get all the permits required to make this expedition possible. LOGISTICS Papers: * Personal Identification * Permission from the Chilean Navy * Permission from the Argentinean Navy * Physical and Psychical certifications. Equipment: * Seakayak: Perception´s Sea Lion, molded. * Paddle: Perception´s Goulfstream, 230 cms., Carbon. * Spare Paddle, take a part. * Neoprenne Spraysquirt. * Dry Bags. Clothing: * Patagonia Capilene Underware (2) * Kokatat Gore-Tex Drysuit * Neoprenne Boots * Gore-Tex Soaks * Scull Cap * Sun Glasses * Neoprenne Mitoons Navigation Equipment: * GPS * Compass * Navigation Charts * Binoculars * Bathmeter Safety Equipment: * PFD * Hand-Flares * Gun and Gun-Flares * Strobe-Light * Water-Proof Lantern * Rescue Rope * Hypethermical Recovery Bag * Whistle and Gas-Horn * Emergency Food Supply * Vivac Bag Comunications: * Marine VHF Radio * Satellital Telephone Camping Equipment: * Capilene Long Johns and T-Shirt * Polar pants and pullover * Duvet Jacket * Overpant * Anorak * Wool soaks (3) * Trecking shoes * Wool hut * Duvet sleeping bag * Candles for ligthning * Hands free lantern * Log Book * Lighter and Matches * 4 Seasons Tent * Higyenical Stuff * First aid kit * Water Canteen bag * Gas Stove (2) * Extra gass bottles for the stove * Cooking stuff * Thermal bottle Photograph and Video: * Cam Corder * SLR Camera (2) * Water Resistant autofocus camera * Film (40) Kayak Repair Kit DIETA: Food supply was limited by the space. Transporting supplies for 3 people and 28 days was not an easy task, and required a lot of imagination. They decided to take sealed racions, one per meal and person per day. Breakfast: (Per person) * 50 grams of Powder Milk * 30 grams of Powder Chocolate * 30 grams of Sugar * 40 grams of sweet cookies * Honey or Jam Lunch: They made different racions combining: Power Bars, chocolates, dried and dehydrated fruits, nuts, almonds and cereal. The idea was to have easy dygestive food, with high energetic contents they could easyly ingest while paddling, avoiding to touch land for disembarking. Quick soups were the optimum complement. Dinner: They relied on 5 different menus, rich in carbohydrates, fibers and mineral salts. They tried to respect their regular diet preferences to avoid digestive problems. Menu 1: (Per person) * 150 grams of Pasta. * Dehydrated Sauce. * 50 grams hard cheese * 1 soup. * Sweets, cofee or tea Menu 2: * 130 grams of rice. * Dehydrated Sauce. * 100 gramos of lentils or mussels * Soup. * 50 grams hard cheese * Sweets, cofee or tea Menu 3: * 150 grams of Capelleti. * Dehydrated Sauce. * Soup * 50 grams hard cheese * Sweets, cofee or tea Menu 4: * 3 Sausages. * Dehydrated Smashed Potatoes and Pumpkins * Soup * 50 grams hard cheese * Sweets, cofee or tea Menu 5: * 150 grams of Semola soup * Sweets, cofee or tea * 50 grams hard cheese. * Sweets, cofee or tea Drinks: Gatorade, dehydrated fruit juices, hot gelatine. Others: * Bisquits, paté, different cheeses. * Vitamines. DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANNELS OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO: The northern coast of the channels don´t run free into the ocean like in the southern islands. Weather is very unstable and unpredictable, Strong snows, neble and hail don´t hide the coast, making navigation difficult. Experience intuition is then the way to avoid danger. Channels are very deep. Rock gardens at the coast are usually covered with kelp, so the rule is kelp means hidden submerged rock, being the clear spots among kelp the top of that rock. Navigation at night is not recomended. Snow changes the shape of land. Sometimes storm clouds cover the horizon, but many times is false alarm. When in winter, snow falls deep, continuously and without wind, this may last for long. Icefloes may be encountered. Emergency channel on vhf is # 16 (156,8 mHz). TIDES AND CURRENTS: Tides vary from 0,9 y 2,4 m. In the Beagle, west of "puerto Almanza" tide rises towards east. Current generally runs west to east, coming stronger when you move to the east, average speed goes from 1 to 3 knots. Usual winds blows from SW. WEATHER: Ushuaia is not really cold. Average temperatures vary from 9° C in December - February to 1,8° C in June - July. Sky is usually cloudy, but sun shows up more during winter. Nevertheless, the main characteristic is variability, so the very same day may change from cloudy to clear and cloudy again. It is not common that the same weather last for long in any time of the year. Southern winds generally bring rains (S, SE, SW, etc.). Rain is not heavy, but persistent. Snows fall all along the year, but stronger snows start in May. During winter, rising pressure and sw winds means certain rain. If pressure keeps rising, rain will continue, but if pressure stops, rains will be intermitent. Nebles are not common and can be found from April to August. NAVIGATION: April 01: To Isla Redonda: S 54* 51´ 747´´ - W 068* 28´ 972´´ Distance: 15 kms. Time: 3 hs. 30´ April 02: >From Isla Redonda: S 54* 51´ 747´´ - W 068* 28´ 972´´ To Punta San Juan: S 54* 51´ 258´´ - W 067* 58´ 645´´ Distance: 33 kms. Time: 6 hs. 30´ April 03: >From Punta San Juan: S 54* 51´ 258´´ - W 067* 58´ 645´´ To Punta Remolinos: S 54* 52´ 000´´ - W 067* 51´ 000´´ Distance: 8 kms. Time: 2 hs. April 04: >From Punta Remolinos: S 54* 52´ 000´´ - W 067* 51´ 000´´ To Punta Almanza: S 54* 52´ 221´´ - W 067* 33´ 720´´ Distance: 19,5 kms. Time: 3 hs. 30´ April 05: >From Punta Almanza: S 54* 52´ 221´´ - W 067* 33´ 720´´ To Puerto Williams: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 37´ 087´´ Distance: 8,08 kms. Time: 1 h 15´ April 06: >From Puerto Williams: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 37´ 087´´ To Puerto Eugenia: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 18´ 000´´ Distance: 24 kms. Time: 4 hs. April 07 >From Puerto Eugenia: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 18´ 000´´ To Puerto Toro: S 55* 04´ 918´´ - W 067* 04´ 547´´ Distance: 20 kms. Time: 5 hs. April 08: >From Puerto Toro: S 55* 04´ 918´´ - W 067* 04´ 547´´ To Punta Guanaco: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ Distance: 28,4 kms. Time: 6 hs. April 09 >From Punta Guanaco: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ To Caleta Middle: S 55* 36´ 000´´ - W 067* 22´ 000´´ Distance: 34,3 kms. Time: 6hs. 30´ April 10: >From Caleta Middle: S 55* 36´ 000´´ - W 067* 22´ 000´´ To Caleta Dublé: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ Distance: 36,3 kms. Time: 7 hs. April 11: >From Caleta Dublé: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ To Caleta León: S 55* 57´ 719´´ - W 067* 13´ 453´´ Distance: 23,3 kms. Time: 5 hs. April 12 and 13 Forced to stay in land by the bad weather. April 14: >From Caleta León: S 55* 57´ 719´´ - W 067* 13´ 453´´ To Caleta Dublé: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ Distance: 12 kms. Time: 5 hs. April 15 Forced to stay in land by the bad weather. April 16: >From Caleta Dublé: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ To Caleta Middle: S 55* 36´ 000´´ - W 067* 22´ 000´´ Distance: 36,3 kms. Time: 6 hs. April 17: >From Caleta Middle: S 55* 36´ 000´´ - W 067* 22´ 000´´ To Punta Guanaco: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ Distance: 34,3 kms. Time: 6 hs. April 18: >From Punta Guanaco: S 55* 18´ 131´´ - W 067* 13´ 493´´ To Puerto Toro: S 55* 04´ 918´´ - W 067* 04´ 547´´ Distance: 28,4 kms. Time: 6 hs. April 19: >From Puerto Toro: S 55* 04´ 918´´ - W 067* 04´ 547´´ To Puerto Williams: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 37´ 087´´ Distance: 45 kms. Time: 9 hs. April 20: >From Puerto Williams: S 54* 56´ 000´´ - W 067* 37´ 087´´ To Punta Remolinos: S 54* 52´ 000´´ - W 067* 51´ 000´´ Distance: 17 kms. Time: 4 hs. April 21: >From Punta Remolinos: S 54* 52´ 000´´ - W 067* 51´ 000´´ To Ushuaia: S 54* 49´ 000´´ - W 068* 18´ 000´´ Distance: 30 kms. Time: 7 hs. THE EXPEDITION IN NUMBERS: Time length: 21 días Paddling days: 18 Distance: 453 kms Total navigation time: 93 hs. 15' Average speed: 4,870 kms./hora Single day longest paddled distance: 45 kms (9 hs.) Single day shortest paddled distance: 8 kms. (2 hs.) UNIÓN DE KAYAKISTAS DE TRAVESÍA Fernando López Arbarello uktkayak_at_uol.com.ar [demime 0.92b removed an attachment of type application/ms-tnef which had a name of winmail.dat] *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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