Pos: here
Loc: Isla Deceit
Acc: tent
Dist: 0 km
Not much happened today, besides the good news that Juan Pablo was safe and sound now on a rescue boat of the Armada Argentina. Good. Now I have to get myself my own ass and kayak out of this windy southern area, both in one piece. Patience is required….
Thursday 15-23 h was the perfect weather window, but I had to take it to repair my boat. No way of having done that on Wednesday in 40-50 knot winds and continuous rain…and I simply didn’t dare to use the boat already with the fresh repair, thought it was fast cure epoxy stuff. But it fully hardens well only after 8 hours.
I slept reasonable well, just woke at midnight, as the calm northerly, which shelters me on this beach, started to breeze up to a west wind again. My tent got shaken again in gusts, but this was nothing compared to the previous two nights, and I fell asleep again until 8.30 am. I was glad no nightmares were haunting me. My sore body needed some rest as well, as it felt Wednesday and Thursday still quite sore on each end from paddling so hard on Tuesday.
I didn’t eat much, as my appetite is low on doing nothing and from all the bad news. It helps save my resources, but once I’ll get going, I need to fill up with energy again!
The forecast for today showed some hope, but 20+ knots west are not the safe weather window I want to have to get out of here without any risk. I probably would have made it along the coast at least those 6 km back inside the shelter of the islands again, but the white caps out there showed nothing which was inviting to play it safe. Who knows what kind of local wind areas the mountains create which would bother me more than I liked to…
Tomorrow may be a it better and turning a bit west north west, but it changes by the hour. The calm Sunday is gone, but it has still around 20 knots “only”. We’ll see. Tuesday has a very low wind window – if it stays, this is maybe the chance. But this last Sundays had showed first very low wind all day as well…
I couldn’t even go out much today, as it was raining lightly mostly all hours, and honestly, walking up and down the rocky boulder beach is not much pleasure either. I know I can launch from the tiny gravel spot around low tide when the sea is reasonable. But I still have to carry/ drag my boat and gear about 100 m to the launching spot, over big sharp boulders and two higher rock barriers. I need to watch not to slip and to drop it and to make new damage…
At least I repaired my paddle, as much as I can imagine to repair a clean shaft break. It is an extendable paddle from 205 cm to 215 cm, but I’m always paddling it at 205 cm. So the extension piece had some surplus 10 cm inner shaft, which I easily cut of with the saw of my multi tool.. It fitted inside the break, but had a bit of space as the shaft there is slightly oval. I kneaded some of my two components stick, and wrapped it around the 10 cm supporting piece. On inserting it into the shaft, I am hoping to keep enough glue on the sides it would hold basically.
Not sure if it did the job. I eventually wrapped two layers of fiberglass cloth around the break, soaked it with epoxy resin out of my double emergency syringe Mark from Bluewater Kayaks sent me once, which is a bit less liquid than the real epoxy resin. It hardened well, but no idea what kind of pressure it may hold when paddling…at least it is an emergency paddle somehow.
I’m hoping Virginia sent my spare paddle to Ushuaia before she got the horrible news about Ale’s death…if not, hopefully a local kayaking friend could help get it on the way, sent to Atilio Mosca in Ushuaia. Please guys, help look after her!
Sending a new paddle from Epic in the US to Argentina is hopeless with the Argentinean customs habits. But if I can’t get my spare paddle from Buenos Aires, Epic may hopefully eventually send one to Punta Arenas where I’m hoping to get a bunch of spare fins sent to as well. Maybe Kiko can even receive them already and forward them to Puerto Williams. Please Peter, help!
My boyfriend Peter in Denmark…what would I do without his mental, IT and computer and logistic support in the background…thank you, Peter, for being there for me! I love you very much! Our almost daily calls help me a lot over the lonely times here, and the practical help you give me is invaluable.
13 comments on “Fri 30/12-2011 Day 123”
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something informative to read?
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Bless you!
When the churchbells are ringing for the new year, we will pray for your healthy return, promised! So please play it safe, so that all interested german kayakers can enjoy the telling of your journey from your own lips!!!
Happy new paddling Year!
Freya, this should interest you;
THE NEW ZEALAND ORDER OF MERIT
The Queen has been pleased on the occasion of the celebration of the New Year, to make the following appointments to The New Zealand Order of Merit:
To be Officer of the said Order:
Mr Paul Caffyn, of Runanga. For services to sea kayaking and water safety.
Happy new year
freya dear, you talk to paula women living in Cape Horn island, every day we are waiting we went with my children to see if you come here .,¨:) know there is a small church and pray much for you, we hope best conditions of time, I hope here to give you a big hug happy New Year! ..
today we have winds of 70 nds. s.weste, the test of communication perfect listen! only slightly understand your English is very fast
good luck!
Freya ich wünsche dir ein erfolgreiches ,frohes und gesundes Neues Jahr. Möge das Wetter sich jetzt ändern damit du wieder in die Zivilisation kommst. Ich hoffe, dass es dir soweit gut geht, kann mir vorstellen, dass die gesamte Situation und das Warten hart ist.
Aber wir denken alle an dich, sei gegrüsst aus DK, de beste ønsker til dig, die Besten Wünsche für Dich, los mejores deseos para ti para 2012
hoffe, dass das “ Kreuz des Südens “ richtig leuchtet und dir Mut gibt und dich daran erinnert, dass du nicht alleine bist
The new year hopefully began better, than the old ended. The next step into the water is surely not easy, but the dolphins are near by you and they will help you to become good thoughts. All best wishes to you for 2012
I contact Freya morning Peter, I’m aware of what you send .. in Puerto Williams is the parcel of Annemarie and mail your new laptop Punta Arenas, we are all very sad but you must proceed with care and waiting for good weather windows … do not risk it!
embrace and strength!
Freya, be patient. A lot of blog readers are with you in this tiny beach. I know that doing nothing, is much more difficult some times, that a hard task. So, be patient and have a safe paddling back to Puerto Williams.
Good luck with the waiting game for the clear weather window, it’s always the toughest – waiting – waiting – waiting. Sounds like a great job on the repairs, well done.
You are an inspiration, Freya! Be safe; many are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.
Freya es ist nicht leicht für dich. Bewahre die Ruhe und den Mut. Das Wetter wird hoffentlich bald besser. Ich kann mir vorstellen das der Wind und Regen nerven und dich ans Zelt binden. Aber wie ich sehe beschäftigst du dich mit den Reparaturen. Aber das macht die Tage natürlich auch nicht kürzer. Ich wünsche dir Ausdauer und viel, viel besseres Wetter damit du wieder an das Festland kommst. Hoffentlich wird dir auch mit den Reserveteilen geholfen.
pass auf dich auf, wir denken an dich
Be careful Freya. 🙂 remember to eat, you need your strengh.
Happy New year to you 🙂
Comments are closed