Pos: here
Loc: beach
Acc: tent
Dist: 5 km
Start: 10:15 End: 11:45

I hesitated a lot to go or not to go today…there were two days of 15-20 kn
north to nnw winds forecast.
The offshore wind fully flattened out the surf, and landing yesterday was
already a piece of cake. Thanks goodness after that launch!

My elbow still hurt, though I knew I wouldn’t damage it more with my regular
paddling style. Just this stressfull launch yesterday…

If I could make it to the point where I planned to cross Bahia Blanca via
Isla Trinidad in those two windy days (55 km), then I eventually could turn
south and enjoy the lovely north winds instead of those constant side winds!

But there were 55km left to go west. A normal paddling day, or two stronger
wind days…Monday would be low winds, Tuesday stronger north wind again.

If I would just have kept on paddling through the night yesterday…the surf
was nothing to land at night! Then I’d have rested today, and a lovely
stronger north wind would blow me already across the bay…

But I didn’t…and had still 55km west left before I could turn eventually
south!

So I decided to give it a try, wind looked doable…15 to 20 kn north…I
thought…water and surf was flat, but it proved impossible to paddle
against eventually 20 to 25kn nnw when you have to go due west…

To prevent getting blown out to sea, your bow has to point constantly nw,
this is right into the wind…so 5 km of useless fight, and I landed
again…

Dragging up the boat again, making camp…all those land chores take a lot
of energy as well. Twice a day!

There was no resonable wind shelter, so erecting the tent in that strong
wind is quite tricky. But most important are enough long and wide
sand pegs! Then my Hilleberg Allak holds up well.
I even attached my boat further down the beach to a peg, so that my almost
empty baby doesn’t get blown sideways and rolled over, right into the water, and
never to be seen again!

Not to talk about everything getting sandblasted…unloading Epic’s
delicate hatches in blowing sand is already a chore, and the gear bags are
blasted full of sand in no time.

Inside the tent is mostly wind shelter, but if you dare to open a slight bit
of the bug net cover for ventilation the sand blows inside everywhere as
well.

So literally everything inside and outside is covered with sand, no other
chance. I HATE IT!

Besides, it’s quite warm inside the tent in the sun, but openening more for
ventilation just blows more sand inside…that’s expedition life!

If the wind is the same tomorrow, I’ll have to take the low wind day Monday
for the last 50 km west.

I could have already crossed the bay tomorrow if I’d kept on paddling
through the night yesterday!!! Lost chance…maybe two days lost.

If only my laptop and e-book would be working!
Typing longer updates on the cell phone is quite a chore.