Pos: here
Loc: Punta Ligua
Acc: tent
Dist:43 km
Start: 7:35 End: 15:55

The night passed quite chilly, but apart from one drunk guy knocking at our tent at 8 pm, it was quiet. Even the Navy jetski with two guys having fun on it, who additionally were cruising across our bay after our early landing, probably eventually noticed we won’t head off again after we put up our tent…but they made a good show out there! Or shall I rather say we were feeling like well watched prisoners?

Our friends and helpers came this early Sunday morning right in European time at 7 am, with two cars and eight men and a pile of paperwork in their hands…good morning!
We continued our packing, and I felt again that Peter was not used to so much attention…once I was done, I was talking to the main guy where we were planning to go, and that today we would be happy NOT to have a full day’s escort boat! There was no agreement to have one, and after the first rough trial day, today will be an easy going day anyway. Not sure if he got me right…

After an easy launch through a low dumper with good timing, we were afloat, but soon spotted the Navy zodiac from yesterday, ready for a nice Sunday out on the water! I paddled up to them, and tried to explain in a probably too fast and too loud English we don’t need an escort boat all day, we don’t want an escort boat all day, and we didn’t agree to have an escort boat all day…probably just my tone of voice made them understanding me, and though I know those boat drivers have their orders and can’t just decide themselves to turn around, the numerous shore crew plus the boat crew plus the home crew obviously agreed the boat may stay home today – thanks a lot! We really appreciate your willingness to support us in any way and that you are looking after our safety, but there is nothing like a bit of privacy on the water on such a trip…

It became a relatively easy beautiful day, with moderate swell and low to moderate wind, though one Navy guy tried to tell me something about twenty knots wind today…it was all day between 10 and maximum 15 knots. No breakers at all.

One tiny sharp fin sticking out of the water, plus a bunch of penguins, one pelican, hundreds of birds and a rock full of seals from the distance were the mere wildlife show for today! We took it easy, and enjoyed the day. I even already took off my jacket and enjoyed the freedom paddling with a fleece shirt only for a while! Watch the sun burn…

The destination for the day was a river mouth after Punta Ligua, and we were lucky to find a beautiful beach between rocks, fully sheltered from the swell! There were a bunch of quite expensive looking holiday houses around on the rocky hills, and this beach looked a bit private, but still public with about eight natural umbrellas and a changing room house. We decided to dare to stay, and to maybe walk up the hill to look for a person to ask for permission.

But after we changed, we didn’t have to wait long, and three nice ladys came down for a chat. It was Anita, the owner of this wide and actually private old farm area, plus two of her friends owning some of the nice holiday houses around. Anita explained to us that there is no real private beach existing when coming from the sea – good to know! Nice to have her permission anyway – thanks! they spoke good English, and I sat down to tell a few stories.

Another advantage of this private beach camp was it was Navy free :-)) …

We will be launching again tomorrow around 7.30 am, and am aiming to land probably at Ensenada deL Negro, or one beach earlier. We’ll see how it goes! It will be another easy going low swell day with low to moderate following wind.