Pos: here
Loc: Pehuenco
Acc: tent
Dist: 50 km
Start: 7:45 End: 16:45

The latest forecast I had for this day was the same as yesterday – strong nnw…but it calmed down during the night to zero wind…and it stayed zero wind all day! Besides about 17 hour maybe 10 kn…then nothing again…a miracle! So no problem to reach my crossing the bay point!

The down side of no wind was it was quite WARM as well – means I was sweating my back off in my dry suit…but all those other days I was as happy to have it as it can be! I paddled mostly with open zipper, which gave a slight bit of relief.

Progress was good, and I reached Monte Hermoso around lunchtime. I still had the saying from Claudia in the tourist office of Mar i Sol in my ear: “People in Monte Hermoso are waiting for you!” – well, I thought, sorry, but I won’t stop there…at least not for the night.

As it was spring start, and a really warm day with no wind, the Sunday was ideal for a first beach visit of all people of Monte Hermoso…it was that crowded I was already thinking what all those Brasilian beaches may be like…

But nobody was really bathing yet, just feet dipping, and the odd kid or dog was fully in the water. People were driving up and down, horse riding, picnicing, fishing, and what else you are doing on such lovely day on a beach.

Some fishermen were shouting at me, obviously in a worry about me may hitting their fishing lines…but guys, it (they) is (are) shorter than you think…and I was paddling just without *not* entangling myself.

In general I was paddling very close to the beach, kind of enjoying watching the buzz after so much lonely desert paddling – from the distance…I’m feeling more lonely among an unknown crowd than by myself in the bush. So my point of view from just about paddling outside was just fine!

I was almost past the long beach, as I saw a camera man running past me, obviously a TV guy, shouting some thing like “Freya” in Spanish or such…ok, as I was in good mood and time for my destination, and as the surf was just nothing, I landed, and soon got involved in my next TV interview.

The owner of the local yacht club did the interview in English, and later presented me with a t-shirt of th e club! Nice! Thanks!
I took the chance to fill up two water bags, and soon was gone again, waved away by a small crowd having curiously gathered to see  what was going on there.
For sure, there were as well two Prefectura guys present, and another BIG Prefectura boat not far off the beach…do they want to escort me on a zero wind dead calm day? 🙂

I had a date tonight…with Santiago, the guy who helped me on my first day in Mar i Sol to go shopping…he had gotten my laptop sent by Norberto from Mar I Sol, and had an expert in Tres Arroyos to have a look at it!

He obviously got it started after some tricky tries, and changed just an energy saving setting to make it work at least all the time with the 220 v cable. But the batterie I sent withit, he said was fully broken. I tried again all my batteries, and it seemed that two of them were broken, and two plus a light weight one were ok. I assume I broke the two with the solar panel battery charging process. Not sure if they are able to be revived again at some point.
But I can type updates on my laptop again!!!! Just to household even more with the battery power, and probably have to get a new laptop sooner or later anyway. Who know how long it last this time…

But THANKS, SANTIAGO! Driving out from Tres Arroyos tonight to deliver my laptop to my beach camp was quite something! Well, he took along Ingo, a German guy, for support, driving on the beach :-))

He as tried to revive my broken camera as well, but we decided to have it sent to Alejandro to Buenos Aires to find an Olympus dealer who can repair the electronics. and he took my broken Kindle along as well to sent to BA. And – he gave me a topo map for my GPS on a chip. Quite useful as well! But in the long run I need my chart with the tides.
Ah yes, and the long term wind forecast I got as well. All I needed for tonight! What would I do without helpful locals…!!!

So tomorrow is another calm day, and I’ll cross Bahia Blance via Isla Trinidad, about 63 km to Punta Laberint, or 56 km to the lighthouse on the peninsula before it.
See if the big Prefectura boat will be in sight…it is such a dangerous and long crossing! :-))