Tue 18/10-2011 Day 50

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A cute little pinguin in his earth hole under a bush

Pos: here
Loc: behind Punta Clara
Acc: tent
Dist: 42.1 km
Start: 7:30 End: 16:50

I started to launch as usual through a sideways dumper by dragging my kayak on a lull into the water and quickly jump on it to paddle out of the narrow dumper zone…but this time I got two smaller ones inside the cockpit and it was fully flooded…didn’t I promise to myself to put the cockpit cover on with that strange launching style, straddling the kayak? Well, really…next time…
I try to save my electric pump battery for real emergencies, and scooped the water out with my helmet, which worked pretty well, actually!

It was rising tide untili 11.30am, this means I had the current, which I thought yesterday was not much there any more, now fully against me again…plus 10-15 kn sw wind, so it was a slow morning! I first dared to cut directly across to Punta Lobos, but it proved to be so choppy out there I paddled a bit closer to the curving coastline.It was either the time when the wind went down anyway, or it was really a bit sheltered from the south westerly wind behind the still high cliffs – at least eventually it became quite calm.

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Punta Lobos

Punta Lobos itself was steep solid limestone cliffs, with a rocky ledge at the base, now just about a meter out of the high tide line.It created a beautiful splashing dumper on the base of the cliffs!

I decided to follow the coastline almost half of the bay between Punta Lobos and Punta Clara, as it is soooo much nicer to paddle closer to the coast and just a little longer, but the last 4 km I was heading directly to the Point, leaving a rusty big wreck to my right.

I soon got to know why this wreck must have been there…Punta Clara was solid rocks, and to my end north of it a tidal race started to shake up the originally flat sea to quite a level! I wonder how it might be here in stronger winds and when there are already some seas where it has been dead calm before today…

Luckily the tide was with me now, and I made 8-10 km/h in very bumpy water.I barely could enjoy the sight of the point, which was rocky and cliffy with deep small bays, all at almost lowest tide now! The cliffs were packed with birds, now flying high up and around me! Some seal enjoyed the sun as well,but I really had rather to concentrate on the water around me, though no serious breakers were waiting. Just very choppy seas after the tidal race, like rocky headlands used to create! I actually felt first time on a headland in Argentina the “real” sea again, like I have felt it hundreds of times in Australia…I assume the next days all those headlands may provide the same sea quality! Not that I didn’t enjoyed it… 🙂

The now 15 kn north wind was pushing me nicely around the point as well, but at 4.30 pm the tide would be turning. I now had the choice to paddle across the next Point – Punta Tomba – even longer and more jutting into the sea, and to maybe to experience a more ugly tidal race against the tide now, and not to know when and where I could land on the other side, or to paddle along the coast to the southern end of Bahia Jansen and to round the point tomorrow.

Or to call it a day in the first sheltered bay around Punta Clara, and to walk back to the amazing rocky rough point, and to watch a bit of the wildlife back on Punta Clara? I chose the latter! A nice beach was inviting me to land, but I couldn’t really see the real conditions against the low sun. I came closer, and there seemed to be enough space between some rocky reef parts with sand only…it was lowest tide now, and landing needed to be picked carefully with the fringing reefs.

There was a small dumper crashing about 20 m before the actual beach started, but I could time it all right to go over it. But it should have told me that it was crashing on some barely covered rocky reef parts…at some point I briefly sat high and dry on some luckily soft rocks, before a small wave washed me fully on to the beach gravel. Just about…

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Just landed for the night!

I soon noticed to my right movement on the beach – this was penguin territory! I knew my “wildlife watching night” wouldn’t be on the actually now quite far away point, but right on this beach…I haven’t been among penguins on this trip! I just saw them on Peninsula Valdez from the water, but haven’t camped besides them.

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Hop in your hole!

I quickly made camp, changed, and started to walk into the dune bushland behind the gravel and rocky beach. I some distance, I spotted the group of deer (or were they guanacos?) whose poop was lying around in million of small balls – on one particular point it was more than the beach gravel…

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A shy look out of the earth hole

But the real wildlife in this bush land were the penguin! They used to come home from the sea at night, and live in small holes and little caves they have been digging in the ground hidden under the bushes. I think under every bush was a penguin home stead! And about half of them seemed to be home already! They are quite shy, but with some care and walking very slowly in their very own environment I could take some nice “hide away” pictures under the bushes.

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Thre men marching home ...

The other half of the population of probably hundreds of 50 cm tall penguins was just about to land and to walk up the steep beach on low tide, when they are at their most vulnerable. I sat down motionless in the middle of the beach and watched and filmed them coming up the beach. Quite a spectacle!

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Two penuguins going home on the beach

When I eventually had enough pictures and got chilly and wanted to go to my tent which was put up offside the main penguin home run, a few of them panicked and ran down to the water again…sorry, guys!

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Two penguins hiding in their earth hole under a bush

They are making all night quite a noise, actually! The elephant seals were less noisy! 🙂

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The two guys are going home for the night to their earth holes under the bushes

4 comments on “Tue 18/10-2011 Day 50

ariel

hi freya was my pleasure to meet you, and have shared some unforgettable days. I wish you luck in your journey, take care, and sends a message when you sign. Ariel. “

Wiseclam

Yes – thanks for writing as often as you do, Freya. I’ve discovered that I am a bit addicted to your daily updates. Stay strong mentally and physically!

Hi Freya, you do such a wonderful job in writing all theses blogs after days of serious paddling. You are doing a great job on this expedition, fantastic achievement. Good to see you taking some time to appreciate the the natural environment after your record breaking full on fast trip around Australia. Have fun.

Rebecca M

Hi Freya, thank you so much for taking the time to update your blogs everyday (and the days you can’t do it we totally understand). I so look forward to reading about your fascinating adventure every night as I sit in my armchair, warm and comfortable. I am so impressed with your strength, ability, bravery and perseverence. You are my hero.

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