April 7, 2007
Clark April 7th, 2007
April 7 2007
51º36′ South, 73º56′ West
Caleta CONDESA
I discovered my own caleta.
I’m not sure about the one a week or so ago, but this one is mine, all mine. It’s a good one too, a circular basin with a narrow entrance, mud bottom, good depth, surrounded by tall trees, and protected from all winds except due south. It’s on par or better than many of the ones in the book.
All I have to do is pass on the data to Giorgio and Mariolina, wait another six years for the third edition of their book to come out, and there on page 533 will be Caleta Condesa for all to see, and I will be famous. Until then I’ll just have to self-promote, talk it up among the yachties: “Say, on your way down, did you happen to stop at CALETA CONDESA?”
My thrill of discovery was a little dampened by finding evidence of firewood cutting ashore, so fishermen have probably used this place, but among sailors I’m the first. I know it, I’m the first ever…ever!
I got smashed in the face by thirty knot headwinds and was turning tail to go back a few miles to the last caleta in the book, but I hate giving up hard won miles. I poked around the nearest islands-this particular island is nameless-and this spot looked very tempting. I made a very slow and tenuous exploration, watching the depth sounder and running a few rungs up the mast a few times to con for rocks. It was all clear. So my miserliness for miles drove me to discovery. It has a perfect view of Canal Sarmiento too, so I can monitor wind conditions with a glass of wine in my hand.
I made all kinds of calculations and notations based on hours underway and hours of fuel consumption. I was patting myself on the back for making good time in adverse conditions and still having the better part of the afternoon to do something constructive. Then I noticed that my clock had stopped. I was getting pretty dark for 4:30. Little things like this inch me ever so slightly closer to going over the edge. This phenomenon is common to several solo sailors and adventurers: a stopped clock will make you do all kinds of crazy things until you realize that it’s just the clock.
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