There Is No Good Weather Here: the RGS’s Circumnavigation Goes Further South

Ледяное солнце юга. Фото участников экспедиции

In the cold winter, residents of the north often want to go south – to the warmth and the sun. However, the southern regions of our planet are not always as friendly and affectionate as we think. What it is like at the most extreme south of the Earth where the waves of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet, the participants of the circumnavigation expedition of the Tomsk Branch of the Russian Geographical Society told the readers of the RGS’s website. "There is no good weather here," they briefly and very clearly described the passage from Rio Grande to the Argentine Port of Ushuaia.

Ushuaia is the southernmost city on Earth. Here, on the way to Antarctica, large ocean vessels are moored to rest. The trimaran of the Russian travelers Stanislav Berezkin and Evgeny Kovalevsky anchored in the harbor overlooking the chains of snow-capped mountains. The passage to the south of Argentina was a serious test for them.

Motor-savior and the help of a bulldozer

The circumnavigators left Rio Grande on December 1. Before the start of the next stage, they had bought a new engine – a “Yamaha 15” with a long "leg". The old one served faithfullt for a year and a half in salt water, but physical wear took away about 40% of the power and the trimaran stopped coping with a strong headwind. The purchase paid off pretty soon. Perhaps even saved the lives of the brave Siberians.

“The South of South America is the most stressful and dangerous place for navigators in this part of the ocean, and indeed one of the most dangerous on the planet. Going to Cape Horn without expecting to have to deal with the headwind of 40, 50, and even 60 knots is extremely dangerous, audacious, and stupid," admitted Kovalevsky.

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Как выйти в море с помощью бульдозера. Фото участников экспедиции

Difficulties began immediately: a bulldozer helped the expedition to go to sea from Rio Grande. It was sent by the local authorities after lengthy negotiations. The trimaran was dragged on a cable to the surf wave, and the crew managed to throw the anchor about 15 meters into the water. A stake was driven into the sand and the stern was tied to it.

Bulldozer driver Marcelo Alejandro Parun did everything professionally, but due to long negotiations with the authorities, they missed the beginning of the tide. The surf began to push the vessel ashore.

“When the tidal water had reached it, the trimaran started to ‘thrash’. When it was blown off land, it stayed by the shore for a long time because of the anchor, began to jump over the waves. The tension of the cable was so great that the two of us could not pull out the anchor, and a strong wind with gusts up to 40 knots was pushing the trimaran away. With incredible efforts, we managed to get the anchor and go out to sea after all. Got soaked through. We untangled the ropes and set our course only in the afternoon," Kovalevsky said.

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Перед выходом в море в Рио-Гранде. Фото участников экспедиции

They had to sail in the direction of Ushuaia in heavy rain with a strong wind. Kovalevsky and Berezkin were on watch for four hours; they had to sleep in snatches for no more than two hours. Small black-and-white dolphins scurried around, as if in a dolphinarium. By the morning of December 2, the trimaran approached the low rocky shores of the Bay of Bahia Tethys.

“There are a lot of algae on the water near the shore. We drop anchor. The depth is about 10 meters. It takes 30 meters of rope for it to lay down on the bottom and catch on the ground. We can relax, use the bathroom. We are waiting until about 11-12 o’clock. Then we follow the tide around Cape San Diego. Only on this short stretch, there is no head current during the tide," Kovalevsky shared.

In short bursts from bay to bay

The trimaran was moved from its place using the motor; they began to pull out the rope. It is impossible to tear the anchor off the bottom alone – only both of them together can do it. It takes about 20 minutes in the cold and the wind, in the rain. The trimaran moves for about an hour to Cape San Diego, the circumnavigators manage to slip through a dangerous place during high tide and turn west against the headwind towards the Beagle Channel. The cold sun of the "fierce south" gives off almost no warmth.

“The west wind is getting worse. Gusts reach 50 and even 60 knots. We decide to take refuge in the bay. We enter it with difficulty against the headwind. We are glad that the new engine is coping, that we bought it in time to replace the old one that had lost power. We anchor. The Argentine Navy contacts us via radio. We tell who we are and where we are going. They ask if we need help. We ask for the weather forecast. They give a forecast for the day. The wind should subside in a day. Suddenly, during a very powerful gust of wind, a solar panel crashes between me and Stas. The wind tore the metal of the panel frame, threw it over the tent, simultaneously tearing its side wall, and forcefully plunged into the deck! I was standing on this spot five seconds ago! The panel flew right over my head and did not reach Stas, catching on the rope. We miraculously remained alive and unharmed. The angels are with us, but it seems that we no longer have electricity," Kovalevsky described the situation.

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Холод, волны и Евгений Ковалевский. Фото участников экспедиции

By evening, the wind does not abate and is pulling the trimaran together with the anchor into the ocean. But the crew intends to sail about 40 miles to the next bay in the morning or at night.

“We will make our way to Ushuaia in short bursts,” jokes Kovalevsky.

Even resting here in the south is difficult. The cold is persistent; you have to sleep in clothes. But the travelers need to gain strength, because the decision has been made to sail at night.

“We're starting to weigh anchor. This task is not easy again. The wind seems to subside, but there are sudden gusts that make the trimaran jump. While we were resting, we were blown away along with the anchor by 30-50 meters. The anchor is placed securely at the bottom; it will not be easy to pull it out. We are so overworked that we try to sleep at the first opportunity. A lot of minor injuries on the hands and feet. Yes, the South of America is a harsh place for navigation,” says the head of the circumnavigation.

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Станислав Берёзкин и Евгений Ковалевский. Фото участников экспедиции.

The wind subsides only on the morning of December 3. Having informed the coast guard by radio that everything is in order, the crew takes the trimaran out of the bay. It is dark, the moon is setting, and the navigators are anxiously peering into the darkness, wondering what awaits them on the open sea.

“Then we go around the cape and go out into the Beagle Channel. We sail 32 miles to the next bay, and there are still 120 miles to Ushuaia. At the exit from the bay, we are met with a north wind. Burns the face like an icy fire. The speed drops to one and a half knots, but we have to keep going. There's no point in waiting. There is no good weather here," Kovalevsky noted.

It is very difficult to keep the course in such conditions – the headwind and the head current are getting in the way. A lot of gasoline gas to be spent.

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Вдоль берега Южной Америки. Фото участников экспедиции

“When about 80 miles remain to Ushuaia, instead of going to the bay we decide to go straight to the port. The headwind and the side current knock us off course, but we are slowly moving. Neither Stas nor I have the strength to cook food; there is no time to sleep. Soon the head current and the headwind stop the trimaran. There is zero moving forward. We maneuver, look for course options, deviate from the original direction, and move along the coast. The speed barely reaches one knot," says Kovalevsky.

And suddenly the head current weakens, the crew manages to maintain the course. And yet the speed is low – the headwind has not gone away. And after a couple of hours, a squall hits; the wind and rain drive the vessel back again. The crew has to count how much gasoline is left. It turns out that there are only 120 liters, which may not be enough with such a movement. It looks like an emergency.

Illegal landing on the saving island and gratitude to the Chilean Navy

On December 4, moving all night against the headwind, the trimaran reached the Chilean island of Picton. It is visible on the left, but the squall still does not allow the crew to move forward.

“Stas is trying to stand off and on from the Argentine coast to the Chilean coast and back. I'm still on the morning watch. Strong wind all the time, frequent squalls. We are exhausted, but there is a chance to get into the bay. We pray to heaven. Our gasoline is running out in this bay, we can't get out without help. We spend two hours on the remaining three miles, barely moving against the headwind. Now it is up to 30 knots. And we can't have it blow harder," says Kovalevsky.

At noon, the trimaran manages to reach the coveted bay on the island. There is much less wind here.

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Тримаран подходит к чилийскому пограничному посту. Фото участников экспедиции

“Looking for a place to anchor. Suddenly we see a house on a hill. Almost immediately, the Chilean Coast Guard calls us on the radio. Apparently, there is a border post here. We inform them that we need help, water is running out, there is no gasoline. We can't reach Ushuaia," says Kovalevsky.

The Chilean border guard is good-natured. He shows where the anchorage is located and invites the sailors to his place. The Russians answer that they will take a little rest, inflate a small boat, and approach the shore.

“We cook rice, prepare tea. Hot food and drink enliven us. We are exhausted from the battle with winds, currents, waves, cold. Getting warm. Life is getting better," admits Kovalevsky.

The Chilean Navy Officer Simon is on duty on Picton Island. His family lives with him at the post: his wife Patricia, two daughters – Natalia, 15, and Elena,6.

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Кругосветчики РГО и семья офицера ВМФ Чили Симона. Фото участников экспедиции

“It turns out that they arrived here two weeks ago to work for two years. We tell them about the expedition, ask them to help with water and gasoline, and also inform the mainland about us. Simon talks with the commander, explains that the crew of the Russian trimaran has problems, and in the evening a patrol boat of the Chilean Navy brings us 60 liters of gasoline. Patricia fills our bottles with water. We plan to leave tomorrow night. Many thanks to the Chilean Navy!” says Kovalevsky.

Summer snow and going to the Port of Ushuaia

On the evening of December 5, it snowed. According to Simon, Picton is always stormy, with winds of up to 60 knots and strong waves. This is a big problem for sailing vessels. The Russians are waiting for the weather forecast, preparing the vessel, and adjusting the rigging.

“We are preparing for the last stretch of sailing to Ushuaia as for a battle, because the farther south you go the fiercer the ocean gets. We decide to start early, we need to be on the trimaran at low tide to push it into the water. We go to Simon's house to drink coffee and say goodbye to his family. The hospitable Chileans treat us to dinner before we move out. At 18:00 we unmoored. Simon and Elena are seeing us off. We weigh the anchor, we leave the bay. The headwind from the west immediately started blowing. The course is west-northwest. Beagle Channel. Grey clouds ahead. The squalls with gusts up to 40 knots, snow, and rain are waiting for us there," says Kovalevsky.

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Порт Ушуая, цель достигнута. Фото участников экспедиции

However, this time the ocean relented and met the trimaran of the RGS’s circumnavigation not so severely. And yet the weather is very cold even for the local summer – the temperature is about zero degrees. The last dash to Ushuaia took 12 hours – 50 miles were covered at an average speed of 4.5 knots. In the morning, the brave Russians reached their destination port.

Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin will stay in Ushuaia for several days. After some rest, they will visit the Chilean city of Puerto Williams on the island of Navarino. There they need to get permission to pass to Cape Horn through the Murray Channel, which is closed to all vessels except military and fishing.

After the settlement of administrative issues, the crew will begin preparing the trimaran to continue sailing. In mid-December, the round-the-world expedition of the Tomsk Branch of the Russian Geographical Society will go to Cape Horn.

On July 1, 2021, Siberian travelers Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin set off along the route of the first Russian round-the-world expeditions of the 19th century: Ivan Kruzenshtern’s (1803-1806), Yuri Lisyansky’s (1803-1806), Otto Kotzebue’s (1815-1818, 1823-1826), Vasily Golovnin’s (1817-1819), Fedor Litke’s (1826-1829), Faddey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev’s (1819-1921). The international project of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society "Following the paths of Russian explorers" is dedicated to the 250th birthday anniversary of Krusenstern and the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica by Russian sailors. These events for a long time determined Russia's leadership in the development of the oceans and the discovery of new lands. You can learn more about the project and provide all possible assistance in its implementation on the website of the expedition.

Alexander Zhirnov