Harmon and Randall's Voyage…

Leg 4, Blog 8, December 26, 2025 – Puerto Williams, Chile – Latitude 55 S

It has been a rough few days. But we had a textbook four day sail from the Falklands to Puerto Williams, Chile. But we hit 30 knot headwinds as soon as we entered the the Beagle Channel which forms part of the Chile-Argentina border in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

The Beagle Channel (Above) connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, serves as a gateway for Antarctic cruises, and is known for stunning Andean scenery, diverse wildlife (dolphins, sea lions, penguins), and famous for the HMS Beagle’s exploration with Charles Darwin. 

Puerto Williams, is the world’s southernmost city, located on Navarino Island in the Beagle Channel, serving as a key naval base, a gateway to Antarctic exploration, and a hub for accessing the rugged Patagonia wilderness. It’s a remote settlement (better word than city) with a mix of Chilean Navy personnel, researchers, fishermen (especially king crab), and Yámana descendants.

Above: No, this is NOT Cape Horn (yet!) Randall and I have spotted land off the south coast of Chile (we have not yet entered the Beagle Channel) and we are quite excited.

Above: Just a quickie video as we are navigating towards the Beagle Channel.

Above: As we enter the Channel, it is not uncommon to see a lot of shipwrecks in this part of the world. Quite sobering and a warning of future conditions.

Above: Of course we reached Puerto Williams in the middle of the night on December 14, so we anchored and then made our way in the next morning to clear customs. Above is the “Yacht Club” affectionately known as “Club de Yachts Micalvi”. It is the world’s southernmost “yacht club” and is uniquely housed within the partially submerged hull of the historic, decommissioned cargo ship Micalvi. There is no charge to raft your boat up, as the local government is so concerned about the dangerous condition of the Micalvi (they are afraid that it will turtle). It’s got the funkiest shower I’ve ever had the pleasure to use, but it is a lovely home to anyone who is about to brave the Antarctic or the Patagonian coast of Chile and hosts a lovely mix of casual cruisers and serious sailors.

There is a small “downtown” with a couple of restaurants and food stores but not much else In Puerto Williams – and certainly nothing outside of the “club” except this photo-op. But Randall and I are happy to be here. Cruisers come here because many find it easier to launch to the Antarctic from Chile rather than Argentina.

Above: There is a little tension between Puerto Williams and Ushuaia. Ushuaia (across the Channel) is the “end of the road”, and Puerto Williams is the “end of the world”. In fairness they are both correct. Puerto Williams considers itself to be the southern most “city”, but Argentinians do not consider Puerto Williams a city because it is too small.

Above: Being the first night of Hanukkah on December 14, I made Mōli’s first latke (potato pancake) party.

The next morning I hopped over the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia to meet my middle daughter Ulrika. We went out 4-wheeling and learned that the primary industry in Ushuaia was the prison ( a great place to house naughty Argentinians at the turn of the 1900’s). To expand the economy, they introduced beavers to start a fur trade. So now the land was filled with prisoners and beavers who both quickly took over. Shortly after WWII they closed the prison, but the beavers stayed and took over and destroyed much of the local natural habitat. Ushuaia is a real city (population of 70,000) and the hub of Antarctic cruise ships – Randall reports that 700 cruise ships depart there annually.

Above: The Argentinians still consider the “Falkland Islands” to be Las Malvinas, and they believe that someday they will take them back from the English. It will not be pretty for either side.

Above: Here Ulrika and I stand at the “End of the Road” – you can see that Alaska is a mere 17,848 kilometers north. Now, there are several “ends of the road” in Alaska as well: There is Homer on the Kenai Peninsula, Deadhorse in Prudhoe Bay, or ….

Above: Randall and I stand at the”end of the road” in Tuktoyaktuk, Alaska in August 2024.

Well, I promised all you faithful readers penguins, and I have lots from our stop in Stanley (next blog). But I also promised Ulrika some penguins, so here they are first. There are many fewer and they are much more controlled in Ushuaia, but still fun! This is a colony of Gentoo’s.

Above: My last night in Ushuaia, I happened to pass this anti-salmon rally. In Argentina most seem very much against salmon farming and do not want it to come to Argentina. They do a lot of salmon farming off the coast of Chile and all sides admit that it is an ecological disaster due to the waste and escaped salmon.

Above: I arrived back in Puerto Williams on December 22nd and got right to work as we were going to head to the Antarctic the next day. Here I am purchasing diesel to top off our fuel tanks. Not easy carrying three full jerrycans so I stick our my thumb and wait for some local hospitality. I did not have to wait long.

On December 23rd, we set off at 0400 with our next stop to be the Antarctic Peninsula. This should take us four short days. Above: We are going with the wind and the current and making 8 to 9 knots as we fly down the Beagle Channel. Nothing stopping us now!

Above: Hmmmm, Randall detects a minor coolant leak. So he spends the next hour trying to diagnose the problem and as best he can tell, there is a weep hole in the water pump where coolant is escaping. This is concerning enough for Randall to make the call to return to Puerto Williams after two short hours. The Antarctic is no place to have engine failure, so back we go to make repairs.

Above: Hello again! We make it back to Club Micalvi. Looks like we may be here for a while.

It did not take Randall long to rummage under my bunk to search for the spare water pump.

Here is Randall diagnosing the water pump that is still attached.

Well, it looks like it is Christmas Eve, and all the cruisers and hangers on turn the club into a party. It was so nice to get everyone in a festive mood and talking. What fascinated me most is that everyone there had a wild story to tell. I am cooking the side of salmon. My California-based barbeque skills came in handy.

Above left is Yacapo (sp?) who has been designated “King” of the club as he has been here the longest waiting (two years on and off) for a new engine. Above right is Andre and Audre from the Netherlands who have been working on their autopilot for weeks. They leave tomorrow for Ushuaia to seek professional help (for their autopilot).

I began to forget names, but there is the Swiss couple that has been sailing around the world for nine years and will leave Puerto Williams tomorrow to head up the coast of Patagonia. There were several French groups who looked raged and tough tough tough. They loved a good party and made incredible food (like a Tart Tatin). The French are crazy sailors and nothing is too tough for them. Many have old, depreciated boats that still durable and up to their latest challange. They show up from having sailed long distances looking emaciated and ragged, but they make the best food and have the prettiest women and they are ready to continue their journey at a moment’s notice.

The most interesting to me was Dick Decker, a Dutch boat builder who sailed in solo on a 70 foot Norwegian fishing boat. He is the father of Laura Decker who at 16, was the youngest girl to circumnavigate the world. As Dick explained to us, “Laura, who always seemed to be on a sailboat, did not ask permission, she just went”. https://lauradekkerworldsailingfoundation.com/about-laura/biography/ Dang, and I can barely get my kids on my boat!

Above: Back on Mōli, Santa made a stop. I got a new headlamp (thank you Joanna!!) and Randall got a fancy new sleep mask (thank you Ulrika!!)

On Christmas day, we were getting desperate and serious about fixing that water pump. The replacement needed to be fixed itself, and would just not come apart.

Luckily for us, Randall had made the acquaintance with Magnus Day back in St. Johns Newfoundland. Magnus, a freelance skipper, pilot and naturalist, was now working on the MV Ugly Betty https://www.mvuglybetty.com/.

Here is her owner Bruce showing me around. Not only did they invite Randall and I for Christmas lunch, they opened up her workshop to us.

Here I am being “crowned” by Bruce’s wife and Grace.

We are enjoying a fabulous lunch of lamb cooked by chef Nicki (there are vegi’s on board so I did not go hungry). I especially appreciated the mint sauce made by Magnus’s wife Julie who collected the wild mint earlier that morning.

Before, during and after lunch, we all got down to working on that darn water pump in Ugly Betty’s fabulous workshop (also serves as the Engineer’s bedroom!) Here is Captain John and Engineer Steve and Randall doing everything possible to open up that pump.

Then Randall finally opens up the pump, but thinks that he has the wrong part to fix it!

Success!! Randall has the correct part all along, and reassembles the pump.

Here is the assembled water pump, ready to be installed.

Well, as of this moment, after two weeks in Puerto Williams, one week since I returned from Ushuaia, the replacement pump is installed, the engine is running, and the pump is not leaking. With any luck, we will sail out tomorrow on this weather window. Wish us luck!