While visiting the lighthouse on the little Island Lotes Fairway the breeze was steadily increasing making the last zodiac trips interesting. As to never spoil a fair breeze Marteyn, the Mate, was keen to get sailing. The wind coming from a SSW direction following the Canal and our intended course North zigzagging through the channels and shoals of Canal Smyth. We were in for some fun sailing!

After the grey zodiac was brought aboard the yards were braced on starboard tack in an almost backstay wind. Very quickly trainees were put to stations on each mast ready for action, "set topsails" came the call from the poop deck, so releasing clues and bunts hauling sheets both lower topsails were quickly set. Next the upper topsails shot up this time a little more sweat hauling the halyards to lift the yards up. Also the mizzen boom was brought out to port and the spanker set.

Content with the wind speed and direction Marteyn also asked for the top Gallants, then the fore course, in the mean time the inner jib, the deckswabber, the monkey and the main and mizzen top staysails were all going up. The fore royal also flying by now, but it was short lived as with gusts becoming more frequent, it was struck. Making a steady 7kts, was enough anyway. The Spanker with too much pressure aft was making hard work for the helmsmen so it was taken away. Sailing past Islas Viel and Cape Walker small alterations were made to the braces to suit our slight course changes, slightly on starboard tack, square slightly on port tack, back square.

With a course alteration of 70 degrees to port coming up past Pta Buckley, I was giving a little instruction of what was going to happen and when, with about half an hour to prepare and be ready for action.

Just when we thought we had a little time to spare the wind was increasing further to 30kts +. "Top gallants down" was the call coming into the deckhouse. Back on deck we struck both main and fore T'Gallants swiftly, and took the fore course up into its gear for ease of bracing.

Making the turn to port, now heading in a NW direction. We braced to a beam reach on port tack with only topsails and staysails set, the ship was now getting a little more lively and healing, the wind was following the path of the canal more then we expected and easing a little. Bracing back more square and setting the T'Gallants again was next. Another 1.5miles sailing along the NE coast of Isla Renouard was another course alteration of 88 degrees to starboard, bracing back around and tacking staysails. The breeze steady now at 15kts, sailing between Isla Richards to port and Isla Simpson to starboard, we have some time to look around and take a breath.

Wow! What an amazing view. Passing the shipwreck Santa Leonor wrecked in the early 60s, unspoilt hills and mountains the higher ones snow capped. The rest covered in beautiful green trees and grasses tangled with waterfalls and rocky outcrops. Its 1900 by now and dinner is being served, as the sun begins to fall and shed orange through selected gaps in the clouds. Its lighting up isolated showers and distant hills its hard to believe this is real. The labyrinth of islands and channels in this area just calls out to the explorer inside. There are so many untouched beautiful areas here waiting to be discovered, enjoyed and then left alone just as we found them.

Spike
a Sailor