Cape Horn & Darwin Range
13 days through the water world of the
Yamana Indians and a journey to the
glaciers of the Darwin Range
Day 1:
You reach Puerto Williams, the starting point of your sailing turn, via:
a) Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
The skipper welcomes you at the AFASYN sailing club in Ushuaia Bay. The sailing yacht is either at the pontoon there or lying at anchor in the bay.
All participants should have arrived at the club by lunchtime.
After arrival on the first day of the turn, as well as on the last day, there will be a complimentary transfer from Ushuaia to Puerto Williams or respectively the other way round.
If necessary we may use a craft other than the yacht booked to run these transfers.
b) Santiago and Punta Arenas
From Punta Arenas there are the two-engine Twin-Otter or the new Antarctica Dash run by the air taxi operator DAP, which will take you across the Darwin Range into the Beagle Channel to the starting point of our expedition.
Puerto Williams (appx. 2.300 inhabitants) situated on Navarino Island is the southernmost settlement in the world. It is here that we have reached the last outpost of civilisation.
The sailing yacht will reach Puerto Williams in the afternoon of the first day of your turn.
After arrival we will make ourselves at home on the yacht, move into our berths and unpack our luggage. The cosy narrowness of the yacht’s quarters will become our home for the next fourteen days. The yacht will provide us with safety and shelter in the pristine wilderness that we are about to enter.
The technical installations as well as the safety equipment on board will be demonstrated and explained.
The last native Tierra del Fuego Indians live on Navarino Island in the small settlement of Ukika. We can visit the Martin-Gusinde-Museum to learn about the local environment and native Indian culture or else go for a little stroll and admire the nearby beaver dams.
In the evening we will be guests at the home of Wolf Kloss for a typical Tierra del Fuego asado.
A glass of pisco sour at the yacht club will round off our first evening.
Day 2:
We follow the Beagle Channel to Puerto Toro passing small „estancias“ and the wreck of a stranded freighter. 100 years ago Puerto Toro was meant to become the administrative centre of the southern section of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. But after the gold rush Puerto Toro fell back into oblivion. Today the local fishing fleet use the harbour as a safe spot. With a bit of luck we can trade in freshly caught “centollas”, king crabs, here.
Day 3:
Weather permitting we cross Bahia Nassau non stop. Now we procede into the heart of the Wollaston Archipelago, the Cape Horn Islands. From here it is 15 more miles to the Cape. We anchor in a protected bay and wait for suitable weather.
In case of foul weather we go to Caletta Lennox as an alternative. Around 1900 there was a gold rush here quite similar to the one in Alaska. Place names like Caletta Oro (Gold Bay) remind us of these times. Since 1995 digging has been taken up again.
Day 4:
We take the first possible chance and round the Cape. Weather permitting we pay a visit to the Chilean crew at the lighthouse in their lonely outpost. In the small chapel Stella Maris we pay our respects to the seamen who lost their lives fighting the terrifying elements at this stormy cape. In the evening we anchor 10 nm further to the north in Caletta Martial.
Day 5:
North westerly courses take us through the Franklin Channel and out of the Cape Horn Archipelago. The east coast of the Hardy Peninsula provides us with a number of protected anchorages sheltered by the Darwin Cordillera against the frequently rough westerlies. Many 19th century expeditions sought protection here to carry out their geographical and anthropological work.
Day 6:
We sail through the Murray Channel separating Hoste Island from Navarino Island. The Yamana culture was centred around this Channel. Depending on wind direction we anchor in its opening.
Day 7:
We carry on westwards, up the Beagle Channel. We pass small estancias framed by the dramatic ranges of Tierra del Fuego. The snow covered peaks get higher as the channel gradually narrows. We immerse ourselves into the calm loneliness of this deserted mountain range, the Cordillera Darwin. Anchorage is in Caletta Olla.
Day 8:
We take a walk through the pristine wilderness to the lake of the glacier with its numerous beaver dams. We carry on through the Channel along the “avenida de los glaciares” at the feet of the ice giants. In this area the glaciers stream directly into the sea. Our overnight stop is in Seno Pia, a deep fjord. The water in the fjords is well covered with drifting glacial ice.
Day 9:
We explore the fjord, take a hike to the glacier and even walk on the glacier if the weather conditions are favourable. A colony of seals makes itself well heard. Here we have reached the westernmost point of our journey.
Our way now takes us south through the Thomson Channel. At its opening called Bahia Cook we often encounter the long running swell of the Pacific Ocean. Our course turns east by 90 degrees into Seno Coloane in the Brazo Suroeste of the Beagle Channel.
Days 10 and 11:
We explore the various fjords by boat and on foot. Here there is still a lot of unknown territory to discover. We find protection for the night in Bahia Fleuriais.
Day 12:
At lunchtime the gaucho Eugenio and his wife Esther welcome us at their estancia Canasaca. They have a few horses ready for us. Those of us who feel like it can explore the surroundings of the estancia on horseback with their son Claudio as a guide. After this we enjoy a local lunch with centollas for a starter to be followed by lamb grilled on the spit.
Day 13:
We take our leave of the majestic lonely mountain range and sail back to Puerto Williams. Back to “civilisation” the new Cape Horniers raise their glasses of the traditional pisco sour to their successful rounding of the Cape and the unforgettable experiences in the Cordillera.
The return journey is again via
Transfer on the yacht or by an alternative craft to Ushuaia.
- Punta Arenas and Santiago
The well known Twin Otter or the Dash take us back to Punta Arenas. The last views of the Beagle Channel and the Cordilliera Darwin bid us farewell from one of the last pristine nature reserves in the world.
Back to civilisation what we have experienced will seem like a dream to us.
A truly exceptional sailing area:
The Beagle Channel, Navarino Island, Cordillera Darwin, Cape Horn.
A journey into the wonderland of “Tierra del Fuego”.
Sea & Ice & Mountains - Yacht Expeditions
NO LIMITS IN WONDERLAND
The routes given are not binding. There may be alterations due to calms, storms or for other reasons.
CAPE HORN
Murray Channel - Cape Horn
6 days through the water world of the Yamana Indians
Day 1:
You reach Puerto Williams, the starting point of your sailing turn, via:
a) Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
The skipper welcomes you at the AFASYN sailing club in Ushuaia Bay. The sailing yacht is either at the pontoon there or lying at anchor in the bay.
All participants should have arrived at the club by lunchtime.
After arrival on the first day of the turn, as well as on the last day, there will be a complimentary transfer from Ushuaia to Puerto Williams or respectively the other way round.
If necessary we may use a craft other than the yacht booked to run these transfers.
b) Santiago and Punta Arenas
From Punta Arenas there are the two-engine Twin-Otter or the new Antarctica Dash run by the air taxi operator DAP, which will take you across the Darwin Range into the Beagle Channel to the starting point of our expedition.
Puerto Williams (appx. 2.300 inhabitants) situated on Navarino Island is the southernmost settlement in the world. It is here that we have reached the last outpost of civilisation.
The sailing yacht will reach Puerto Williams in the afternoon of the first day of your turn.
After arrival we will make ourselves at home on the yacht, move into our berths and unpack our luggage. The cosy narrowness of the yacht’s quarters will become our home for the next six days. The yacht will provide us with safety and shelter in the pristine wilderness that we are about to enter.
The technical installations as well as the safety equipment on board will be demonstrated and explained.
The last descendents of the native Tierra, del Fuego Indians live on Navarino Island in the small settlement of Ukika. We can visit the Martin-Gusinde-Museum to learn about the local environment and native Indian culture or else go for a little stroll and admire the nearby beaver dams.
In the evening we will be guests at the home of Wolf Kloss, founder of Sea Ice and Mountain Expeditions, for a typical Tierra del Fuego asado.
A glass of pisco sour at the yacht club will round off our first evening.
Day 2:
Off we go! We sail westwards, up the Beagle Channel passing small estancias set off against the breathtaking peaks of Tierra del Fuego. We sail through the Murray Channel, which separates the Hoste from the Navarino Island. The Yamana culture was centered around this channel. With the compass pointing south we move out into Bahia Nassau. The eastern coast of the Hardy Peninsula offers us several safe coves sheltered from the often quite fierce westerly winds. Many 19th century expeditions sought protection here to carry out their geographical and anthropological work.
Day 3:
Our route takes us south across the Mantellero Channel into the heart of the Wollaston Archipelago. In Caletta Maxwell we wait for favourable conditions to round Cape Horn. Here only 15 nm separate us from the southernmost point of America.
Day 4:
We take the first possible chance and round the Cape. Weather permitting we pay a visit to the Chilean lighthouse crew at their lonely outpost. In the small chapel Stella Maris we pay our respects to the seamen who lost their lives fighting the terrifying elements at this stormy cape.
For the night we aim for Puerto Toro. A hundred years ago this place was meant to become the administrative centre of the southern part of the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago. After the end of the gold rush it fell into oblivion once again. Today the local fishing fleet use the port as a safe spot. With a bit of luck we can trade in freshly caught centollas here, the prized southern king crabs.
Day 5:
We pass a stranded vessel on the way and sail past lonely estancias. On Martillo Island there is one of the few colonies of Magellan penguins in the Beagle Channel. During the breeding season we can watch the penguins from quite close. In the afternoon we are back in Puerto Williams.
At the Micalvi yacht club the new Cape Horniers raise their glasses of traditional pisco sour to their successful rounding of the Cape.
Day 6:
A good day to sleep late, do the packing and get the return flights confirmed.
The return journey is again via
Transfer on the yacht or by an alternative craft to Ushuaia.
- Punta Arenas and Santiago
The well known Twin Otter or the Dash take us back to Punta Arenas. The last views of the Beagle Channel and the Cordillera Darwin bid us farewell from one of the last pristine nature reserves in the world.
Back to civilisation what we have experienced will seem like a dream to us.
SY SANTA MARIA
SANTA MARIA has sailed for four years under the Chilean flag, allowing her access to waters denied foreign flagged boats. Included is exclusive access to the homeland of the nomadic Yamana Indians, the Chilean Archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.
SANTA MARIA has received Chilean Safety Certification that is renewed regularly, and is fully insured.
SANTA MARIA was designed by the German yacht builder REINKE as his HYDRA steel cutter. She is 14.74 m long and displaces 18 tons. SANTA MARIA features three cabins, making available seven berths, affording reasonable privacy for groups on extended voyages.
SANTA MARIA was designed by the German yacht builder REINKE as his HYDRA steel cutter. She is 14.74 m long and displaces 18 tons. SANTA MARIA features three cabins, making available seven berths, affording reasonable privacy for groups on extended voyages.
The steel construction (5mm), collision bulkhead, and two additional bulkheads forward and aft of the engine room, heavy rigging, enclosed wheelhouse, roller furling genoa and staysail, and an inventory of specially reinforced sails make SANTA MARIA well suited for this area.
As important as the equipment may be to guarantee success, in the end it's the spirit of the crew that make SANTA MARIA what she is. She is designed not for luxury, but for expeditions to the extreme.
Technical Details
Builder: Fa. Bretsch, Böblingen BRD
Designer: Kurt Reinke
Type Hydra
Built: 1983
LOA: 14.74 m
LWL: 12.76 m
Beam: 3.90 m
Draft: 1.60 m
Displacement: 18.00 tons
Hull and Deck
Steel hull, deck & superstructure plywood with fiberglass laminate
Steel decks with non-skid safety coating
Collision bulkhead behind sail locker, two additional water tight bulkheads, with water tight doors for access
Fully enclosed wheelhouse amidships, open cockpit aft
Two independent steering stations
Panoramic view from main salon
Winches
Lewmar chrome winches
2 x 46 ST aft cockpit for genoa sheets
2 x main mast
2 x aft cockpit for reefing
Ground Tackle
1000w 12v Electric windlass with remote control at bow
60 kg Fisherman Anchor
25 kg CQR Anchor
100 meters chain / 10 mm
50 meter tow / anchor line
400 meter shore lines
Engines
Santa Maria has a fully insulated walk-in engine room
Twin Mercedes Benz OM-615 2 x 55 PS (37kw) Diesel Engines
Two x 3 blade propellers
Fuel capacity: 750 litres
Approximate range, engines only, 1,000 miles
Electrical
12V / 220V/200 Watt
Batteries
Service 320AH, Starter 80AH
Water
Fresh water tanks 2 x 700 Liter
Navigation Instruments
Raetheon 24 Mile Radar
Furuno GPS-30
Autohelm Echo Sounder & Log
Barograph MeteoLiner
SESTREL Magnetic Compass
Communications Equipment
VHF – DSC Radio and 2 Handheld VHF
Icom SSB Radio
IRIDIUM Satellite Phone
SKY-EYE Real Time Weather – Satellite Weatherfax
Rig
Cutter Rig – 130 sq. m Sail Area
Full Batten Mainsail
Profurl Roller Furling Genoa and Staysail
Sails
Mainsail 48 sq.m with 3 reefs
Furling Genoa 60 sq.m
Furling Staysail 28 sq.m
Storm Jib
Safety
1 x BfA 8 man life raft in cradles with emergency release system
2 x life rings with MOB recovery system & Danbuoy
8 + life jackets fitted with lights & manual/automatic gas inflation
Removable safety lines.
Jotron EPIRB
Full ocean flare pack
Dry powder extinguishers throughout the ship, 2 fire blankets
Loud Hailer
2 auto bilge pumps
Centralized manifold for bilge de-watering, manual and motor-driven pump
Security ladder to deck & sea
Zodiac 290 RIB dinghy with Yamaha 15 hp outboard motor
Additional Equipment
Refleks – Diesel Heating Stove in Salon
GRABNER – Inflatable Canoe for individual use
Windpilot Pazifik Plus II – Self steering Wind Vane
The Arctic, Antarctica and Cape Horn 
