This is a very peculiar port as it blows here most of the time. When in other ports the pilots start thinking about suspending all port movements, they gear here up for a normal days work. That made me a little bit of apprehensive to say the least about this port. With such windy circumstances you have to rely totally on the strength of the tugboats and the skill of the pilot and that is something I never really enjoy doing. I have no problem with letting them assist me in the best way possible but when it comes to more or less handing over as you do not know the strength of the tugboats nor understand the (local) language then it is reason to be very careful. Thus I was very happy to see when we approached Punta Arenas that the weather forecast was correct; there was very little wind, much to the surprise of the two pilots onboard that guide us through the Inside Passage.
The port pilot boarded at the agreed but at the early time of 5 am and with two compulsory tugboats hovering around the Prinsendam we travelled the last three miles to the dock. In the meantime the port pilot regaled me with stories about docking under windy conditions of up to 60 knots an hour and how normal that was. Gas tankers, normal tankers, cargo ships it all did not matter. If there was more wind, you just got yourself more tugboats. I suppose everybody gets excited about something in life. It was nearly wind still when we docked, a gentle breeze pushed us slowly to the dock and the tugboats just lay alongside and kept the ship alongside while we gave out the lines. Our dock is built on stilts and under it, flows a current that is pushing the ship away from the dock, even if the wind sets the ships towards it. This is a very strange and unpredictable port.
One of the four mooring buoys we used for the head and stern lines.The town has a litle dry dock and you can just see the damaged cruise ship Clelia II sitting on the blocks.
The docking was a very long and tedious affair. As the dock is only 150 meters long, we stick out at both sides and the breast and stern lines go on big and heavy mooring buoys. At the same time we had to dock virtually on the inch as I had to keep three break doors clear. The Provision break for getting supplies on board, the gangway break for a good line up for the gangway and the tender break as we have to ensure it is not pushed in by a dock fender. This is the only spot on the hull where there is no rubbing stroke, due to the fact that the tenders have to dock here. So a bit of juggling for position until we had all the lines in balance.
By the time we were docked, the harbour pilot was still not believing that the weather would be extremely nice today, so he phoned the local Meteo Station for an update but there was no change in the forecast. He almost seemed disappointed. So I offered him the Lido to have a good breakfast as some sort of consolation, an offer that was accepted with great alacrity. Thus we had a great day; at least to local standards in this barren area. The guests went to see the penguins and some even flew for a tour to Antarctica. They will be the only ones who will set foot on that continent as landings are not allowed from larger ships.
Our first penguins. These photos by Cadet officer Chris Seaman, who went on an afternoon tour.
Our first reminder of where we are going came from looking out of the bridge window. Ahead of us was the Clelia II sitting in dry – dock. A very small cruise ship, she touched the rocks while in Antarctica and damaged her propulsion system. You have to be careful out there and so we will be.
Our Antarctic flight came back delayed and we had to wait with departure. This time it was not the plane, but the bus that took the guests from the airport to the ship, that broke down. As the harbour pilot was onboard already and brought his tugs with him again, I used the waiting time to take in all the long mooring lines and used the tugboats to keep the ship alongside. To get to our next port Ushuaia it is a tight stretch so any minute that I could gain, was a minute won.
While waiting for the tour and getting cold feet on the bridgewing, we all had more than enough time to admire the scenery of downtown Punta Arenas.
Tonight we will sail the Inside passage again with dipping twice, very briefly, into the Pacific Ocean. The weather is getting better and better, even Cape Horn looks decent at the moment, so hopefully I will be able to get close to the Cape, the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow in Ushuaia it should be very good weather for the area. Temperatures in the low fifties, gentle breeze and overcast skies. Not bad at all.
Leave a Reply