We are crossing El golfo de Penas south bound. Lows and fronts are sweeping in rapid succession offering short weather windows in-between. We left yesterday at noon from Caleta Mariuccia after the last blow and we gave plenty of berth to Cabo Raper during the night. We set off with a moderate WNW breeze just strong enough to keep our sails from flapping in the roll. It then increases in the night and becomes a well settled 25-30 knots from the North by this morning.
The swell is as forecast as we exit the shelter of the channels, reaching over 4 meters in height, but the waves are well spaced and cross us gently. As we enter the shallower waters of Gulf of Penas, the chop takes over, but the rolling motion feels less strong. When the sun rises we can observe the same height of a now north westerly swell, merging with an easterly back wash from the continental shelf.
ECMWF model forecast by the end of the afternoon. We are shooting for Bahia Tarn at the north of Canal Messier then Seno Baker and Canal Marinez to reach Puerto Bordali well inside land in good shelter, before the front hits with 40 kts winds. Waves in El golfo de Penas are forecasted to reach 6m, nothing to be taken lightly.
We can even see ourselves on Marine Traffic (the pink SE bound boat). Not many other pleasure boats around. They probably got our AIS position through Faro Raper Radio.