Argentina- fresh greengrocery, spring blossom, almost everything are cheep to by, marvellous meat, but terrible bureaucracy and a lot of corruption which probably is the major reason for a lot of problems and the lack of development of the country.   

We have now another country in South America behind us. Our nice experience in Argentina are unfortunately darkened by a stiff legged bureaucracy and a lot of corruption. It seems totally impossible to get things brought in from abroad, in spite they are sent to a ship in transit. Everything seems to end up in  ”the nightmarish customs of Buenos Aries” where it is almost impossible to get it out without paying a lot of extras for who knows what. They seem not to care about international rules and agreements. Although it is a very big country with almost everything within it's borders,  trade over the borders is necessary for the development of a country.  
Another odd example of the authority. When we cleared out from Mar del Plata, Helén on Yaghan had Stanley, Falkland Islands, as next port. We where quite surprised to found out that according to Argentina this was not another country! So they got no stamp out in their passports. We told them a white lie and said that next port will be Puerto Williams. That was of course another matter and we got our stamp. We then noticed when we came to Falkland that the bay outside Stanley Harbour is called "Port William", so our white lie was after all not a lie if we should be as formal as they are. Immigration in Stanley couldn't care less about the behaviour, they treated our two yachts equally. It will be most interesting to see how they will treat us when we are back in Ushuaia. We have been in another country that isn't another country...

During our entire time in Mar del Plata we have had contact with an Argentinean couple, Clara and Rudolfo. They live in their yacht here in the marina, to which the came back 2004 after a 12 years of circum navigation. Clara have an Norwegian mother, now living in Buenos Aries, who where borne in Bergen, where they of course paid a visit during their circum navigation. We got a lot of hints and advice from them about the Chilean coast, several warnings about the dangerous east coast of Argentina but most of all a lot of help with transportations in their car around in Mar del Plata to various shops. Not to mention all Spanish that was necessary, both making phone calls and explanations in shops. Being sailors they understood  all our needs. 
When the membrane in our greywaterpump broke, Clara found the spare part in Buenos Aries by phone. How to get the items 500 km to Mar del Plata? First to the bank and pay the chandler, then fax a copy of the bank recite to the chandler, after that he started the expedition to get it by express to us. For safety reason we did put Clara as the address for the package. Three days later it turned up at the bus station in the centre of Mar del Plata. Clara immediately went away with the car and delivered the package to us in our yacht! It's almost difficult to receive so much help and kindness when the only thing we can offer is an eternal friendship.
Clara and Rudolfo, thanks' for all your efforts to simplify our visit in Mar del Plata. 

Our last days in Mar del Plata became quite hectic. We had a lot of things on our list to be done before departure when a perfect weather window for the Falklands was there. We did put in another gear and went for the final with all our projects and on top of that, buying fresh food for the trip. The weather seemed to be god even along the coast, so almost all yachts heading south went away on the 27th.
We left at 9, but Yaghan with a draft of 2,5 had to wait for the tide to get out. The two of us where the only yachts to head for the Falklands, a decision which turned out to be a winner.
The weather was very god the whole way down. The weather along the coast was very much variable, as a result those yachts made slow progress compared to us  some 100 nm out in the open sea.  Yaghan overhauled us some hours after departure and was one and a half day ahead of us in Stanley just over four days later.

During this trip we finally got our SSB radio working even to talk to others. We have all the time used the mail function with success, but talking, no. A radio amateur, Bob at Falkland Islands, heard us and had some controls he wanted us to execute. The next morning when we called him and our signal and audio was OK. One of our mistakes, we had forgotten to shut of autopilot and the data modem for the mail, and that disturbed the voice transmitting a lot.
Suddenly we can talk with other stations if the sky isn't full of  disturbance. We talked with the yachts at the coast and most of them complained about the wind conditions.
The wind kept on at a god speed and a favourable direction. Together with a clear sky this made us fiel like we were sailing in summer Scandinavia and not in the roaring forties. Thanks to our two times a day updated weather information we weren't worried about what will come and could fully enjoy the sailing.   

We arrived at Stanley Harbour Sunday morning just before eight o'clock. We were quite surprised when a couple standing on the pontoon waiting for our lines. It was "radio Bob" and his wife Janet. They had seen us passing through the Narrows into Stanley Harbour and went down to the public jetty to catch us at arrival. Talk about hospitality. They invited us to their house for shower and laundry... Overwhelmed we thanked, almost not awake, yes after we have had some hours sleep. After a shower and a lot of talks about radio and other visiting yachts over the years, they drove us around, showing the surroundings of Stanley.
Gypsy bay with Magellan penguins and unfortunately a lots of mines on the beaches. It's a reminder from the Falkland war 1982. The Argentinean planted a lot of mines around Stanley, and as the mines are not metallic they are not possible to detect in a safe manner. Most beaches around Stanley will therefore stay mined for a long time.

Back in Lindisfarne, Helén and Arne from Yaghan welcomed us to Falkland with a Sunday dinner. That's a perfect way to deal with dinner the first day ashore after a six days sailing.
The next day we spent together with them on a Jeep tour to the King penguin colony at Volunteer Point. 
The weather was for penguins! but we had the place for our self without a lot of other tourists.
This was really an experience, the King Penguins are the the penguins you have in your mind thinking of penguins! and they are very photogenic.

Yaghan left for Ushuaia early Tuesday morning and we went out on anchor. Two days a week there is a cruising ship in Stanley Harbour and the public jetty becomes restricted area, not allowed for yachts at the same time as the cruising passengers use the pontoon. When the ship is gone, we are allowed to go back ashore and visiting Janet and Bob for a chat and doing our e-mails...  We are having a discussion with the Swedish Polar Institute and our insurance company about permission to visit Antarctica. It turned out in the end of the week that they both says ok!
But first we have to reach Ushuaia. It's right against the prevailing wind and there are in addition a lot of currents to take care of.  Yaghan had 4 kn against for about 200 nm of the 450 nm to Ushuaia. If your doing 9 kn you can live with that, but if you are going 6 kn... We really have to be carefully when we decide route and time for our passage!  
We plan to leave Stanley Monday morning and have two anchorage along the south coast, waiting for the wind change on Wednesday. Then take of for Staten Island and the Lamaire Strait, hopefully we will be in Ushuaia by the end of this week.

Then we have to decide about the Antarctica. Now we have the formal possibilities, we have to decide whether we have the physical possibility.
First we will celebrate Christmas together with several yachts we met the last months.  
        
And as we don't know when we will be able to write again in this stormy waters, we take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year  

10 December 2006
Annika & Björn
S/Y Lindisfarne

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