March 4, 2008 - Stonington Base: Southernmost Point of Seal's Antarctic Journey
by Kate Laird

68:11 South. Tonight we are probably at the southernmost point of our journey. We are also closer to the mainland than we have yet been, separated from much of it by a vast ice shelf. We came in on a rough choppy sea with gusts up to 49 knots (strong gale force). It feels somewhat desolate and very remote here. And of course it is wonderfully remote. We haven't seen another vessel or person in six days. As far as we know there are no yachts and no cruise ships this far south.

The base outside, now abandoned and suffering the ravages of the weather, was occupied in the fifties by the British in one part and Americans (for a year) nearby. The buildings seem to be semi-prefab, cable-stayed and timber-clad, finished with tar paper and canvas, the later all but ripped off completely by the wind. We go inside, where a lot of the stuff is left: tools, beds, chairs, stoves, food tins, books.

It's interesting that in all this time we have not set foot on the peninsula proper. This is because its mountains and glaciers come straight down to the sea and there is no shelter. We have anchored in low island groups, which break the sea swell and the winds from several sides. Time ashore has therefore been on small rock-strewn islands, invariably occupied by makeshift base buildings, usually now deserted, as this one is.

The topography here also dictates that anchorages are rare, often a day's sail apart, so mariners call in at much the same spots.

Sailing these seas requires an inordinate amount of clothes change. On and off with storm weather gear, rearranging layers to accommodate changes in temperature, wind speed, level of activity, and precipitation. Canadians will know the syndrome: it's like herding six year olds in and out in winter. We always dress in layers: always in long johns because the temperatures in the cabins are mostly around 65 F and have been known to reach 47 F when the hatch door needs to be open for communication inside and out during tricky maneuvers. Sheila set the indoor layer record today: six above the waist and three on the legs. Outside it was seven layers. However, with activity, the layers soon come off.

Today was fresh water shower day. We are all fresh and clean. Everyday dish washing is done with masses of cold sea water (heated on top of the heater) with a little fresh to finish the glasses and knives that would otherwise rust, but every four days the fresh water comes on hot and much appreciated.

This evening's five day forecast (GRIB files) lead us to decide to go no farther south. North and northwest winds are expected during the next few days. It would be easy to go south with them, but that would only add to the expected difficulty of getting back to the northern end of Marguerite Bay and back north through the Gullet. Our objective was to visit Marguerite Bay. We have been exceptionally fortunate with the weather since leaving Ushuaia. Rather than push our luck, now is the time to turn north. (posted by guests Roger and Tony)

For more about Seal see http://www.expeditionsail.com.