Fouque

Saturday morning saw us motoring out of Caleta Olla bound for Estero Fouque; which is a long fjord stretching south from the SW arm of the Beagle Channel deep into Isla Hoste. Isla Hoste was named by Captain Fitzroy after another British navy captain so should presumable be pronounced ‘Host’ and ‘ostay’ as the Chileans say it. We had planned to find a mooring right at the southern end of the fjord so that we could explore the lakes and possibly find one of the Yamana Indian portage routes that they used to use to carry their canoes over land to take short cuts between some of the bays and fjords. However some strong winds are forecast for the next couple of days and I know that Caleta Bosque where we are now is pretty sheltered even in strong blows so I have decided to stay here until the wind passes and then move south. The Chaura jam that Steve made the other day turned out pretty good and it has been tested as the jam in a sponge layer cake and on toast. Yesterday I made a Falkland’s speciality for dessert; stewed Diddle Dee berries and custard. No custard powder on board of course as the boat was provisioned in Puerto Williams so the custard was made from scratch, but turned out quite good even if I say so myself. Today is windy and wet. Steve and Marcela went for a walk up to the entrance of the fjord and I searched for an intermittent fault on the anchor windlass – worked right through the system cleaned all the contacts etc.. and eventually found a bare wire shorting out inside the motor from where the brushes had been replaced a couple of years ago.. I don’t think I need mention the nationality of the short-sighted careless dick who did that (TIA). After that I went for a short hike up towards Lago Flores. Now it’s time for coffee and popcorn and lighting the Refleks heater.