13.03.2016: Isla Noir
Isla Noir
Isla Noir with its large rockhopper penguin-colony remains beyond reach for us. We approached to a distance of 25 nautical miles and then the weather ultimately turned our plans upside down. Waves of four meters in height and winds up to 45 knots made a landing impossible. It is very frustrating. We have fought our way here but the weather forecasts persisted with storm warnings. The fact that there is an unusually high number of storms here - even considering the local circumstances - is cause for many discussions and talks in the harbours at Ushuaia and Puerto Williams.
Even skippers who have travelled here for years with their yachts just shake their heads. "Can this be an effect of the El Niño phenomenon?" Many brood over this question. I don't know - maybe this is just a bad year. I plan to speak to meteorologists when I get back. To expose a ship to these wind and sea disturbance conditions and land is in any case impossible. In addition, Isla Noir is situated in a region which is largely uncharted and is fittingly referred to as "Milky Way".
It is called this because the high Pacific waves continually break in countless riffs and depths which gives the sea a white, milky appearance - a nightmare for sailors. A further problem is the steady rainfall. In order to be able to attach the small transmitters to the penguins, the animals must be dry. A combination of dry and mostly moderate weather is just not being offered right now.
Ildefonso
Our scientist on board, Dr. Klemens Pütz, is disappointed just like the rest of us. This is his second failed attempt to reach the island. To wait longer would not have made sense because bad weather is expected for at least another week. What happens then no one knows - forecasts cannot be made that far in advance. That is why we sailed back to Puerto Williams to request a permit from the Chilean navy for the island Ildefonso. There is also a colony of rockhopper penguins living there.
We are not all sure if we will make it there considering the weather situation. The island lies west of Cape Hoorn - at the moment waves with a height of 8 meters and a wind force of 10 - 11 is expected there. The penguins will not wait for us. In about two weeks the last of them will be leaving the island to spend the southern winter in the ocean. It would seem, though, that we might have more moderate weather next weekend. We are going to move to a waiting position near Cape Hoorn and cross our fingers and hope that the weather god just might come around.
Arved Fuchs