Magnus Day, skipper yacht Pelagic Australis reports:
We finally upped anchor and left King Haakon this morning at first light
after a restless night. Our snuggish anchorage had turned into a 50 knot
lea shore and all the ice in the bay had blown in with it. The anchor
slid and then held firm as I sat with the motor on and my heart in my
mouth sipping tea made by my partner and first mate Laura Hampton. We
were but yards from the shore for some hours.
Leaving our home of 6 days (is this some kind of record in King Haakon?)
in a mixture of snow, fog and sunshine felt like leaving an old friend
but with miles to make for the next safe anchorage and 30 knots blowing
in our faces we had to keep the hammer down. A very steep, short sea
kept our speed down until we snuck thought the tiny Bird Sound and were
able to bear away on the north side of the South Georgia and pick up
some good speed eventually anchoring in Prince Olav Harbour.
Prince Olav is in the mouth of Possession Bay just an hour or two from
our pickup point and we will be able to come round and help the guys
pick a safe route down the glacier, scanning it from the bay with our
binoculars. We learned last night that all is well and Laura has
prepared a giant 'Armenian' lamb stew to welcome them home.
I'm sure there'll be more first hand accounts of the last few days on
the hill coming this way soon.
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