[password] rachel25
[position] 51 24.503s 060 26.986w
[status] Anchored in Port Dunbar, north coast of West Falkland
We had an easy, short passage from Carcass Island to Dunbar. We have no detailed chart of the Dunbar bay, so took it slowly, but grounded with the keel a couple of times, despite it being mid-tide. We ended up lifting the keel completely, a major advantage of Ithaka having a lifting keel and rudder. Once inside, we found another yacht hauled up beside a jetty.

Ashore, we introduced ourselves to the owners of Dunbar settlement, Hugo and Marie Paul, who are also the owners of the yacht. Over a cup of tea in their kitchen, we learnt they have sailed extensively in the south Atlantic, and Hugo had over-wintered in Antarctic in a 9m aluminum yacht many years ago. Later, Colin and I walked southwards across the Dunbar estate to Stevelly Bay to visit another Gentoo penguin colony, and spent a couple of hours watching these very comical creatures.

Back at the ranch we had a good look at Hugo's slipway and cradle he has built. Because it is a very narrow creek he decided to build a cradle for the yacht which rolls on rails sideways up the shore. The cradle with the yacht in it stops above a concrete pit which is usually full of seawater, but which he pumps out, so that he can lower the centreboard and remove it for maintenance. Very ingenious, the whole system saving him a 1500 mile trip to Uruguay to haul out and maintain the underwater parts of the boat.

We also learn about the 'eatability' of the wild geese and penguin eggs. The latter sounds cruel but apparently, if you remove the first egg, the penguin will lay an extra one to compensate.
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