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A long day's sailing and motoring took us from Caleta Brecknock to Caleton Silva, just short of the start of Canal Ballenero, which leads straight into the Beagle Channel. Under bright blue skies we had perffect views of the snow capped Cordillera Darwin, including the highest peak in the area, Sarmiento, with its distinctive double summits. Unfortunately, in its usual volatile way the weather brought low cloud and rain for our initial trip through to Caleta Julia in Bahia Tres Brazos.

Caleta Julia was another perfect notch, where tied bow and stern, with an anchor to off the starboard bow. Steamer ducks paddled round the boat at all hours and in the morning a family of dolphins came into the anchorage to wake us with the splashing and cavorting. There was excellent hiking on the hills above the anchorage, both to the lake in the hanging valley and to the heights above Brazo Moroeste of Canal Beagle. From there were panoramic views of the glaciers on the north side of the Canal.

We found that in the south, more than further north, the weather did actually change with the frontal passages, the SWlies bringing blue skies after the NWly rain and low cloud. This pleasant weather often lasted for several days. Fortunately, just such a spell came with our move across to Seno Pia, where the Pia glacier comes down to the water in both arms of the Seno. Caleta Beaulieu is in the eastern arm of the Seno. Sitting at anchor there, you look directly out at the glacier and the snow fields high above which feed it. After a quiet night, brash ice drifts into the anchorage and catches on the shore lines as it drifts on the tide. We took the dink up to the glacier for some up close and personal contact.

We had been told that it was unusual for many British boats to be in the Chilean Canales. For the most part, it is the French and Germans who cruise here, with the occasional Dutch boat, while US boats are hardly ever seen. However, this year there was a fleet of us, mostly Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) members. As it happened our different rates of progress brought four of us together at Caleta Beaulieu for an OCC Beaulieu rally - a little different from the normal venue for such a rally in the Solent, on the south coast of England. A social cruising time is unusual in an anchorage in the Canales. We had only rarely shared our coves with other boats, so, for a change, it was pleasant to have a crowd and catch up on our various experiences with Belair (Bob and Betsy Baillie), Pen Azen (Ian and Judy Jenkins) and Taraki (John and Sally Melling). Perhaps the fact that the members of all four couples have been married continuously to the same person for about 30 years or more gives us something unusual in common among sailing couples.

Leaving the others to continue their exploration of the glaciers, we moved on to Caleta Olla, another of the Beagle's classic anchorages. The passage along the channel was whipped by rachas, but this didn't prevent us enjoying the views of the successive glaciers that pour their ice and waterfalls into the tidal waters. Caleta Olla is a perfect example of the power of trees to give protection. The hook of low land on the western side of the anchorage provides excellent protection against the seas running the length of Brazo Noroeste. However, it is the stand of high trees above the beach which really makes this a superb anchorage in the strong westerly blows that so often coming roaring down the Canal. Pulled hard up toward the beach by stern lines the boat sits in a swath of calm water while white caps whip the rest of the cove. Once again we hiked with John and Sally high above the anchorage to get a better view of the Hollanda Glacier and to see the flock of condors circling high above the snow fields.

By this time we were conscious that we were approaching 'civilisation'. The VHF barked intermittently with check-ins to the various Chilean Armada posts along the route. We were aware not only of the few cruising yachts in the area, but also of the many charter boats that work out of Ushuaia, the major town of Tierra del Fuego on the Argentinian side of Canal Beagle. In Caleta Eugenio, we sat out a strong blow, which also brought colder weather up from the south and coated the heights near the anchorage with snow.

Autumn was certainly in the air as we sailed past Ushuaia toward Puerto Williams, the southern-most town of any size (pop. 2200) in the world. The many peaks were all shrouded in snow down to the tree-line and we were eager each day to get the heater fired up in the late afternoon. Puerto Williams had been our theoretical destination for so long that it seemed distinctly strange to actually reach it a small collection of buildings with brightly coloured roofs set against the trees and snowy peaks beyond, including the striking Dientes in the distance. The town is small and dominated by the Armada whose base and preserve it is. However, the Club de Yates, based on the 'Micalvi', a purposely stranded old Armada vessel, is a major gathering point for yachts of all kinds, from super-yachts to 9 m Breton 'tin-cans'. We rafted up, reported to the Armada and considered a few days rest - as well as the opportunity to buy some fresh food to relieve a diet which for weeks had emerged from tins.

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