After almost two weeks of soaking up Easter Island, our thoughts shifted to the passage to mainland Chile. Our goal is to reach Puerto Montt, which is located at about 42S latitude, more or less the Southern Hemisphere equivalent of the Oregon-California border.
Our sailing experience in higher latitudes at home has given us the utmost respect for the ocean there, so even though it’s the middle of the southern summer we’re feeling the pressure to get to the mainland while the chance of bad weather en route is at its lowest.
With the diesel and water tanks full, food filling nearly every nook and cranny aboard, and a good weather forecast for the first day or two we raise the anchor, say goodbye to the new friends we’ve met, and point Madrone’s bow back towards the open South Pacific.
Day One: 146nm (includes a couple of hours before our typical start of the day at noon; always good to get a head start) 29 19.0S 109 08.9W
