Photograph

My camera now rests peacefully under ninety metres of sea in the Sinopia Channel. Whilst loading the Zodiac I looked down to watch it bounce off the starboard bow and sink like a stone. I'm bothered by the total loss of a hundred and thirty bananas and the battery charger that now taunts me, but I'm indifferent to the loss of the camera itself. I'm not inclined to replace it. There were some nice videos of me doing Bear Grylls impressions and pictures of awesome lakes and hungry condors, but they were only benefit to you, whereas as I am perfectly satisfied with the memory. Besides, Frithjof is on the case.

It's down there somewhere. Photo: Frithjof Behne

We move on to visit another pair of low lying glaciers. Some mile or so ahead of these is a carpet of icebergs, from ice cubes to white van-sized pieces - more than capable of sinking an overzealous yacht. We have a spotter standing on the bow, giving directions with arm signals to avoid the white vans. After a little arm failing, Santa Maria Australis gives a long metallic groan from the port side. With a slightly skewed faces, in sympathy for the boat, Wolf cooly comments "That's a big one".

"Hard to Starboard!", Photo: Frithjof Behne

Photo: Frithjof Behne

Then there's time for a little more scotch.

Despite a moderate rain, Pascale and I are determined to get off the boat at our anchorage, at least for a stretch. We find the beach to have a good and rare supply of calatafe berries, and collect as many as we can carry, with plans to return tomorrow morning. Twenty minutes wandering down the beach in the rain, I spot something interesting. It's the skull of a mean looking animal. Under some seaweed by that, there what looks lke a human hand, but removing the seaweed, the arm is a little short. I'm told there's one wild cat native to the area, Pumas, I think, but we conclude this is probably a seal. Farther down the beach, we find the rest of our skinny friend. With the tendons still intact, I'm able to pick the whole rib cage up by the headless spine. I've brought the head back to the boat and enjoy to stroke it to immitate Kevin Peter Hall's portrayal of the predator in Predator - the best action movie ever made.

Photo: Frithjof Behne