Flying Fish Articles

Melchior Is to the Argentine islands

Melchior Is – 64°19.00'S, 62°58.00'W [Approximate]

Argentine Islands – 66°00.00'S, 65°39.00'W [Approximate]

CRUISING NOTES FROM THE YACHT WESTRI IN ANTARCTICA IN JANUARY 1995. Chart Nos. are British Admiralty. The anchorages have been rated fair to good (Anc* - Anc*****) by Chris West of Westri. Hovgaard Island & Mutton Cove and all the chartlets have been contributed by Tony & Coryn Gooch of Taonui in 1997.
Melchior IsLANDS Anc**** 64º19?S 62º58?W. Charts 3566, 3570 & 3213 Many anchorages in this group of islands which is a key spot for crossing the Drake Passage. One perfect place is between Omega and Eta Islands (see chartlets) in a cove on Omega at the 4 fathom mark 64º19?.4S 62º55.5W. Anchor bow and tie stern lines ashore. Completely landlocked. Great scenery.
ARDLEY COVE, KING GEORGE IS. Anc **** 62º12?.4?S 58º57?.5W. Charts 4212, 3205 & 1774 Anchor at the head (NE) of Maxwell Bay/Bahia Fildes just NE of Diomedea Is in 35-40ft of water. Good holding and protection. This is just off the Chilean Base of Rudolfo Marsh. Good hospitality also. POTTER COVE, KING GEORGE IS (South Shetland Islands) -
BAHIA FILDES - MAXWELL BAY Anc***. 62º14?.2S 58º40?.5W. Charts 4212, 3205 & 1774. Best anchorage off Argentine/German base of Jubany (Orange buildings) in NE just around Mirounga Pt, 100 yards offshore in 20-30 ft. Good holding ground. Great hospitality, minimal ice except hard blow from NW. Interesting hiking.
YANKEE HARBOUR, GREENWICH IS. Anc *** 62º31?.74S 59º48?W. Charts 4212, 3205 & 1774 On entering harbour stay very close to the spit (75 metres). Note two sets of ranges. Follow SE range, (after rounding Spit Point), to south corner and anchor in 25 ft of water, good lee and holding. Spectacular views of glaciers. Big penguin rookery.
DECEPTION ISLAND Anc *** 63º00?S 60º30?W. Charts 4212 & 3205 Deception island is a volcanic crater that was used as a whaling station in the last century and there are lots of remains to see even though many are covered up by recent volcanic activity in the ?70s. Anchored in Whalers Bay close in by old buildings. Poor holding ground but good shelter. Interesting old site worth visiting. Hot springs in Pendulum Cove. (See chartlet of Telefon Bay)
ENTERPRISE ISLANDS Anc***** 64º32?.5S 61º58?.5W. Charts 3570 & 3566 Following directions in the OCC?s Flying Fish, tied up against an old rusting whaler ship. Good protection from all winds but ice can be a problem in the cove itself (see chartlets). Between the wreck and the glaciers coming right down, it has to rank as a colourful anchorage.
PORT LOCKROY Anc*** 64º49?.4S 63º29?.5W. Charts 3566. 3570 & 3213 Anchor between Bills Island and Besnard Point in 40 - 70 ft of water. Good shelter and holding. Too many boats can force anchoring in less of a lee. (See chartlets)
ARTHUR HARBOR (Palmer Station USA) Anc** 64º48?.25S 64º03?.1W. Chart 3570 Use only if visiting station due to limited shelter in west wind. Be sure to call well in advance. Tie to Palmer dock in north side of Bonaparte Point. (See chartlet)
GALINDEZ ISLAND, Argentine Islands (Faraday Base, British) Anc**** 65º14?.8S 64º15?.3W. Charts 3570 & 3575 (small chartlet) Bullet proof anchorages between Galindez and Winter islands - requires lines but well worth the effort. Interesting and delightful. If the weather permits, climb Woozie Hill for one of the best 360º views imaginable and then slide down to your boat.
PARADISE HARBOUR (Argentine Base) North anchorage Anc* 64º53?.4S 62º52?W. Chart 3570 (various small chartlets) Tie off here only with westerly winds - between hut. Not enough water to get into nearby cove.
HOVGAARD ISLAND 65º06?S 64º06?W. Charts 3570, 3572 (see chartlet) Anchorage is in the narrow passage between the north end of Hovgaard and a small unamed island on its NW corner. A band of rocky islets off the western end stops larger icebergs from drifting in. Take lines ashore to both sides of the passage. The passage shallows at the eastern end and leads to a bulletproof anchorage in a basin at the south end of Plenau Island. This basin is shallow and could only be used by yachts with a lifting keel. It is not possible to pass between Pleanau and Hovgaard islands. The passage between Pleneau and Booth islands is often blocked by ice, in which case it is necessary to travel 5 miles down the eastern side of Hovgaard and then back up the western side. In such circumstances, the band of rocks at the western end of the anchorage obscures the entrance. They must be left to starboard on entering from the west.
MUTTON COVE 66º00?S 65º39?W. Charts 3570, 3573 & 3213 (see chartlet) Anchorage is formed by 4 small islands, Harp, Upper, Cliff & Girdler. Beer Island provides shelter from the west. There is not enough swinging room to anchor. Tie to the steep rock wall on the south side of the eastern end of the cove and run lines across to the north side. Good shelter from all winds, but subject to drifting ice in a south wind. The beacon on Shag Rock (an iron basket on a steel pole) about ¾ mile to the east, is a good identification mark.
Apart from those chartlets mentioned in the text, there are chartlets of the following:- Cuverville Is. 64º41?S 62º37?W Dorian Bay & Cove 64º48?.99S 63º30?.07W Port Charcot, Is. Booth 65º05?S 64º00?W Petermann 65º10?S 64º05?W (4 chartlets) Pitt Islands 65º26S 65º20?W Duchaylard Is. 65º43?.5S 65º06?W Prospect Point 66º01.5S 65º?1?W Biscoe Is., between Watkins & Belding, 66º23?.8S 67º09W Is. Detaile 66º52?S 66º47?W Lagoon Islands 67º36?S 68º15?W Debenham Is.,Base San Martin 68º08?S 67º07?W Sally Cove, Horseshoe Is, Lystad Bay, 67º48?.18S 67º18?.04W

[attachment=196]AntarcticPlans.pdf[/attachment]
See Attachment listing of 21 anchorage and harbour plans -