We 're trying to work out which way to go once we leave the dock! (Dock is in NE USA...)

Does the group have any insight into a plan that we are conceiving that would take us down the western coast of South America to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego?

We want to have time to stop and smell the roses, but don 't want to linger too much either... We recognize that we 'll be battling headwinds and current, but the prospect of going down the east coast (Brazil/Argentina) doesn 't hold much appeal - and would require another Atlantic crossing to get to the right starting point...

Our plan would be:
Panama Transit in late February

March & April
Columbia - Ecuador - Galapagos

May - September
Galapagos - Peru - Chile: Arrive Puerto Montt at end of September, giving us 5 months to travel the major length of South America.

October - End of March
Cruise down through the Magellan Straights and Beagle Channel until the end of January, then give us a couple of months to head back north as far as Puerto Montt (end of March).

Appreciate your thoughts and any advice/experience you can share.

Bill Balme