Patagonian Expedition Race
Sea Conditions Dictate Early Pace
Rob Howard/Pete Clayden / 15.02.2012
With two open water channel crossings and two fiords to paddle down, teams were in their kayaks for most of the first day, and for much of the remainder they were portaging them over rough country on Dawson Island.
In this race paddling conditions are always variable and always potentially hazardous, so the race has the help of the Chilean navy to keep watch and manage safety. There are frequently time outs due to high winds and rough conditions, and there is always a dark zone on paddling stages to keep teams off the water at night. In some races all the paddling stages have had to be called off, but this year the weather appears to have been reasonable and most teams have made it across the Magellan Strait and Whiteside Canal.
One team, Go Crazy, from Brazil went off course crossing the Magellan Strait and were timed out and DQ'd by PC2, while some others were stopped on Dawson island, either at CP4 or before, due to the winds, which increase in the afternoon. (This was why the race began in the middle of the night, so teams would set off across the waters of the Magellan Strait around first light.)
Who was stopped where, and for how long, we don't know yet, but I'm told the leaders were stopped and regrouped at CP4 before a dawn restart on day two for the crossing of the Whiteside Channel. Times for the teams are adjusted according their arrival time, to the leaders have not lost their advantage (plus the get much more rest).
We know the leaders made it across in good time and are now trekking on Tierra del Fuego.
For those who were wondering about the cut-offs and dark zones on the course the race's Human Resources Director, Pete Clayden has supplied the following information;
PC 1 (bike) cut off to be on the water was 08:00 hrs , 14-2-2012. Go Crazy were on the water with 20 minutes to spare.
PC 2 (first kayak to Portage on Dawson Island) was 14:00 hrs. Go Crazy didn't make the cut-off by a big margin so were stopped at CP 2.
PC 3 (portage to second kayak) at Fiordo Owen was 06:00 hrs. I can't confirm yet if a dark zone was declared at the kayak put in yet, however, the wind rose quickly as the day progressed.
PC 4 was a cape at the entrance to Canal Whiteside and it was declared a dark zone. All teams were frozen here. Originally projected to be 12:00 on 15-2-12
From this point, due to the new dark zone at CP 4, all cut-off's are the original projections.
PC 5 (kayak to first trek) at Puerto Arturo - 17:00 hrs 15-2-12
PC 6 (Intermediate trek and food bag- Tierra del Fuego?) 09:30 hrs 15-2-12
PC 7 (Intermediate trek - lago Escondido) 13:40 17-2-12
PC 8 (trek to bike - Rio Grande) 14:00 17-2-12
PC 9 (bike to trek - Karukinka) 01:30 18-2-12
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