Patagonia Expedition Race
Race and Teams Cling On in the Gales
José Manuel Jiménez / 14.02.2006
Around noon the lead team appeared at the first possible observation point and Alberta was coming in fast, running to put more time between themselves and Buff, who arrived just a few minutes later.
The next kayak section from Maria Soffia (PC3) to Skyring (PC4) was partly cancelled because of the bad weather. The first part of this stage was done on the Catamaran Fiordos del Sur, and the only two teams that made it in before 4pm were then transported to the Paso del Indio (Indian’s Pass). From here they had to hike with their kayaks and toss them into a lagoon. From there they did the same into a second lagoon, and from there dropped down to the ocean ... most probably to spend the night for the dark zone.
The other teams due to arrive would be transported by land to Puerto Natales by the Chilean Navy due to the impossible kayaking conditions. Feed The Machine must have been lost during this trekking section because they didn’t arrive at the PC until after 5pm, so the stage had taken them over 17hrs. DAP and Mad Scientist did not reach the check point until ... much later!
Update For Day 3
All three teams Feed The Machine, DAP and Mad Scientists will be extracted from PC3 and taken to Puerto Natales, then to the next PC to continue. Right now in Puerto Natales the wind is literally howling, probably 120 km/h.
[Editors Note; Reports and photos may be sparodic from here on in as the course is very remote ... and the weather a little difficult.]
SleepMonsters
