The third part of documentary „Sailing Around the Americas“. Antarctica. Argentina. Brazil. The Caribbean. New Youk. Europe.

“Sailing Around the Americas” was an expedition of Clark Stede and Michelle Poncini. They were the first who made this circumnavigation on a sailng boat.

“Here at the roaring 40s, where the lows come one after the other, the friendship between sailors is great. Olivier, who has sailed around the world non-stop several times, says good bye to us on our journey through the wonderful channels of Patagonia.”

“Patagonia sometimes looks like the fjords of Scandinavia. Anchoring was arduous there. It often took us hours to finish. First we had to deploy the bow anchor, then long stern lines. We had to secure the yacht, because the Williwas, these stormy fall winds, can easily blow a yacht out of a bay. The intact nature is almost unimaginable. We can drink the water from the rivers, we find a lot of crabs, fish, berries and mushrooms. Patagonia is extreme. Here in the south, the glaciers spit the ice directly into the sea. we pass the ice walls, which are over 2000 years old, at a safe distance. Unfortunately, we are leaving the fascinating Patagonia and the American continent.”

“We watched the weather maps for days. And then we use a great weather window to sail around Cape Horn, this magical rocks. with only 3 knots of wind. The GPS reads 55 degrees and 59 minutes south and 67 degrees and 9 minutes west. we dont drink alcohol while sailing. We celebrate with a soft drink. We pass it and are heading for the Antarctica. I think this is a very special hour for every sailor. Memories come to your mind of the sailors, who where fighting with passing the southernmost rock of America.”

“Cape Horn now is 650 miles to the north. The white magnificence of the Antarctica is waiting.”

“The ends of the world, the Arctica and the Antarctica, are behind us. Tonight we will set sail and say goodbye to Antarctica. The southernmost point of our trip around the American continent.”

“40 hours of storm. Slowly the sea calms down. Of course there was fear. This is not a shame. Fear is also respect for nature. Michelle and me knew that only when we respect nature we will arrive.”

“We sailed to Argentina non-stop. Gamblers, whores and gauchos, the shepherds of Patagonia, created the tango, today based in Bueno Aires.”

“From the Argentine tango to the capoeira, the African slave dance in Brazil.”

“On ocean travels we experience the endless world and the freedom. Out here we don’t have to constantly steer by hand, this job is done by the self-steering system, which does not work electrically but with wind power. Anchoring in the middle of the sea is impossible. Sometimes the depth it is up to 5,000 meters. You keep going, for hours, days, weeks. We change our watches every 3 hours, the other one sleeps. On this voyages you can digest what you have experienced
and prepare mentally for what is coming.”

“We left Salvador on October 25th and today is November 10th. 2,500 nautical miles, a quick trip. In front of me is the wind map of the month of November. From the equator to the North Atlantic. Africa is over there, this is Brazil, here is the Caribbean and there is the USA. We are now sailing along the Brazilian coast towards the Caribbean. To Union Island in St. Vincent.”

“After a short stop in Honduras we sail into the river Rio Dulce in Guatemala.”

“The contrast could not be more big. We are reaching New York.”

“From USA it is more than 3,000 nautical miles directly to Europe.”

“A very important day today: June 2nd, 1993, we cross our course line from 1990 – here in the middle of the Atlantic.
The GPS shows 43 degrees and 01 minutes north and 34 degrees 27 minutes west.”

Why you see this on Umadum Sailing? Because Guenther was a professional filmmaker and he made this film. Just before he decided to live on his own sailing boat 25 years ago.

The first part of the film: “Sailing Around the Americas. The Arctic: Germany – Greenland – the Northwest Passage.”

The second part of the film: “Sailing Around the Americas. The Northwest Passage – South America – Patagonia.”