Ahora hablaste...dijo Facundo!

Facundo, my favorite spinning instructor is back after almost 10 days. "Te extrania", (I missed you), I say. A donde estuviste? (Where where you?) "Al sur, Bariloche, Calafate, Ushuaia, " he says. "No me digas, cuando saliste de Ushuaia?" (You're kidding me, I say, when did you leave Ushuaia?) Anoche a las 9! Verdad, estuvimos en el aeropuerto al mismo tiempo! No way, we were in the airport together. (There were two planes leaving at the same time.) Ahora hablaste....Now you tell me he says. It is moments like these when I know that Buenos Aires is truly one of my homes! But before the memory of Ushuaia fades let me fill you in on the remaining hours at the end of the earth.


Waiting to board the Massimo to the Beagle Channel I see the Brits from Saturday. We are assigned different catamarans and there is a moment of sadness that we will not be traveling together. It is as if I am waving goodbye to dear friends of years. I am also observing the herd mentality. People hurry to line up and wait as if the position in line will secure something not available to those further back in line. I, on the other hand, prefer to just wait it out, board last, and take what remains. It all seems the same to me with far less hassle.

The Beagle Channel connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans is 180 kilometers long, 30-183 meters deep, and from 1 kilometer to 18 kilometers in width. The waters of the Channel are both Argentine and Chilean. Though Argentine vessels can sail through Chilean waters they are not permitted to stop. This would be considered illegal entry. We navigated to La Isla de Los Lobos and watched the cormorants mingling with the sea lions. Passing the light house at the furthest point of the world we made our way to Isla Martillo to see those cute penguins you just met.

The life span of these penguins is 10-11 years and during this time they make their home here in the summer and then head north toward Brazil in the winter looking for warmer waters. If you have seen "The March of the Penguins" you know the habits of these interesting creatures. The most interesting is their mating habits. They are monogomous, at least for the season. There are more females than males so the competition is steep. But once she has her catch he is hers and he is devoted. If they procduce an egg as soon as the time is right the responsibility of sitting on the egg goes to the male. There is a very intricate dance to facilitate this transfer. She then goes off to find food and is gone for several months. What an interesting contrast!