they're great at paperwork, but can they swim?

19.1.10

it's raining in Puerto Williams. the sun yesterday must have been a fluke.

finally, after a day and a half of logistic gymnastics, we have a date! we swim Thursday morning-- by chance, on the 21st of January, exactly one year after our surreal Strait of Magellan crossing. Both Armadas are on board, thanks to our miraculous delivery of notarised papers and the good humour and co-operation of the Chilenos.

We all had some great laughs last night, like when I had to ask why the clock marked 'Ushuaia', next to the 'Local', was twelve minutes ahead. I thought it was some sort of crack about Argentina. I think the real joke is that they have that clock there at all-- Ushuaia is just a few miles away, across the Beagle. we've agreed to call before we jump in for a swim, and once we get out, and of course if we get into any trouble-- for instance, if my bikini falls off. I'll spare my reader the details of the many other bikini jokes that have already been thrown around the Armada offices.

now for more important tasks, like finding a place to swim....