by Arthur Clark
Page 6 : 1988: Departing Bay of Ushuaia
17 January 1988
Flew from Miami to Buenos Aires and arrived on 18th as former Lt. Col. Aldo Rico, who led a 1987 rebellion and jolted the government of President Raul Alfonsin, was once again in the role of military mutineer. He was holed up in an Army compound with other officers and soldiers vowing to fight "at any cost" to redeem the honor of Argentina's armed forces. Newbery Airport from which we were to fly to Ushuaia the next day was closed, but mutiny was quickly put down after Rico's contingent was surrounded and a few warning shots were fired.
18 January 1988
In Buenos Aires. Walking tour of part of town. Stayed at Lancaster Hotel, quite elegant. Nearby Orly evidently very acceptable and $13 single. Dinner at restaurant on Cordoba between Suipacha and Carlos Pellegrini featured huge and delicious steak with salad, vegetables, wine, dessert and coffee for about $8. Lambs, pigs, ribs, etc. were being barbecued around the open fire. Menu featured everything from sweetbreads and brains down through udders to testicles. Hot and humid but not too bad. Little air conditioning.
19 January 1988
Early departure from Newbury Airport down on Rio de la Plata waterfront to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego. Arrived early afternoon after intermediate stops at Bahia Blanca and Rio Grande. Ushuaia's claim to fame is that it is world's most southerly town, a good place to cool off in summer and ski in winter. Snow was still quite low in the mountains and it snowed a few hundred feet above town when we returned—and the cold was accompanied by winds in excess of 40 mph.
We had a little time to walk around but captain was anxious to sail as quickly as possible because of political unrest—and unfortunately they did not have, or take, time to load fresh fruit and vegetables. He had been delayed on last trip because of lack of fuel in Ushuaia (both diesel and gas). We sailed at 1800 east down the Beagle Channel with Argentina on our port side and Chile off to starboard. The channel is a quite narrow and treacherous passage. Ships used to go either around Cape Horn or through the Straits of Magellan, which lie north of this island. We sailed into the South Atlantic. We are aboard the Polar Ship A.R.A. Bahia Paraiso (Paradise Bay). Built in 1980 she is 10,000 tons and 435' long, powered by a pair of 6,500 horse German diesels and does 17 knots. She carries two ASW helicopters in addition to four landing craft and other small vessels. She was used as a hospital ship during the Falkland war in 1982 (“Malvinas” to these folk).
Next Page : Visiting Research Bases
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
View printer-friendly version
