Ushuaia is situated at the southernmost tip of Argentine
Patagonia. Originally and still serving as a port city, it sits at the foot of
snow-capped mountains and overlooks the cold silvery waters of the Beagle
Channel.
We started early this morning in anticipation for an 8am
helicopter ride to shoot aerials of the city and it’s surroundings. Jason had
liased with a local flight company to have the pilot on standby. Ushuaia is
notorious for it’s changeable weather, it could be bright and cloudless one
hour and stormy the next. So given good weather, we would go up in the air.
We woke up to sunshine and a smattering of clouds, perfect
conditions for shooting. But when we checked in the with the flight company, we
found the pilot hadn’t been notified and the earliest he could take us up is at
11am. It was quite frustrating to be stranded on land watching the light flatten
and the clouds roll in. Thankfully, after a brief shower, the skies cleared
again at 11.
I’ve never ridden in a chopper with its doors removed, but
that’s how Jason prefers them - more manoeuvring space for his lenses. It was
exhilarating, to be secured with nothing more than your standard safely belt,
and to see mountain tops and glaciers whizzing by right under you. Well,
exhilarating until the motion sickness set in. Winds are always choppy in
Ushuaia, so the ride was bumpy. My stomach gurgled in protest, and eventually I
obliged with my head out the door. Another good reason for removing them!
Our ship, the MS Expedition, was scheduled for boarding at
4pm, and everyone was settled into their rooms by 6. It’s not a large vessel,
about 100 metres long, but with surprisingly nice facilities. I had been couch
surfing in Buenos Aires for three weeks prior, so having a bed to myself and a
three-course meal every night was absolute luxury.
There was a magnificent sunset tonight, all orange rays and
golden ripples. I wasn’t prepared for it, and had to rush to my room for my
camera and cold weather gear. Learnt my lesson and will be carrying my jacket
and camera with me at all times.
I popped a Dramamine tablet
after dinner and was in bed by 10. I’m hoping I’ll be dead to the world by the
time we enter the Drake tonight.
