We haven’t mentioned the pink flamingos up until this stage although we have been seeing them since we first entered Argentina about three weeks ago. Not in the way you see them on David Attenborough’s documentaries, just in small groups off in the distance, usually as we travel past wet land areas. They are easy to spot even a long way away as their stunning colour gives them away. They had been too far away to photograph up until our trip out to see the penguins a few days ago, when we spotted a small group not too far off the road. Off across the paddock Stewart went, and although still further away than ideal, managed to snap a couple of shots as they took off. They really are a beautiful coloured bird.
Back to the highway and on to the border crossing at Monte Aymond. Did I mention the wind? No? The legendary Pategonian wind has caught up with us over the last couple of days and it’s all it’s cracked up to be! Cold, dry and incredibly strong, it makes driving a car a challenge at times and the buffeting of our cars as we try to sleep doesn’t make for a pleasant night. However, others on the road during the day, like those riding motorbikes and bicycles do it much tougher and are definitely nuts! The ferry crossing of the Magellan Straight was the craziest any of us have ever experienced. Gale force winds had the ferry going 90 degrees to it’s intended path for much of the journey and presented a major challenge for the skipper when it came to berthing. All ended well and the cargo of cars and semi trailers rolled off the vessel and onto the ‘Land of Fire’, Tierre del Fuego and the start of our journey – Ushuaia!
Notes from somewhere else... 
Our ferry was “only” at a 45° angle, but I wondered how Magellan with his tiny SAILING ships entered the strait. I did some research via Google about the currents in the strait but did not find much yet. I suppose he had to wait for the correct tide (East -> West) and/or almost no wind which is blowing mainly, if not always, West -> East.
Our ferry was at a 45° angle, pointing to the West. And yours?
Save travels,
Filiep
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Hi Filiep, great to hear from you. The wind was roaring (had to be gale force I reckon) from the west, at 90 degrees to the landing. The skipper bought it in sideways pointing directly into the wind, then threw it around right at the end, but sailed on past the landing still at too steep an angle. So, he ran it back into the wind up from the landing and had another go, this time successfully! A mighty effort! They say they close the ferry when the wind is too strong!! Hope all is well with you and the sun has come out.
Stewart
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Sunny but cold. Freezing at night in Belgium.
Tomorrow the Toyota arrives in the Port of Antwerp.
I really wonder how Magellan sailed through the strait, I will do some more research.
Filiep
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