Before leaving Pto. Williams for Ushuaia we needed diesel fuel. Cape Horn was done and DD's tanks were holding only fumes and no fuel. "The fuel is cheaper in Argentina" Stewart Richardson, the captain of Pelagic Australis explained to me. "But taking on fuel in Ushuaia is a pain. You get Diesel in drums of 200 liter(50 gal) delivered to the dock entrance" Stewart kept on saying. "Then you talk to Roxanna (the SSCA cruising station in Ushuaia) and try to wiggle the electric pump from her. Next you rent the drum dolly from the dive club for a fee to move the heavy 50 gal drums along the shaky wooden planked dock (250ft.) to where your boat is tied up. I tell you, every wooden plank is a disaster in waiting!" Already this sounded like a headache to me. But Stewart kept on teasing me, "Maybe your boat will be rafted up and then you have to run the hose over other boats and the dive club is charging a fee for fuelling up". This did it. "How about taking fuel here in Pto. Williams", I asked.
"I have taken on fuel here in Pto Williams" Stewart said. "The tank truck stops on the road up by the Micalvi and fills your jerry cans. Then you hustle the cans to your boat. Usually I let my charter guests do it." "Good for you, Stewart, but a 20 liter jerry can won't do it for me" I told him. I needed 2500 liters and walking up and down the stairs over the deck of the Micalvi and on to DD would be a major undertaking. I thought there must be a better way and we didn't have that many jerry cans. The Chilean diesel is much cleaner and all the extra charges in Ushuaia would eat up the savings of the little cheaper diesel in Argentina. Stewart spiced me up: "You could talk to the Port Captain and ask for permission to tie up at the Navy pier. The tank truck could drive onto the pier and hasta la vista, you fill up. But gooood luck on that one."
Now I formed a plan in my head and this involved Marlene. She was going to be the cavalry, blond hair and sexy dressed, working over the latino man. The problem was only I had to convince Marlene first to be the bait. It took a heated discussion, but soon after we were shoeing our way up the hill toward the Capitaneria. A Navy grunt was tailoring the lawn in front of the building and he raced up the stairs just in time to open the door for Marlene. Inside two corporals were manning the counter traffic. "Ooh, Diesel Duck, how can we help you?" Marlene smiled while I was totally ignored. "We have a problem" she explained, "But my husband will explain this to you." Now it was my turn, my grand hour. Actually, I was ready to get on my knees, but before I could start my show, someone tapped me on my shoulder. "Sir, could I have a word with you?" I turned around and standing there was the Almighty, an Officer and a Gentleman, the Port Captain, spic and span. I thought, ooh shit, what did I do? "Please follow me in my office" he asked politely. We got into the office. A sabre was hanging on the wall behind the desk. Instinctively my hand was going for my neck. It was still there, but for how long. We were offered seats and coffee or tea. Marlene looked at me and I looked back at her. Things were shaping up. I commented about the fine sabre and an orderly brought in a tray with coffee and cookies. The Port Captain, a real Armada (Navy) captain(educated at the Annapolis Naval Academy, as he pointed out), explained to us that his college in Ushuaia, Argentina, had requested an ETA date of Diesel Duck in Ushuaia. This request came from the Headquarter in Buenos Aires, from a gentleman with the name of Mr. Ernesto (we are not using his last name here). Mr. Ernesto is a client of George Buehler, the DD designer. Oh my gosh, who is Mr. Ernesto that even Chile, the arch enemy of Argentina is cooperating?
Marlene mentioned to the Port Captain that we needed his permission to tie up to the Armada pier to fuel up and then we would apply for the zarpe to be on our way. "Permission granted!" He said and brought us to the door and opened it for us. And so we took the fuel at the Armada pier and the really nice guy Stewart from the Pelagic Australis was eating his heart out.