Zia and I are in Ushuaia, Argentina, where in this photo Zia stands before the S/V Australis, a 75 foot steel hull sailboat that will carry us to Antarctica. Tomorrow morning we will point our bow south, leave Cape Horn astern, and sail for 3 days or so across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Unfortunately, or perhaps for the better, we are NOT aboard the catamaran Hekla! We are with 7 clients, a guide and 3 crew on a trip organized by Natural Habitat Adventures. We expect to kayak and camp for 10 days or so, exploring penguin rookeries and watching seals, whales, and birds galore. The weather looks good for a moderate passage. Happy New Year!