MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News.

Headlines: Q2 in Montevideo November 4; British college students explore southern Chile; Red tide warning.

Q2 in Montevideo November 4

Montevideo is preparing for the official launching of the 2003/04 cruise season with the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II next November 6. This is the fifth time the Q2 calls in Montevideo and a display of bands, local dance groups and Navy parade will be receiving the hundreds of visitors. Although the festivity will be celebrated Thursday November 6, the first cruise to visit Montevideo will be arriving two days earlier. From Montevideo the Q2 will be sailing for the Falkland Islands. "Saga Pearl" managed by Saga Holidays is rather small compared to the ever growing vessels. She's 133 metres long, carries 350 passengers and was partly built in Russia and Italy. Uruguay this season is expecting 73 cruise calls, involving 27 vessels, beginning November 4 until March 21/2004. Last year a total of 61 cruises called in Montevideo and Punta del Este.

British college students explore southern Chile

A group of college students and leaders from Britain, among which retired Royal Marine Brigadier David Nicholls, are currently operating from Punta Arenas as part of an adventure and research program that includes southern Chile, Falkland Islands and South Georgia Islands, reports Punta Arenas press. The 21 students, aged 18 to 24, belong to the British Colleges Society of Explorers and during the first leg of their program extending from October 22 to November 8, they've done research work and exploring along the Chilean coast leading to Torres del Paine national Park which they are currently visiting. Among the nine leaders of the group figures Brigadier Nicholls a former Commander of British Forces Falklands garrison in Mount Pleasant who in 2001 made all the necessary contacts for the expedition with Chilean military authorities. The expedition in southern Chile is being coordinated with the Third Naval Zone and the commander of the Cochrane infantry garrison. Two Chilean military guides have joined the group together with dinghies for crossing rivers and lakes. While in Punta Arenas the group of explorers and leaders are lodged and fed in the Cochrane Infantry garrison.

Red tide warning

Magallanes region health authorities have reiterated warnings about the consumption of sea food given the extent of the red tide and the recent discovery of a load of twelve tons of contaminated shell fish that had to be destroyed. Laboratory tests showed that the shell fish extracted in the vicinity of Puerto Natales to the north of Punta Arenas and in the route to Torres del Paine Park had an average toxin content of 213 micrograms when the highest level authorized for human consumption is 80 per 100 grams of produce. Magallanes health authorities have called upon coastal fishermen to keep to the established areas, free of the toxic red tide. This toxin has paralyzing effects on humans affecting main systems such as digestive, respiratory and finally vascular. The warning extends as far north as Puerto Edén where some of the latest toxicological samples indicate toxin presence in the range of 564 to 2,612. The Puerto Natales incident was particularly fortunate since it was initiative of the fishermen, following official recommendations, to have the shell fish tested.