As these vessels shuttle back and forth between the White Continent and the likes of Chile, South Africa and Tasmania - their echosounders make a habit of surveying the submerged terrain below.

Every time Chloe met Natalia she felt like some lumbering heffalump compared to the diminutive but full-chested South American beauty who had perfect chocolate brown hair, matching eyes and permanently tanned skin.

Local concertgoers have become familiar with this exciting British conductor in recent years: she's presided over popular Chicago Opera Theatre productions of Monteverdi and Mozart, and in her tryout appearances with MOB she smoothly brought the group around to her musicologically informed interpretations.

Over the next week, the hitch in my dad's stride eased a bit. But we'd run out of things to talk about.