Ushuaia, Argentina

January 28, 2008

We entered the infamous Beagle Channel around nine sailing past the famous five glaciers: Romanche, Alemania, Francia, Italia and Holanda. What can you say? Nature at its best!

Finally around 1pm we sailed into Ushuaia, Argentina, a city that claims to the “southernmost city in the world”, although there are two other contenders. Puerto Williams on the Chilean island of Navarino is actually further south but only has 2400 inhabitants. And, of course, Punta Arenas, in Chile is much larger but a bit further north. Regardless of which city wins boasting rights, we are just about as far south as anyone can get and still live what we call a “civilized” life.

Ushuaia was mainly a destination for serious criminals sentenced to prison. Set up by the Argentine government, escape from the prison on Tierra del Fuego was virtually impossible. The prisoners cut wood in the forest around the prison and bit the town. Their forced labor also built a railway to the settlement, now a tourist attraction known as the Tren del Fin de Mundo or “Train at the End of the World”, the southernmost railway in the world.

I spent the afternoon in search of my first sighting of penguins and even hoped to see an orca. Unfortunately, I didn’t accomplish either! We did see Comorans, which if I were to show you photographs you would swear that they were penguins, until you saw one flying. Hopefully there will be plenty of penguins as we get further south into Antarcticia.

Located only seven miles from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park encompasses a protected area of mountains and sea. We traveled southwest, through the suburbs of Ushuaia past very simple corrugated and wooden structures with steep roofs past he Pipo River to the National Park. At Ensenada Bay there are views of Redonda Island and across the channel are the stunning Nevados Mountains in the Sampaio Range. We headed toward the Roca Sea, traveling along a narrow and picturesque route which supposedly teems with local fauna…we were only able to see a few rabbits. We did see lots of pencil-pointed tree stubs, evidence that beavers had been there. The beavers are apparently very large…four to five feet long. If the size of the trees they cut is any indication, I believe it.

We walked along side the edge of the lake and the River Lapataia with its natural estuary. This is a popular camping area where you can pitch a tent or rent a small cabin for a few days. I found just the cabin I want! Heading on towards Lapataia Bay we boarded a catamaran and took in Lapataia and Ensenada Bays rocking and rolling all the way back in the Beagle Channel (named after the ship that Darwin was on when he explored these waters). It was like being on a major roller coaster for over two hours. Luckily I didn’t get sick, more than I can say for several of my fellow passengers. We did pass one small island with those comorans I spoke of earlier who were enjoying the 50 mile an hour wind with a large heard of fur seals.

All in all, it was a long and enjoyable day as I enjoyed being “at the end of the world” as the locals like to remind you.

We have just sailed pass Cape Horn in rough, but manageable seas (last year the ms Prinsendam hit huge waves that did damage to the ship and passengers to the point that they had to return to port for repairs and new supplies….luckily we avoided that.) so we are now on our way to Antarctica. They promise that tomorrow we will be surrounded by the whiteness and vastness of “the icy continent” I am looking forward to it!