B&Y All at Sea: Day 43 - Ushuaia, Argentina

Friday 21st Feb 2020

Ushuaia is a resort town in Argentina. It's located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the southernmost tip of South America, nicknamed the “End of the World.” The windswept town, perched on a steep hill, is surrounded by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It's the gateway to Antarctica cruises and tours to nearby Isla Yécapasela, known as “Penguin Island” for its penguin colonies.

Overnight we entered the Beagle Channel and arrived at Ushuaia soon after we woke. Not too early a meet for our tour but still an early start.

Just a short walk along the dock to our catamaran, our transport for the trip down the Beagle Channel. Plenty of room for the group onboard with seating inside and outside decks for viewing.

The town and the channel both being surrounded with spectacular peaks still with patches of snow.

Setting off down the channel, the Captain being very careful to stay on the Chilean side of the channel, the Argentinian side being out bounds! Our first destination, Bird Island, home to numerous Imperial Cormorants, a few sea lions and a lighthouse.

Imperial Cormorants

All along the route there were many birds of many species flying by, most notably Black-Browed Albatross which are frequent and common hereabouts.

One unusual tourist attraction is the “Rusty Boat”, a ship run aground and abandoned just near a farm, of which there are a few along the channel, this one now taken over by the Chilean Navy.

Surprisingly a sighting of humpback whales as we headed to the main feature of the trip.

This being a headland with a very large colony of breeding Magellanic Penguins together with a fair few Gentu Penguins and one King Penguin with a very small chick, plus various other birds.