The weather was cool, a bit wet, and more rain had been predicted. I walked to the port, shopped a bit for an excursion. The company I selected had two key trips; one three hour tour that went past the lighthouse, and a six hour tour that featured Penguiun Island. I opted for the three hour tour, but in retrospect should have taken the tour to Penguin Island, and probably with a different operator. This tour stopped for an inordinately long time at the small island covered with birds and bird guano, sat downwind for far too long, and lolligagged while we gagged, when we could have toured much more of the channel.

The photo on the left was used to make the background image of this page. It is the Faro del fin del mundo or Lighthouse at the End of the World located at the Isla de los Estados, in Beagle Channel Argentina.






Our typical tour catamaran leaves Ushuaia in the distance.



Antartica can be reached if yu keep going, but just as it looks - cold and forboding - maybe next time.

The border between Argentina and Chile runs down the channel for a way, so the islands on the right hand or south side are actually Chile.



Everyone got excited as we approached this island; they thought those were penguins.

They resemble penquins,

and they stand up like penquins,

and maybe they smell like penguins,

but, alas, they weren't penguins.

The boat hung around this island for more than an hour, and drifted into the foul downwind. I wondered if the crew was waiting to see who might get sick. (I knew this from my piloting; read about the unruly stevedores in my Vietnam page)

This was the first week in February, just past the middle of summer, and you can see the folks on the boat wearing jackets and hats. It is not hot, especially on the water, and it is windy too.




Ushuaia in the distance as we return.







Next time I'll go on a smaller, fleeter vessel.



















Some sea lions on an islet in the middle of the Beagle Channel between Argentina and Chile



































































Inside the tour boat.

Ah, yes, there was my favorite delicacy on the display in the boat. They have king crab there too, and I enjoyed some while I was in Ushuaia.



















This is a famous stop for many cruise liners.