Ushuaia II

Ushuaia

The day seems to promise much better than yesterday. And this is good, as the schedule includes departure from the Ushuaia port and navigation on Beagle Channel.

Les Eclareurs

We choose the longest program that takes us to the penguin enclosure, and we will be amply rewarded for it. The whole experience begins with the view as we move away: Ushuaia appears like a diamond set between the sea and the snow-capped mountains (up to 1500 meters high) behind it. We continue by passing through the Isla de los Lobos (cormorans, puffins and seals) and that of Los Pajaros with the famous lighthouse " Les Eclareurs"which appears on many postcards and symbolizes the border between the Argentine and Chilean territories. Cormorans are similar to penguins, but they can also fly. During the cruise, as if it had been placed there by the local tourism agency, a beautiful specimen of Southern right whale It starts to dance right in front of us. The show lasts at least a quarter of an hour, when the boat decides to depart. The unplanned event is particularly appreciated (Diego later confirms that it is rare to encounter whales during this period), and the movements are as impressive as those of the tango dancers seen in Buenos Aires. These are still different things, but nature always manages to convey special emotions. Although we had already had the opportunity to see these cetaceans, such a close and prolonged encounter left us literally speechless.

Rio Grande

It seemed like I was witnessing a theatrical performance where the whale transformed into an enormous ballerina, demonstrating its strength by powerfully slamming its large tail against the water and performing agile jumps despite the weight. Finally, we arrived at Hammer Island, where a large colony of Magellanic penguins They are waiting for us there. We "apologize" for the delay caused by the encounter with the whale, and we are all attentive to their clumsy movements, which match their swimming ability. But also to their curious gestures, which make them one of the friendliest animals we have ever encountered. The beach is almost entirely covered by this particular species, called Magellanic Penguin.

Just a few more minutes of sailing and we arrive at the Estancia Haberton, where a group is disembarking to return by bus, while we set off for our return journey. This time, we won't have any further encounters and will head directly towards the departure port, passing through the wonderful hills of Navarino Island to the south and the Argentine hills to the north. It’s interesting to see, even from a distance, Puerto Williams, a town located in the middle of the island and accessible only by air from Punta Arenas or by sea. The tour lasts for a total of 5 hours, and at 2:30 PM we arrive at the base. The crew was very helpful: they even gave us a certificate confirming our passage through the 55th parallel south. This is not particularly significant for Europeans, as this latitude corresponds to Denmark, but it's unique in the southern hemisphere.

Let's settle the bill with Diego, whom we owe a thank you for his wonderful apartment hotel and hospitality. We conclude with some shopping in town, where the crowds of tourists are very intense. After all, many come here specifically to boast about being in the southernmost city in the world, while neglecting how much there is to see in the surrounding area.

Evening in Ushuaia

While strolling through the city center, we met Fernando, where we had dinner last night. He was smoking a cigarette with his cook and told us that they had run out of anything to offer customers and therefore closed for the day. He reassured us about our satisfaction with last night's dinner, and we exchanged greetings again. This friendliness is typical of Argentinians. There is also a friendly way of interacting among them, as if everyone has known each other for a long time. They are very good at expressing their pleasure in meeting someone.

Arrival in Ushuaia

Shortly before 5 pm, we set off for RIO GRANDE, accompanied by variable skies ranging from clear to partly cloudy. When present, the low clouds create a palette worthy of the best painters, and the ceiling of a large stage allows beams of sunlight to filter through. We return via the only possible route, through the Garibaldi pass, with Lake Escondido shrouded in clouds. Afterwards, we meet the plain again, and the vegetation transforms, from forests sometimes skeletal due to parasitic lichens, to the steppe that we are familiar with. The wind blows as it does in this area.

Continuing on Route 3, we encounter the Estancia Viamonte, located 40 km south of Rio Grande, which is known as the first European settlement in Tierra del Fuego.

About ten kilometers before reaching Rio Grande, the police stopped all vehicles to inform everyone about the "massive" Sunday return traffic. Indeed, we encountered quite a few people who had taken advantage of the holiday weekend for a barbecue outside the city and were now returning home. What they call "traffic" corresponds roughly to what we experience on Sundays around 6 am. It's interesting that there is a specific checkpoint set up just to provide this information.

Stop at Rio Grande

As we leave the hotel, the sky turns gloomy and the wind blows strongly. Following our usual custom, we make sure to take umbrellas, but some locals stop us and tell us that this object in Patagonia is perfectly useless when it rains; the wind would destroy it immediately and irreparably. We have dinner at Villa restaurant: after the understandable surprise at seeing a group that represented half of the guests staying during the month, the attentive manager takes care to serve us several interesting dishes, and we leave satisfied with our choice. The trout (also available in the Navarra variant) is obviously the star, but so is the bife de chorizo, which deserves applause. It's a shame that those who like rare meat are initially seen as cannibals, and then the steak is served as if it were well-cooked. This preserves the taste, but also makes chewing more difficult. After several days, we manage to convey our concept of "juicy," meaning a quick bite on one side and a third in the plate. A digestive walk through a perfectly decorated center for Christmas. It's striking, not just in Rio Grande, how the shop windows are generally well-arranged, sometimes with ostentatious opulence but always with taste. While the building that houses them is sometimes dilapidated.