Thursday March 12, 2020
Today was a tour sailing the Beagle channel, see Penguins and walk amongst the rookies first hand on an Martillo island, visit Acatushun Natural history Museum that studies whales and sea mammals and lunch at an Estancia (Ranch).
The morning sunrise was beautiful:
Our first destination was Bird Island (Isla de los Pajaros) about 6km east of Ushuaia down the Beagle channel. It is predominantly a cormorant nesting sight but the seals are frequently seen using the rocky shore to relax. Imperial cormorants where all over the island.
Today was a tour sailing the Beagle channel, see Penguins and walk amongst the rookies first hand on an Martillo island, visit Acatushun Natural history Museum that studies whales and sea mammals and lunch at an Estancia (Ranch).
The morning sunrise was beautiful:
Joined the tour that give a wider rage of activities called Piratour
Leaving the harbour one can see the rugged high mountains that overshadow Ushuaia.
The word Ushuaia comes from the Yamana (Yaghan) language: ush and waia ("bay" or "cove") and means "deep bay" or "bay to background".
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Seals and cormorants share the island    
Noisy Southern Seal Lions made quite a racket.
There wasn't a free spot on the whole island.
Next we travelled futher east towards the famous picture postcard lighthouse in the middle of Beagle channel, Faro Les Eclaireurs - also a nesting spot for cormorants (and some ducks)
      
Argentine naval ship.
In this part of Drakes passage, the border between Argentina and Chile runs along the centre of Beagle channel. We passed the Chilean town (and naval base) of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island on the southern side of the channel. Possibly, correctly it is the world's southernmost city, a moniker that Ushuaia also claims (and even Punta Arenas). The presence of the naval operations has decreased but scientific research and tourism, both linked to Antarctica, have both grown.
 
Cormorants along the channel
Further East, The channel splits into two, the southern arm leads to the open sea, we took the northernmost arm and stone came to Harberton Estancia (Ranch). The farm was founded in 1886 by an Anglican missionary, Thomas Bridges and it is still held by the family.
The lamb I had for lunch was very good!    Next off to Martillo Island (also known as Yecapasela reserve). Piratours is the only company that has the licence to sets ashor on the island and let you walk near the penguins, all other companies merely sail around it. The ranch, who own the island, removed the sheep in 1960 and it is now a sanctuary for penguins exclusively. It is the only rookery in continental Argentina and easily reached from Ushuaia. Tour groups are limited to 20 people and you stay about one hour on the island. Although the vessel isn't luxury, it is only about 15 minutes ride there and 15 back.   Mangellanic Penguins 
Mangellenic Penguins do not extend south of Cape Horn but many colonies are in Patagonia & Falklands
 Penguins normally molt one a year - every single old feather on their body is replaced with a new one.
This process is often called a “catastrophic molt” because all the feathers are replaced at once. It is essential since feathers water out during the year and it keeps them warm & dry.
And that scruffy look, it's because the old feather won't fall out until the new one has completely grown in. A penguin in molt does not swim, since the cold waters of the Southern oceans could cause fatal hypothermia.     
Female Upland Goose
Male Upland Goose
   
Gentooo Penguins were introduced and breed successfully
    The birds of prey were flying overhead.   
Back to the ranch
  The Museum focuses on sea mammals (cetaceans) that include whales, dolphins and porpoises. Carcasses of many marine animals are frequently found on the shoreline around this area due to to the predominance of the species in these parts and extremely rough seas in the southern ocean. Seals and sea lions (pinnipeds) are also studied  
Along the road we stopped to see Arbo Bandera, where the trees clearly show the westerly winds that predominate this area.
The wind in Patagonia is notorious for being so strong that it could blow you over. This is because Patagonia is an enormous, mostly treeless plateau which gets blasted by the relentless dry polar winds that continually blow from the west. Patagonia is the definition of windy.
 
One the other side of the road, the Beagle channel
We then returned to Ushuaia. That evening, I visited the amazing museum Museo Maritimo de Ushuaia, which shows both naval history of the region and the adverse beginnings of Ushuaia as a prison settlement. Was so impressed I went two days running. I have included my take on it in a separate blog.
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March 12, 2020
Tags :
Acatushun Museum
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Bird Island
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Flag trees
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Harberton Ranch
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Les Eclaireurs lighthouse
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Martillo Island
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