Barnett Vicarious Adventures: January 28, 2017 – Arrive later on January 28 at Ushuaia, Argentina, 2017 Cruise to South American & Cape Horn

Arrive later on January 28 at USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

Ushuaia, Argentina is the last large town in Argentina and is the terminus of the Pan American Highway that runs the length of South America. It has a population of almost 90,000 with most people engaged in mining, mineral and oil production, however, it began as a South American prison colony! A prison was built on the site for prisoners having life sentences. Since it was surrounded by frigid water and the Andes Mountains and only accessible by a long ocean voyage, it was considered a perfect place for a prison. Today, the people who live here enjoy a favorable tax rate to get them to come to the end of the earth and work. And that prison, well it has become a boutique hotel!!!

Took an almost day long tour to explore the end of the earth. It began with a catamaran cruise across the straits past Tierra del Fuego and into the Beagle Channel. The Beagle Channel is named after the HMS Beagle which was sailed by Charles Darwin on his voyage of discovery before writing ‘Origin of the Species.’

National Geographic Explorer ship was docked at the port in Ushuaia loading supplies for its base in Antarctica.

Arrived at the ‘Lighthouse at the End of the Earth’ which marked an island in the middle of the channel. Sailed on to Bird Island covered in penguins and terns. On to an island covered in sea lions.

We continued into a bay where the ships guide assured us we would see porpoises and whales as they had always seen them there before. Well, you guessed it, no whales, no porpoises! Had lunch on shore then took a bus trip through the Tierra Del Fuego National Park.

Beavers imported from Canada have destroyed many trees and are multiplying rapidly. Now country is trying to get rid of them.

Campgrounds and swans with Black head and neck and white body.

Chinese lanterns are similar to mistletoe.

A fresh water lake in the mountains. Kayakers are continuing their tour to a river with the very high winds coming directing toward them they are discussing how they will be able to get to their destination. I hope they made it back before the ship left the port.

This sign translates to English PARKING LOT.

Coming back to Ushuaia we saw horses, houses, Rugby grounds, bars, the International Airport, neighborhood playground and the Yacht Club.

Tomorrow we round Cape Horn, weather permitting.

Cruising in to Ushuaia and at the dock is the National Geographic Explorer loading up to go the Antarctica

Plenty of boats at the docks and also a Hapag-Lloyd Expedition Cruise ship. Also YPF has a terminal
Some of you may remember YPF bought Maxus back in the early '90s and in '94 I was laidoff :(.

Penguins, turn and other birds are the only animals on this island.

Ushuaia from the Catamaran and Edward at Bird Island and the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse on the Beagle Channel.(We are not at the Cape Horn Lighthouse) The island with the lighthouse has sea lions and various aquatic birds.

Sea Lions

Trees all seem to be leaning from the continuous high winds in the area. Beagle Channel spotted another cateraman. We were told this area ALWAYS has whales and porpoise's but no we did not see them at all.

Beautiful scenery all around us. The Cateraman tour dropped us off at the park for a bus tour.

Elaine and Edward at Tierra del Fuego
"Tierra del Fuego" (Spanish: "Land of Fire") got its name from Ferdinand Magellan who, on passing the archipelago in 1520, spotted a number of fires burning along the coastline. These fires may have been made by the archipelago's aboriginal inhabitants: the Ona, Alakaluf and Yahgan (commonly called Yamana). Four aboriginals were taken from Tierra del Fuego in 1830 by Robert Fitzroy, and were sailed to Britain to meet the King. The three survivors later returned to Tierra del Fuego on the Beagle, with Charles Darwin, who believed the native Fuegans to be "the missing link".