The Southernmost City in the World...Or is it?

February 22-23, 2008

(Amber)

We woke up early in Puerto Natales, Chile and began what would be a 13-hour bus ride to Ushuaia, Argentina. I don´t think it´s too far in terms of kilometers, but there´s a border crossing (two actually...one on each side), a ferry crossing, and almost no road is paved. So it´s a very long day.

The highlight of the journey was easy to choose. When we boarded a ferry, not a fancy ship but a regular ferry to take you over a body of water where no bridge exists across the Straits of Magellan, about five toninos (similar to dolphins) frolicked by us the whole way, playing in the ferry´s wake. It was amazing. I loved it.

We arrived in Ushuaia around 9pm, thanks to the long bus ride and one-hour time change, checked into our hotel, and went out for a terrible meal of bad soup and pasta, which is really unusual in Argentina. We were beat.

Here´s how Wikipedia describes Ushuaia:

Ushuaia is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, and claims to be the world's southernmost city. It is located on the southern coast of the island of Tierra del Fuego in a wide bay, guarded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel. Its population in 2008 is estimated at 65,000.

Despite receiving only 560 mm (22 inches) of rainfall each year, Ushuaia's climate is very wet. On average, the city experiences 160 rainy days a year, and there are many cloudy and foggy days. Because temperatures are cool throughout the year, there is little evaporation. Snowfalls are common in winter and regularly happen in spring, fall, and even summer.

Ushuaia claims to be the "Southernmost city in the world." There are two other contenders for the title of southernmost city; Puerto Williams on the Chilean island of Navarino (farther south but it has only 2400 inhabitants); and Punta Arenas, also in Chile (much larger but farther north). Several continuously inhabited settlements also south of Ushuaia include Puerto Toro on Isla Navarino, Argentina, Orcadas in the South Orkney Islands, and Esperanza in the Argentine Antarctic territory. Each of these settlements has fewer than 100 residents.

We have seen some of the places listed above. I think that reason Ushuaia is renowned as the southernmost and can claim it with a straight face is because these other places would be hard-pressed to call themselves cities, with the exception of Puenta Arenas, which is clearly more northern.

Therefore, I am writing you from the southernmost city on Earth. And it´s beautiful. It´s very small and in some ways very plain. But its natural setting...nestled in the mountains and on the Channel...is amazing.

February 24, 2008

We spent today on a boat through the Beagle Channel (where both Darwin and Magellan once sailed) and saw incredible natural colonies of sea lions and Magellanic penguins (who are here from December until March of every year). It was amazing. I loved it. Just wished my nephews, both real penguins aficionados, were here with us to enjoy.

A couple of interesting notes about the Beagle Channel. The Atlantic and Pacific both flow into it from either side. I find this absurdly interesting. Also - Tierra del Fuego got its name from explorers who sailed around the islands (in search of Asia and not interested at all in the land where I sit) saw the native peoples´fires burning on the shore. Though the natives in this region have been almost entirely wiped out, the region has since been known as the land of fire.

(Matt)

A man named General Julio Argentino Roca, who later served 2 terms as president, is often accused of committing genocide during the late 19th century during a military campaign into Patagonia, having the stated goal of stopping indigenous tribes from attacking Argentine settlers and stealing cattle. One thing is for sure, the indigenous people are pretty much gone from Tierra del Fuego.

(Amber)

After the amazing ride through the Channel and the visit to the seal lion and penguin habitats, we visited an historic sheep farm (the first in this area) at the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego and learned about the history of the Bridges family from Great Britain who began and still own the farm.

We came back to town and had an amazing dinner of king crab....fishermen were literally bringing live crabs caught today in the front door  of the restaurant and putting them in a fish tank as we sat there....and pasta, which Argentines are pros at thanks to the large influx of Italians over the century.

The weather was perfect and sunny, which is apparently an oddity here, and we had a really great day. We leave tomorrow for a short hike (2 days) in Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Again....please wish us weak winds and strong knees. Or as my dad would say....strong backs and weak minds. Your choice. All wishes are accepted.

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