Curiosities of the Beagle Channel

If you set foot at the end of the world, taking a photo at the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse is often an iconic stop in one of the most beautiful places in the world. To get to know the historic Beagle Channel All you have to do is take an excursion, get on a boat and literally step into an adventure that reveals a piece of history and amazing landscapes.

Today it is one of Ushuaia's star rides for adults and children alike, as getting on a boat is usually a fun adventure in itself and lasts no more than three or four hours. You can see islands, the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, a huge natural diversity of land animals and marine fauna.

How did the name "Beagle Channel" come about and what is its location?

The discovery and naming of the channel was part of an expedition to the southern coasts of South America in the early 19th century. The ship carrying out the survey was called HMS Beagle and the lieutenant who discovered the place is the one who gave the name to the channel.

 It is important to know that the Beagle Channel is a maritime strait located in Ushuaia and joins the immense Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. It is 240 km long, flows into the Drake Passage and at its widest part it is 5 km long. The formation of the channel is a product of the last glaciations where it is formed on geological faults. 

In addition to its already known name, it is also called the Onashaga channel, which means "hunters' channel" in the Yámana language. It is the language of the Yaganes, a community that lived between Argentina and Chile in the southernmost part of those countries and is now extinct. It is presumed to be a population with rural customs.

What fauna can we find?

The excursions are usually very complete, they can be by yacht, catamaran or any other boat prepared for the climate of the place. You can visit islands and islets such as the island of the birds and sea lions where you can observe a great fauna: sea lions, otters, spider crabs, seagulls, ducks, cormorants and penguins on Martillo Island during the summer season. There are two types of penguins that can be seen there in October and April, the Gentoo penguin and the Magellanic penguin. 

You can also visit the Bridges Islands, where you can disembark on a short walk when the weather permits.

A bit of history

In the 1970s there was a conflict over the sovereignty of the islands and maritime space between the two neighbouring countries, Argentina and Chile. It was not until 1984 that the countries reached an agreement and resolved the conflict through a treaty of friendship.

One of the most visited places is the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse Built in 1920, it is 11 metres high and it is located in a place where it is not possible to disembark but it is possible to take a picture with an incredible landscape. It is an emblematic place, a typical postcard of Tierra del Fuego. 

A fundamental point is the clothing to take into account for this walk, always have warm clothes, gloves, hats, jackets and thermal shirts at hand, since depending on the time of the year the weather can be very cold and it can also be windy. The idea is always to enjoy to the maximum and as much as possible in the open air this type of walks to leave an indelible mark in the memory and also in the photographs of the so interesting Beagle Channel.