“City at the End of the World”
Ushuaia is the capital of and gateway to the celebrated Tierra del Fuego, the “Land of Fire,” named by Spaniards upon seeing the constant flames burned by the indigenous Yamana to keep warm. This region comprises the large island of Tierra del Fuego and countless Chilean and Argentinean islands. Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world, the closest population center to the South Pole and is tucked between the Beagle Channel and the southernmost slopes of the Andes.
An hour and a half drive around the city didn’t provide many photo ops except the awesome Andes. But the next day we took off on a catamaran ride along the Beagle Channel enjoying a few penguins but mostly sea lions.
The Andean peaks blanketed with snow is so attractive. Our walk from the ship to the catamaran ride for an up-close look at wildlife in the scenic Beagle Channel.
The photos of the other penguins are on the Penguin post in November archive.
Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse…no name??
Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
The brick-built tower is 36 ft high and 10 ft wide at the base emitting white flashes every ten seconds with a range of 7.5 nautical miles. The lighthouse is still in operation, is remote-controlled, automated, uninhabited and is not open to the public, guarding the sea entrance to Ushuaia. Electricity is supplied by solar-panels. The lighthouse was put into service on December 23, 1920 and is often confused with the lighthouse made famous by Jules Verne in the novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World, which is actually much further east.
