Buzzing Around The World With Fellette & Doug

Musings from Doug on The Beagle Channel and Usuhaia

Early this morning, after a very, very solid eight hour sleep which was after a very very lazy day in the prone position, I awoke at 5:45 AM and pushed the drapes aside. We thought we were home! It was raining, cloudy, chilly and floating by our window 1/4 mile away were low rolling hills. Just like the Sunshine Coast without the sun.

We were in The Beagle Channel, named after Charles Darwin's ship, The Beagle. You remember Darwin, he is the man who determined that I am descended from an Orang-utan, not generations of printers like I thought.

We slowly chugged up the waterway that separates the Chilean island on our left from the mainland of South America, I think. My knowledge of this area is vague, proving Darwin's findings. We docked at Usuhaia at 10 AM. Fellette and I walked ashore to take a peek at this city of 50,000 people. This is reportedly the most southerly city in the world. Other centres of population are further south but they are smaller and may be towns. I wonder how important that is to the local chamber of commerce.

The stroll revealed thatUshuaia is a rapidly developing city that apparently is very important to Argentina from a political point of view. Up until recently people were subsidised to move down here from the north. As a matter of fact some of that still goes on. Gasoline costs around 50c C$ a litre here. About 1/2 that in the rest of the country. Natural gas is also subsidised here. Incentives to move here. The two main streets running along the harbour are, the front street which is commercial, behind that is the main shopping street. The shops are neat and clean, goods are well presented. The flavour is Spanish. Nice quality clothing and housewares, more like you would expect to see in Europe. Periodically there is some grubby shop or renovation or tear-down in progress but a much higher standard than I expected. The people are happy and polite, and again, prices are very, very reasonable compared to home.

We originally had a ship's tour booked for today but after the last bus tour to see the Penguins at Puerto Madryn I cancelled our arrangements. Another day in the back of a bus would not be good for my disposition prior to sailing off into the ice, radio silence, fog and chilly winds. Did I tell you about the reports of "blows" on a bus that day? Bus tours don't bring out the best in people. Perhaps I can compile a list of "Bus Stories" and post it one day so you can shake your head in disbelief at adult behaviour.

In the afternoon we shared a six passenger Van with four other new-found Canadian friends and took off with a driver and English speaking guide....Sergio, [what did you expect, Karl?] We buzzed down to the National Park for a little walk-about along the Beagle Channel. The drive was no more than 1/2 hour through forested ares that could have been up around Sechelt except for the vegetation. Mostly beech trees, deciduous except for one evergreen variety. Seems strange to see this monstorous deciduous tree with leaves as small as a flattened raisin.The wildlife was restricted to geese, ducks, swans, falcons, and rabbits. Hundreds of rabbits. We were spared a view of the dreaded Canadian Beaver that was introduced into the area in the 1940's, forty seven of them. Now they are a pest, all 70,000 of them.

We continued through the park, seeing all it has to offer, glacier-fed lakes, bogs, and panoramas of rugged moutains. It was nice to get out in the woods again. Next we wound our way back to town, guided by Sergio through various parts of the town to show us the cross-section of Ushuaia from the people point of view. It was a very interesting time.There doesn't seem to be a coordinated set of zoning or building codes in affect. Next a run up to The Glacier Hotel, behind which sits, guess what, a glacier, receeding naturally. Good spot to see the whole harbour area for miles around, it really drives in how flat and desolute this city is, an isolated and a stand-alone situation if I ever saw one.

Next a run through the shopping area, to see if we wanted to have a walk on foot there. The ride through was enough, unanimous vote to go back to the ship, and a quick walk up the six flights of stairs to the cabin. Time for a look at todays photos and a shower before dinner.

The total cost of sharing the Van, including a tip for Sergio and the driver, and the non-refudable portion of the ships tour was less than the scheduled ships tour cost. And no bus-tour-trauma!

Apparently the Queen Mary II was here yesterday, anchored. Big day in town for the locals.

During dinner tonight we go back down the Beagle Channel and head for Cape Horn, then due south to Antarctica and radio silence.

The picture was taken in the harbour at Ushuaia, a derelict wooden tug boat, if it could tell tales! Note the Lupine, in full bloom everywhere now.

E&OE

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 7:50 AM