Beagles and Albatrosses...

The Beagle Channel is named after the HMS Beagle, the ship that discovered it in the early 1800's.  The HMS Beagle was named after the type of dogs favoured by the royal family at the time, so these days it would be called the Corgi Channel. Love a bit of English eccentricity.

Captain Tigger driving the boat

We went on a boat trip to the lighthouse at the end of the earth, through the Beagle Channel.  The trip consisted of some of the most breathtaking views we have ever seen, the water was very still, and the only noise when the boat stopped was that of the sea birds flying around.  

Lighthouse at the End of the Earth

It was only when we went out into the channel, that we could really appreciate the size and scope of the mountains surrounding Ushuaia.  Having had very different scenery on the way across the border from Chile, the Andes were back in full view. 

We saw penguins, sea lions and lots of seabirds on the trip, but the best were definitely the Albatross.  The birds were all gorging on the sardines in the channel, but when the boat approached they all wanted to be elsewhere.  The Albatross literally runs along the water until it can take off, they reminded me of something as I was watching them, and it was only when I realised what it was that I knew they definitely were Albatross - the way they ran across the water looked exactly like Orville the Albatross in The Disney movie The Rescuers!  One of them kept trying to fly away, and in the end had to take the tactical decision to void its lunch of sardines so that it wasn't too fat to run... Not the most pleasant sight - interesting to see how much they could eat though!

Albatross

One downside of the boat trip was clumsy kat striking again - I dropped the camera on the lens and smashed the housing... Not ideal 2 weeks into the trip. It seems to now be working, and after a very long day trying to find a camera shop we have since got a new, contingency lens - so fingers crossed that will all be fine.

So this trip was on valentines day, and full marks go to Andy for getting our tour leader to go and get me a valentines day card - we'd agreed not to bother as we were travelling so that was a nice surprise.  Andy of course didn't make a fuss about this at all - I'm never going to hear the end of it!!  Lovely Ash had arranged a valentines day drinks party for us, you'll see from the pictures that we were all getting into it :)

The next day we went up yet another mountain, this time by chair lift. Now I don't really do chair lifts having never been skiing - you'll see from the picture that I was not particularly happy on the way up! We hiked up to a snowfield which felt odd on such a hot day, and then up to a panoramic viewpoint of Ushuaia - again, amazing.  The views just kept getting better.

Andy on the snow field

Ushuaia shipwreck

On walking through the hotel that afternoon I saw my tour leader Ben from the last time I was in South America, in 2005.  Ben was in Ushuaia to join one of the Antarctic cruises, which many of us were very tempted to jump onto as we were so close.  It was very random to see him, of all places for our paths to cross I don't think I'd have expected the end of the earth! 

Our last night was at yet another amazing restaurant, where bottles of Malbec cost $7, and the steaks are incredible.  It was a great last night before heading back to Buenos Aires.

Our last morning involved a search for the sign approving we were at the end of the earth. 30 minutes looking for it and then we finally found it - it was visible from our hotel. Oh dear!!

The flight later that morning treated us to hands down the best views we have ever had from a plane (although Andy thinks Fiji equals it). The pictures speak for themselves... It was unbelievable.