Isla Navarino is a
ChileanChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
island located strategically between
Isla Grande de Tierra del FuegoIsla Grande de Tierra del Fuego is an island near the southern tip of South America from which it is separated by the Strait of Magellan. Its western part is in Chile , while the east is in Argentina...
, to the north, and
Cape HornCape Horn island is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile....
, to the south. The island forms part of the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, the southernmost commune in Chile and in the world, belonging to
Antártica Chilena ProvinceAntártica Chilena Province is one of four provinces in its southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region. The capital is Puerto Williams. The province is nearly 1,250,000 km² in area, which makes it almost twice as large as all other provinces of Chile combined...
in the
XII Region of Magallanes and Chilean AntarcticaThe XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions...
. It constitutes the nearest land to the
Antarctic continent| style="border-top:solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align:top;" | 14,000,000 km
2 280,000 km
2 13,720,000 km
2 |-! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top;...
. Its population is concentrated primarily in the communal capital,
Puerto WilliamsPuerto Williams is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region...
, and in small settlements like
Puerto NavarinoPuerto Navarino is a Chilean port facing the Beagle Channel in western Navarino Island. Puerto Navarino belongs to Cabo de Hornos commune and is connected to Puerto Williams by a gravel road.-External links:**...
and
Puerto ToroPuerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. It belongs to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region...
.
Isla Navarino is a
ChileanChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
island located strategically between
Isla Grande de Tierra del FuegoIsla Grande de Tierra del Fuego is an island near the southern tip of South America from which it is separated by the Strait of Magellan. Its western part is in Chile , while the east is in Argentina...
, to the north, and
Cape HornCape Horn island is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile....
, to the south. The island forms part of the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, the southernmost commune in Chile and in the world, belonging to
Antártica Chilena ProvinceAntártica Chilena Province is one of four provinces in its southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region. The capital is Puerto Williams. The province is nearly 1,250,000 km² in area, which makes it almost twice as large as all other provinces of Chile combined...
in the
XII Region of Magallanes and Chilean AntarcticaThe XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions...
. It constitutes the nearest land to the
Antarctic continent| style="border-top:solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align:top;" | 14,000,000 km
2 280,000 km
2 13,720,000 km
2 |-! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top;...
. Its population is concentrated primarily in the communal capital,
Puerto WilliamsPuerto Williams is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region...
, and in small settlements like
Puerto NavarinoPuerto Navarino is a Chilean port facing the Beagle Channel in western Navarino Island. Puerto Navarino belongs to Cabo de Hornos commune and is connected to Puerto Williams by a gravel road.-External links:**...
and
Puerto ToroPuerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. It belongs to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region...
. The highest point of the island is Pico Navarino at 1195 meters.
Historical background
History and archaeology may be the most valuable resource of Navarino Island and its adjacent sectors. There is a significant
YaghanThe Yaghan, also called Yagán, Yahgan , Yámana or Yamana, are the indigenous inhabitants of the islands south of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego extending their presence into Cape Horn...
archaeological site at Wulaia Bay, which C. Michael Hogan terms the
Bahia Wulaia Dome Middens. Interest in the
YamanaYamana may mean:* Yámana, an alternate name for the Yaghan language and people, in Chile* Yamana clan, a Japanese clan * Yamana Gold Inc., a Canadian-based gold mining company operating in South and Central America...
or Yahgan culture attracts tourists, and there is a regional museum, the Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum, where illustration of the Yaghan culture and the remains of the English missions can be seen. Aquatic birds, and the geology and botany of the island, also attract tourists.
Features
The scenic coast of Navarino Island offers opportunities for sea kayaking among small barren islands and channels surrounded by native vegetation and populated by a rich variety of birds.
There is fishing in the
Murray ChannelThe Murray Channel is a channel of Chile located in the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in the Antártica Chilena Province of the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region. It separates Hoste Island from Navarino Island and is bounded by the Beagle Channel to the north...
. Boat trips can also be taken to visit the glaciers of the northwest arm of the
Beagle ChannelThe Beagle Channel is a strait separating islands of the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago, in extreme southern South America. It separates Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego from the islands Nueva, Picton, Navarino, Hoste, Londonderry, Stewart Islands and other smaller to the south...
(located in the
Alberto de Agostini National ParkAlberto de Agostini National Park is a park located in the Chilean part of Tierra del Fuego. It covers 14,600 km² and includes the Cordillera Darwin mountain range. The park is named after Alberto María de Agostini, who was an Italian missionary and explorer. Several tidewater glaciers and steep...
), and towards Cape Horn and
Chilean AntarcticaAntártica Chilena Province is one of four provinces in its southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region. The capital is Puerto Williams. The province is nearly 1,250,000 km² in area, which makes it almost twice as large as all other provinces of Chile combined...
.
There is a five day
hikingHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking have been confirmed in studies...
circuit around the jagged pinnacles known as the
Dientes de NavarinoDientes de Navarino are a mountain range in Navarino Island located just south of Puerto Williams, along the Beagle Channel coast....
. The trail passes peaks known as Cerro Clem and Montes Lindenmayer, named in 2001 by the Chilean Ministry of Natural Resources for the author of the
Lonely PlanetLonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. Originally called Lonely Planet Publications, the company changed its name to Lonely Planet in July 2009 to reflect its broad travel industry offering and the emphasis on digital products...
guide. There are also areas for rock climbing.
There are several ranches, and the northern section of the island is suitable for horseback riding.
Salmon trout are found in abundance in Navarino Lake, and in the North coast of the island, the sea enters deep coves suitable for fishing snook.
Climate
In the northern coastal strip, where Puerto Williams is, the annual average precipitation is 467 mm., with a temperature of 6°C. The average temperature in the warmest month is 9.6°C, and in the coldest month 1.9°C., which is similar to the climate of
UshuaiaUshuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
. In the more southern areas annual precipitation increases to about 800 mm, with a slight diminution in temperatures. Precipitation is distributed more or less uniformly across the year, and some falls as snow. In the extensive southernmost part of the island, including Lakes Navarino and Windhond, there is an increase in precipitation, a diminution of summer temperatures and an increase in the winter temperatures by wind drift.
Flora
In the North end of the island the vegetation is characterized by the
deciduous Magellanic forestThe Magellanic subpolar forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southernmost South America, covering parts of southern Chile and Argentina, and is part of the Neotropic ecozone...
, whose characteristic species are Lenga Beech (
Nothofagus pumilio), with Ñirre Beech (
Nothofagus antarcticaNothofagus antarctica , is a deciduous tree or shrub native to southern Chile and Argentina from about 36°S latitude south to Tierra del Fuego . The southernmost occurrence is on Hoste Island, making it the southernmost trees on earth...
) in the driest areas,
Coihue of MagallanesNothofagus dombeyi is a tree species that inhabits the Andes of the Argentine Patagonia and central Chile, It grows from 35 to 45° South latitude between 700 and 1,200 m above mean sea level. It forms dense forests, like those found in the Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi national parks...
(
Nothofagus betuloides) in the wettest areas and some shrublands and
Magellanic moorlandThe Magellanic subpolar forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southernmost South America, covering parts of southern Chile and Argentina, and is part of the Neotropic ecozone...
in areas of poor drainage.
Immediately to the south is the
evergreen Magellanic rainforestThe Magellanic subpolar forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southernmost South America, covering parts of southern Chile and Argentina, and is part of the Neotropic ecozone...
, probably associated with the increased precipitation, the greater altitude and an improvement in the drainage. The characteristic species is
Nothofagus betuloides (
Coihue of MagallanesNothofagus dombeyi is a tree species that inhabits the Andes of the Argentine Patagonia and central Chile, It grows from 35 to 45° South latitude between 700 and 1,200 m above mean sea level. It forms dense forests, like those found in the Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi national parks...
), forming pure communities in sectors of greater altitude or coasts exposed to the wind.
The south portion of the island, surrounding Lakes Navarino and Windhond, and the territories of the southern coast, have a vegetation of
Magellanic moorlandThe Magellanic subpolar forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southernmost South America, covering parts of southern Chile and Argentina, and is part of the Neotropic ecozone...
. This includes a series of vegetal communities, the Esfagnosa Tundra (
Sphagnum magellanicumSphagnum magellanicum is one of the most common species of mosses in Chile. It has a distinctive reddish colour which makes it easy to recognise among other sphagnum species in Chile....
) and the Pulvinada Tundra (
Donatia fascicularis -
Astelia pumilia).
At higher altitudes, the terrain is Andean Desert, which lacks trees or tall shrubs and is less than 30% covered by vegetation.
See
Omora Ethnobotanical ParkOmora Ethnobotanical Park is a protected area located 4 kilometres west of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island. The Omora Park is a research, education and conservation center for the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. The park itself includes a representative variety sub-Antarctic flora open to the...
.
Natural and Cultural Features
Cultural historical sites are
Bahia WulaiaBahia Wulaia is a bay on Isla Navarino along the Murray Channel in the Tierra del Fuego region of Chile. There is an archaeological site at Bahia Wulaia from the early settlement of the Yaghan peoples. The site, known as the Wulaia Bay Dome Middens used small inlets of the bay as fish traps, the...
and the English Mission of Douglas Creek. The large Stirling House, an iron Mecano construction brought in 1869 from England by the
English missionariesThe South American Mission Society was founded at Brighton in 1844 as the Patagonian Mission. Captain Allen Gardiner, R.N., was the first secretary. The name "Patagonian Mission" was retained for twenty years, when the new title was adopted...
, previously was in Ushuaia and then in Tekenika Bay, being finally installed in Douglas Creek. In the Yahgan cemetery at Mejillones Bay, there are tombs, dating from the first half of the 20th century, which show elements of religious
syncretismSyncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate or contrary beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. This may involve attempts to merge and analogise several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, and thus assert an...
.
Villa Ukika is a district of Puerto Williams where the few last
YamanaYamana may mean:* Yámana, an alternate name for the Yaghan language and people, in Chile* Yamana clan, a Japanese clan * Yamana Gold Inc., a Canadian-based gold mining company operating in South and Central America...
or Yahgan live. In
Puerto NavarinoPuerto Navarino is a Chilean port facing the Beagle Channel in western Navarino Island. Puerto Navarino belongs to Cabo de Hornos commune and is connected to Puerto Williams by a gravel road.-External links:**...
, a fishing port for king crabs, there are beautiful wooden buildings, mainly of the 1930s.
Puerto ToroPuerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. It belongs to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region...
is the world's southernmost settlement.
There is skiing in Cerro La Bandera, near Puerto Williams.
Whales and orcas can be seen in Windhond Bay. The area of Isla Navarino and the surrounding islands have been declared a
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
Biosphere ReserveThe UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme was established in 1977 to promote an interdisciplinary approach to research, training and communications in ecosystem conservation and rational use of natural resources.-Development:...
in June 2005, called Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve.
Access
Puerto Williams can be reached by air from Punta Arenas, by
DAPDap or DAP may refer to:* DAP Products, Inc., an American manufacturer of caulking materials* Digital Asset Producers.* DAP Technologies, a division of Roper Industries* DAP , a statistical analysis program...
, daily except Sundays. In addition there is a weekly a ferry, crossing the
Strait of MagellanThe Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland Chile and north of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego...
and the Brecknock, Cockburn and Beagle Channels. The boat trip takes between 30 and 36 hours. In 2006 there was also a commercial connection by motorboat between Ushuaia and Isla Navarino.
Towns and Villages
- Puerto Bevan
- Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region...
- Puerto Navarino
Puerto Navarino is a Chilean port facing the Beagle Channel in western Navarino Island. Puerto Navarino belongs to Cabo de Hornos commune and is connected to Puerto Williams by a gravel road.-External links:**...
- Caleta Eugenia
- Puerto Toro
Puerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. It belongs to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region...
- Villa Ukika
See also
External links