The crew of Milagro will be present, as a partner, at the 5th edition of the Kreeh Chinen Festival!
This event, which we have supported since its creation, will be held on November 29 at Restobar Punto de Encuentro in Tolhuin (province of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina).
The Festival: a place of artistic gathering
The Kreeh Chinen Festival, a Selk’nam word meaning “clinging to the moon” according to its founders, aims to bring together artists, poets, writers, musicians, and painters from throughout Tierra del Fuego province. Each of the three major cities in the province is represented, and the initiative was designed to foster independent, solidarity-based artistic exchange open to local initiatives: producers, artisans, and small organizations are invited to participate. The previous edition, already supported by Karukinka, underscores this collective and ambitious dimension: “The idea is to make visible the regional, environmental, and cultural themes of indigenous peoples,” explain in unison two of the organizers, Lauriane Lemasson, a French researcher, and Alejandro Pinto, writer and poet from Río Grande.
Why Karukinka is associated with it
The Karukinka Association, founded with the ambition to “build the missing bridge between Europe and Tierra del Fuego,” has been committed for many years to indigenous peoples and heritage projects in the region. The partnership with Kreeh Chinen thus naturally aligns with its mission:
To promote cultural expressions from southern Argentina (Tierra del Fuego) in their authenticity, independence, and diversity.
To strengthen connections between local actors (artists, artisans, indigenous communities) and a broader public, beyond borders.
To contribute to an event that highlights not only art but also environmental, cultural, and heritage themes linked to the indigenous peoples of the region.
What is planned for November 29, 2025
At Restobar Punto de Encuentro in Tolhuin, you will be able to discover:
Musicians coming from throughout Tierra del Fuego province,
Poets and writers sharing stories, voices, and local imaginaries,
Painters and visual artists displaying their works,
A moment of sharing and encounter, in the spirit of Kreeh Chinen, which values both art, local engagement, and cooperation.
This 5th edition of the Kreeh Chinen Festival will once again allow us to celebrate art, culture, and solidarity in Tierra del Fuego. We will share more details about this event with you soon!
Today we share with you a Yagan story dedicated to the hummingbird, told by Úrsula Calderón and Cristina Calderón in 2001 in Mejillones Bay (Navarino Island, Chile). It was published on pages 170 and 171 of the book Guia Multi-Etnica de Aves de los bosques subantárticos de Sudamérica (2017) and translated from Spanish to English by the Karukinka association.
The Chilean hummingbird Sephanoides sephaniodes
The Yagan story of the hummingbird
“Once, when birds were still humans, a severe drought struck the Cape Horn region and its inhabitants were dying of thirst. The cunning fox (cilawáia, the Magellan fox) found a lagoon and, without telling anyone, built a fence around it with umush branches (calafate in Yagan) so that no one could enter. Hidden there, he drank plenty of water alone, only caring for himself.
After some time, others discovered the lagoon’s existence and, as a group, they went to ask cilawáia for some water. But he didn’t even want to listen to their pleas and brusquely expelled them. The people’s condition worsened by the moment, and in their despair, they remembered omora. They sent a message to this small occasional visitor who, in similar past shortages, had saved their lives.
The Magellanic fox (Lycalopex griseus, cilawáia)
The hummingbird, or little omora, was always ready to help and came very quickly. Although weakened, this tiny creature (human or spirit) is braver and more fearless than any giant. Upon arrival, people told him in detail what had happened about the great shortages. Omora, upon hearing what happened, became indignant and flew to the place where cilawáia was. Selfish, the fox confronted him. And omora said: ‘Listen! Is it true what others told me? You have access to a lagoon, and you refuse to share your water with others. Do you know that if you don’t give them water, they will die of thirst?’ The fox replied: ‘What do I care? This lagoon has very little water, just enough for me and some close relatives.’
Hearing this, omora became furious and, without answering cilawáia, he returned to the camp.
He thought hard and, hastily, rose holding his staff and returned to where cilawáia was. On the way, omora collected several sharp stones, and when close enough to the fox, he shouted: ‘Will you finally share the water with everyone?’ The selfish cilawáia answered: ‘Let them die of thirst. I can’t give water to each one of them, or else my family and I will starve.’
Omora was so furious he could not restrain himself and leapt with his staff, killing the fox with the first blow.
The others watching came running happily to the place, broke the fence, approached the lagoon, and began to drink to quench their thirst — all of the water. Some birds who arrived late barely managed to wet their throats. Then, the wise little owl sirra (grandmother of omora) said to the birds who had arrived late: ‘Go collect mud from the bottom of the lagoon and fly to the tops of the mountains, above which you must sprinkle.’
The little birds and their balls of mud created vertical springs that originated the watercourses cascading from the mountains, forming small streams and large rivers running through ravines. When everyone saw this, they were extremely happy and all drank large amounts of fresh and pure water, which was much better than the lagoon water that the selfish cilawáia guarded. Now everyone was saved. To this day, all these watercourses flow from the mountains and provide exquisite water. Since then, no one should die of thirst.”
On Monday, October 27, the Milagro resonated with the sound of coigüe wood and tools. With José, crew member and godparent of the boat, we dedicated the day to a traditional woodworking session to craft two new work surfaces from coigüe wood. These new fittings, now installed at the stern of the sailing vessel, will be used to clean fish and lift nets outside, in perfect harmony with the sea and the wind. On board, the scent of freshly cut wood mingled with that of changing tides. The finishing touches were done with an axe, a vibrating saw, and finally a grinder.
Heritage of the Yagan people
Among the Yagans, people of the channels of Tierra del Fuego, woodworking holds an essential place. Originating from a culture intimately linked to water and cold, the Yagans shape wood for everything: canoes, tools, shelters. Their know-how is based on a keen sense of the material, capable of transforming a wet log into a light boat or a rough plank into a durable work surface. By reviving these ancestral gestures, although supplemented by modern tools, we pay homage to this millenary maritime culture, which saw in every piece of wood a fragment of the landscape, a trace of the link between humans and nature.
Lauriane and José aboard Milagro, with a first coigüe wood work surface on the starboard aft balcony.
Coigüe wood, the strength of Southern Chile
The coigüe (Nothofagus dombeyi) is a emblematic tree of the temperate forests of southern Chile and Patagonia. Its wood, dense and strong, is distinguished by a clear and warm tint, perfect for marine works. It is a species that withstands moisture well and ages gracefully, developing a soft patina over the seasons. Working with coigüe means handling a living material, rooted in the same earth and winds that the Milagro sails through. This noble wood, over 60 years old in the case of what we used, was shaped here in the traditional way so that the boat continues its journey respecting the traditions and nature surrounding it.
Coigüe leaves (Valerio Pillar de Porto Alegre, Brazil — DSC_7172.JPGUploaded by pixeltoo, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10393830)
The study proposes a collaboration model between ancestral Mapuche knowledge and ecological science, demonstrating that nature conservation requires listening to, respecting, and working alongside indigenous communities.
Temuco, October 23, 2025. (diariomapuche.cl) – A study published by the scientific journal Ecology & Evolution highlights the contribution of the Mapuche people to the understanding and protection of biodiversity in southern Chile. The research, titled “Listening Deeply to Indigenous People: A Collaborative Perspective and Reflection Between a Mapuche Machi and Ecologists”, proposes a paradigm shift in ecological science: moving from consulting communities to co-producing knowledge alongside them.
The work was developed by a group of scientists and a machi from the Conguillío territory, who shared knowledge, experiences, and reflections on the impacts of industrial projects—forestry and hydroelectric—on the Truful-Truful river basin, one of the ecosystems most affected by extractivism in Wallmapu.
“The machi and the ecologists show us that listening deeply to indigenous peoples is not a symbolic act, but a condition for understanding the life of the territory,” the study states.
Ancestral Mapuche knowledge and science with two eyes
The team applied the “Two-Eyed Seeing” approach, a framework that integrates Western scientific vision with Mapuche cosmovision. In this way, two ways of knowing the world are articulated: one based on ecological data and another on the spiritual and territorial experience that sustains the Mapuche relationship with itrofil mongen (biodiversity).
The article identifies historical barriers between academia and indigenous peoples—such as mistrust, knowledge extractivism, and inequality in decision-making—but also shows concrete paths for collaboration, respect, and reciprocity.
The territory speaks
The research documents how exotic plantations and hydroelectric projects have altered medicinal species, water courses, and cultural practices linked to küme mongen (good living). Against this, the study proposes that indigenous communities participate as co-managers and co-researchers, recognizing their territorial and spiritual authority over the ecosystems they inhabit.
The publication concludes that without indigenous peoples there will be no effective nature conservation, and that integrating their knowledge and rights into public policy is an urgent task in the face of the global climate crisis.
“Wallmapu does not only conserve biodiversity: it conserves memory, language, and spirituality. Listening deeply to its inhabitants is also listening to the earth,” the statement summarizes.
The Beagle Channel, known to the Yaghan people as Onashaga (“channel of the Ona hunters,” i.e., their Selk’nam neighbors from Tierra del Fuego), is one of the planet’s outstanding maritime passages. This interoceanic strait, approximately 270 kilometers long, connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at the very southern tip of South America, separating the main island of Tierra del Fuego from an archipelago of smaller islands between 54°50′ and 55°00′ south latitude.
The east part of the Beagle channel (c) Karukinka
For us, who regularly sail these legendary waters, Onashaga—the Beagle Channel—means much more than a simple maritime passage: it’s a world of its own, where two oceans meet and where seven millennia of Yagan navigation still resonate.
Table des matières
The genesis of the landscape: a glacial heritage
When ice sculpted the channels
The formation of the Beagle Channel is a prime example of Quaternary glacial sculpting, which has shaped one of the most spectacular southern hemisphere landscapes. During repeated Pleistocene glaciations, glaciers hundreds of meters thick excavated valleys like Carbajal and Lake Kami (Fagnano), creating the region’s complex topography.
Photography of the Carbajal Valley by Lauriane Lemasson, during the 2013 expedition in Argentine Tierra del Fuego
The glacier responsible for forming the Beagle Canal moved from west to east, fed by the Darwin Range, where glaciers and snowfields—remnants of this genesis—can still be seen today. This glacial process left behind moraine deposits in the shallower areas, especially around Gable Island and off the Ushuaia Bay, creating today’s bathymetric complexities.
The tectonic structure underlying the channel is a longitudinal tectonic valley, later modified by glacial action. The combination of tectonic and glacial processes resulted in a morphology with semi-isolated basins as deep as 400 meters, separated by shallow topographic sills that control water mass circulation.
A complex submarine architecture
The Beagle Channel’s bathymetry reveals a complex architecture dominated by a series of shallow sills, dividing the channel into several distinct micro-environments. In the western sector, the Diablo Island sill (approx. 50 meters deep) and the Fleuriais Bay sill (about 100 meters) separate the northwestern and southwestern branches from the central sector.
This bathymetric setup generates a complex circulation system, with sills acting as barriers that limit the exchange of deep water masses, creating micro-environments with distinctive physical, chemical, and biological properties.
It is this diversity of habitats that makes the Beagle Channel such a rich and unique ecosystem, as explained by Centro IDEAL researchers who have studied these waters for years.
East part of the Beagle channel
Hydrographic system
The meeting of oceans
The Beagle Canal acts as an interoceanic corridor that facilitates the transport of surface waters from the Pacific to the Atlantic, a flow mainly driven by the difference in sea level between the two oceans and the influence of strong westerly winds within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
The Cape Horn current is the primary source of water entering the channel, bringing subantarctic water (SAAW) at depths greater than 100 meters along the edge of the Patagonian Pacific shelf. This water enters via a submarine canyon at the western mouth of the channel, characterized by temperatures of 8–9°C, salinity above 33, and relatively low oxygen concentrations.
Map illustrating the Cape Horn current (c) Karukinka
Waters that tell the story of the climate
Freshwater input from the Darwin Cordillera icefield generates a two-layer system, with a pronounced pycnocline separating vertical phytoplankton fluorescence. This estuarine water is cold (4–6°C), nutrient-poor, and highly oxygenated.
Time series analyses reveal that the annual cycle explains 75–89% of ocean temperature variability, while the atmospheric cycle explains 53% of its variability.
These data allow us to understand how the channel reacts to climate change, emphasize oceanographers monitoring these waters.
A sanctuary for marine biodiversity
The realm of marine mammals
The channel hosts an exceptional diversity of marine mammals, internationally recognized as an important marine mammal area (IMMA), covering 26,572 km² from the channel to Cape Horn. This area is home to at least eleven primary marine mammal species, plus eight supporting species.
Among the year-round resident species are three small cetaceans: the Peale’s dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis), the dusky dolphin (L. obscurus), and the Burmeister’s porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis), along with two pinnipeds: the South American sea lion (Otaria byronia) and the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis).
Colony of South American fur seals in the Beagle Channel, near Ushuaia Bay, photographed in April 2025 during a sailing expedition
We have had the chance to observe these Peale’s dolphins during our voyages across Patagonia’s channels, from the channel’s eastern mouth to Cook Bay at its southwestern end. Their close association with kelp forests is fascinating: they undertake 40.5% of their feeding and 14.3% of their hunting behaviors there.
The underwater kelp forests
The underwater forests of Macrocystis pyrifera, locally known as “cachiyuyos,” are among the channel’s most important ecosystems, extending from the Valdés Peninsula to Tierra del Fuego. These forests provide a critical habitat, acting as nursery grounds, refuges, and feeding areas for an exceptionally diverse range of marine species.
Doctoral research by Adriana Milena Cruz Jiménez revealed the complexity of fish assemblages associated with these forests, examining various strata: the lower area at the holdfast and the mid-water area at the fronds.
The ichthyological diversity found in these kelp forests highlights their vital role in marine biodiversity, explains this specialist.
A delicate balance under threat
The pattern of nutrient distribution in the Beagle Channel varies distinctly among its water masses. The system is notably nitrate-limited, with an N:P ratio of 8.42, consistent across all water masses. This directly influences the channel’s primary productivity.
Phytoplankton biomass is generally moderate and limited to the upper pycnocline in the western sector, while mixing over sills disrupts stratification, pushing phytoplankton cells beneath the photic zone, which can limit primary production.
Local scientists insist that understanding these mechanisms is crucial to preserving the unique balance of this ecosystem.
The Yagan cultural heritage: the Onashaga (Beagle) Channel
Seven millennia of navigation
The name Onashaga means “channel of the Ona hunters” in the Yagan language and reflects the profound connection between this maritime people and these waters for around 7,000 years. The Yagan developed a nomadic culture based entirely on exploiting marine resources and constant navigation of the Fuegian archipelago, adapting to an environment Europeans found utterly inhospitable.
When we sail these waters, we still feel the presence of those ancient navigators, as our crew members testify. Their traditional territory extended from the southern coast of the main Tierra del Fuego island (Onaisin) to the Cape Horn archipelago, including the Onashaga. This toponym is one of the many native place names erased from official maps by colonization, which we must now reclaim to restore meaning rooted in the land’s first inhabitants.
The channel as an archaeological witness
Archaeological evidence along the Beagle Channel reveals human occupation stretching back millennia, with shell middens, lithic tool workshops, fish traps, and ancient campsites.
Notable archaeological sites include evidence of ancient Yagan settlement at places like Wulaia Bay on Navarino Island, indicating occupation over 7,000 years ago.
The legacy of great explorations
In the footsteps of Darwin and FitzRoy
The channel is named after HMS Beagle, the British ship that conducted the first hydrographic survey of southern South America’s coasts from 1826 to 1830. The European discovery of the channel occurred in April 1830, when the Beagle was anchored in Orange Bay (southeast Hoste Island).
During the second expedition (1831–1836), FitzRoy brought along Charles Darwin as a self-financed naturalist. Darwin saw his first glaciers there in January 1833, writing in his journal: “It is almost impossible to imagine anything more beautiful than the beryl-blue of these glaciers, especially contrasted with the dead white of the upper snow stretches.”
And to travel there regularly… it is always a wonder! Patagonia sailing expedition, February 2025 (Karukinka)
Darwin’s meticulous observations of the region’s geology, fauna, and indigenous populations provided key evidence for his understanding of adaptation and geographic species distribution.
The channel thus became one of the seminal natural laboratories in the history of natural sciences.
From mapping to geopolitical conflict
The hydrographic surveys by Captain FitzRoy and crew laid the groundwork for modern navigation in the region, followed by those from the Cape Horn Scientific Mission. However, this mapping precision also revealed the strategic importance of the channel, which would become a historic source of geopolitical tensions between Chile and Argentina.
The Beagle conflict of 1978 brought the nations to the brink of war over three small islands—Picton, Lennox, and Nueva—whose sovereignty would determine control over vast maritime territories. The dispute was resolved by papal mediation, with Pope John Paul II playing a crucial role, leading to the treaty of peace and friendship of 1984.
In yellow, the islands involved in the Beagle Conflict of 1978
Modern science in the service of knowledge
A monitored natural laboratory
Today, the channel is one of the best-studied subantarctic marine systems, serving as a comprehensive regional sentinel of global change. Since October 2016, Chile’s Austral University’s Centro IDEAL has conducted annual hydrographic transects from the western end to Yendegaia Bay.
A major milestone was achieved in July–August 2017 with the first complete, high-resolution oceanographic survey along the entire channel, carried out through cooperation between Centro IDEAL and an Argentine expedition on the research vessel Bernardo Houssay. This international collaboration generated, for the first time, a complete hydrographic section of the channel, say the researchers involved.
The sailing vessel Bernardo Houssay, of the Argentine Naval Prefecture, upon its arrival at the port of Ushuaia in 2021 (source)
Unique scientific challenges
Research in the Beagle Channel faces unique challenges due to its remote location, complex geomorphology, and shared jurisdiction between Chile and Argentina, historically limiting coordinated research. Future needs include studies on processes within each semi-enclosed basin and implementation of coupled atmosphere-ocean-glacier models to determine residence times.
Such research is crucial to understanding how this ecosystem will respond to future climate change.
Threats and conservation issues
The challenges of climate change
This channel faces unprecedented threats from climate change: rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and ocean acidification, all threatening the ecosystem’s delicate balance. Glacier retreat has accelerated dramatically in recent decades, altering freshwater contributions and potentially affecting marine productivity.
Changes have already been observed during our expeditions: the retreat of glaciers between 2018 and 2025 left a lasting impression. Scientists closely monitor these changes, using the region as a natural laboratory to understand wider impacts of climate change.
The salmon farming controversy
The expansion of the salmon farming industry into the region has been categorically rejected by organizations grouped within the Forum for the Conservation of the Patagonian Sea, which express concern over potentially catastrophic and irreversible damage to one of the region’s most precious marine ecosystems.
We strongly support this position: the channel’s pristine waters are home to one of the world’s greatest biodiversity reserves, with great heterogeneity in coastal-marine habitats containing numerous understudied marine invertebrates and vertebrates. Introduction of non-native species such as salmon is considered “terrible and risky” for this ecosystem by leading researchers. Fish-farm salmon escapes upstream have led to “wild salmon” appearing in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, now threatening endemic species such as robalo.
An example of a salmon caught by José near the northern arm of the Beagle Channel during one of our sailing expeditions in 2025 (photo Christine Stein, Karukinka Association
A challenge of international and multicultural preservation and cooperation
Since 2005, in order to preserve this natural marvel, most islands south of the Beagle are part of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, managed by UNESCO, CONAF, and the Chilean Navy. This designation acknowledges the ecosystem’s outstanding importance and establishes long-term conservation frameworks.
We believe that preserving Yagan culture and integrating their ancestral knowledge is essential to understanding and protecting this unique ecosystem. Including Yagan traditional ecological knowledge in contemporary environmental management represents an opportunity to develop innovative approaches to conservation. Knowledge of navigation, climate observation, marine resources, and seasonal cycles forms a scientific heritage of great value, complementing modern research methodologies.
Bibliography
Scientific sources
Ferreyra, G. & González, H. “General hydrography of the Beagle Channel, a subantarctic interoceanic passage at the southern tip of South America.” Frontiers in Marine Science, September 30, 2021.
Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force. “Beagle Channel to Cape Horn IMMA – Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force.” Marine Mammal Habitat, March 18, 2024.
Lodolo, E., Menichetti, M. & Tassone, A. “Shallow architecture of Fuegian Andes lineaments based on marine geophysical data.” Andean Geology, vol. 45, no. 1, 2018.
Institutional publications
Yaghan’s, explorers and settlers.Museo Yaganusi, Government of Chile. PDF document, 2021.
Canal Beagle sin salmoneras.Mar Patagónico, regional declaration, 2024.
The Beagle Channel free from salmon farming.Mar Patagónico, regional statement, 2024.
Phytoplankton biodiversity and water quality in the Beagle Channel, Argentina, 2017–2021.Government of Argentina, PDF document.
Articles
El Rompehielos. “The importance of marine biodiversity in the Beagle Channel.” January 29, 2020.
Radio del Mar. “Beagle Channel is a key research ecosystem for marine biology.” May 22, 2023.
Centro IDEAL. “Scientists unravel the structure of the Beagle Channel.” November 11, 2021.
Audiovisual docs
“Discovery of the Beagle Channel.”YouTube, June 20, 2021.
“The importance of marine biodiversity in the Beagle Channel.”YouTube, January 29, 2020.
Conservation organizations
Rewilding Chile. “Beagle Channel: exploring the end of the world.” September 3, 2023.
Rewilding Chile. “Canal Beagle: explorando el confín del mundo.” September 3, 2023.
Table of content : sailing patagonian channels part 1
Tuesday, January 28, 2025: Departure of the sailing expedition in the Chilean Patagonian Channels
A tough wake-up this morning; the night was short and the previous day was busy, as always before an 18-day sailing expedition in the Cap Horn biosphere reserve, the southern Chilean fjords : provisioning, supply runs… a host of things that, of course, can only be done last minute in Ushuaia!
The crew of Milagro, association Karukinka, in Ushuaia (Photo Pascal Madert)
So, 8 a.m., breakfast, and quite a crowd for this breakfast. Yesterday, we welcomed 5 new crewmates: Annick and Jacques, the Gers natives aboard, Pascal from Grenoble, Alain from Vannes, and Françoise from Paris; their common point: they’re all happy retirees! With Aude, who simply refuses to leave the boat, Damien, Lauriane, and myself, that makes 9 crew members!
Sailiboats at the pontoon in Ushuaia Nautical club (P. Madert)Departure dinner ! (P. Madert)The traditional fuegian asado (lamb) (P. Madert)
Once everyone is settled, the ritual begins: completing formalities with the local authorities in Ushuaia. For every trip, you have to visit the naval prefecture, immigration, and customs, both on the Argentinian and Chilean side! After this, we get a standard inspection, as often happens, such as at Bahia San Blas during our offshore cruise along the Argentinian Patagonia from Buenos Aires. Usually, it’s mainly a check of the boat’s papers, communication, and safety equipment… and it always goes smoothly!
With all these requirements, we don’t leave Ushuaia until 1 p.m., arriving at Puerto Williams, the southernmost city in the world, on Navarino Island (province of Cape Horn and Chilean Antarctic), after a smooth crossing. We anchor in front of the city, as there is no space at the fishing port, and near the famous Micalvi, the pontoon-boat and historic local heritage known to sailors passing through before heading further south. A bit later, another French sailboat, which has been in the region a long time, anchors next to us: the Podorange.
The sailing yachts Milagro and Podorange anchoring in Puerto Williams bay (Cabo de Hornos, Chili)Rainbow over the city of Puerto WilliamsThe Micalvi marina (P. Madert)The inside of the Micalvi, several tens of sailing expeditions represented (P. Madert)The end of the world ! (P. Madert)Puerto Williams, city of the Cape Horn and Chilean Antarctic region (P. Madert)
Wednesday, January 29, 2025: Awaiting formalities → hiking on Navarino Island!
This morning, and since we’re in Chile, it’s back to entry formalities with the various authorities. So, a day on land for everyone: Lauriane and Damien tackle the paperwork marathon, Alain and Annick go for a walk along the Beagle Channel shore, and Pascal, Françoise, Jacques, Aude, and I set out to climb the “school” summit above the village: Cerro Bandera. This 600m peak offers a panoramic view of the surroundings.
Access to this summit is an exception in the region: it’s one of the few with a well-maintained, marked trail, making the climb easy. Most of the time elsewhere, you have to find your own way – nature is everywhere and only reveals itself after real effort!
It’s a beautiful ascent, pleasant after leaving a 4×4 track: we cross remarkable Fuegian forest, then low, dense shrubs battered by winds, before reaching the bare mineral zone, where only moss survives – nearing the summit. The sky is overcast but calm, and visibility excellent. From various points, you admire, at different elevations, the channel and surrounding peaks…
View of Puerto WilliamsIn the middle, on the left side : our Milagro ! (P. Madert)The Onashaga (Beagle channel) separating Navarino island and Tierra del Fuego islandThe summit of the cerro BanderaPart of the crew at the summit of Cerro Bandera (Navarino island, Chile) Photo Aude Grillault-LarocheThe flora on the summit of cerro Bandera (P. Madert)
Everyone climbs at their own pace and meets at the top, marked by a cairn capped with a Chilean flag. From the summit, you see various trails suggesting many multi-day hikes to explore this island; it’s quite stirring…!
The kind weather means we have a picnic and a restorative nap, before heading back down the same way, ending up in a cozy tea room. Back on board by 6:30 p.m. for a quiet evening after a great walk.
Thursday, January 30, 2025: heading west in the Beagle channel, toward Hoste island
Up at 6 a.m., departing at 7 a.m., we have a long way to go: we head west again, pass Ushuaia and continue to Hoste Island. Sailing is calm, motoring for lack of wind. In early afternoon comes a surprise: the wind picks up, stormy, gusts up to 45 knots, the Beagle Channel reveals its bad-weather face, and it’s impressive. Only one sensible solution instead of motoring head-on: take cover.
We head for Caleta Letier (Dumas Peninsula, Hoste Island, Chilean fjords). The place is beautiful, a small, well-protected bay with forest trailing right to the shore. Anchoring, though, is less idyllic… The anchor doesn’t catch – so much kelp on the bottom that it’s impossible; it comes up covered with mountains of kelp and a bit of mud. Everything has to be cut away before trying again—exhausting and messy!! Finally, success: Milagro is secure at anchor! Phew!!
Some lines on land to secure the anchoring in the caleta (P. Madert)et on reprend le mou à bord, sans laisser la tension sur le winch en fin de manoeuvre ! (P. Madert)
Good thing too, because the unforecast storm is fierce: gusts at 40 knots, strong and sudden, tip Milagro on its side, sheltering in the bay. In the channel it’s worse: gusts top 50 knots, the water turns white, wave crests are blown into a whiteout over the sea. The Chilean Navy bans navigation for now, and Ushuaia and Puerto Williams ports close.
Anchorage in the caleta Letier (Hoste island, Cape Horn and Chilean Antarctica province, 30/01/2025)
The place is harsh but gorgeous: coves, forest, and mountains everywhere….
Friday, January 31, 2025: First glimpse of the Darwin Cordillera glaciers and anchoring in a bay on Gordon Island
8 a.m.: a morning stroll on deck – magnificent! The wind is down, even the channel is calm. A delicious moment of peace, alone at the end of the caleta.
We head west, Hoste Island to port, Tierra del Fuego to starboard, and in the distance, Darwin Range glaciers sparkle in the sun. The scenery is breathtaking – channels bordered by dense Fuegian subantarctic forest, mountains, and glacier-topped peaks. It’s extraordinary to be in one of the last places on Earth where nature reigns and humans are nearly absent.
We enter the southern arm of the channel; Hoste Island remains to port, and now, to starboard, the Gordon Island coast follows Tierra del Fuego. We pass tall glaciers, hugely diminished by climate change: like the mountains, polar zones are most affected…. We turn into an unmapped fjord and follow it up several km to anchor at its end, beneath a waterfall and a stream from a melting glacier. The glacier towers above, fresh and grand: we are in Caleta Eva Luna. The place is sublime, and the joy on Lauriane’s face – who recorded sounds and took photos here in 2018 – says it all.
Walking in Eva Luna bay (Gordon island, Chile, 2025)Walk in Eva Luna Bay (Biosphere Reserve of Cape Horn, Chile, 2025)The subantarctic fuegian forest in Eva Luna bay (january 2025)And to see the same place in the middle of autumn photographed by Lauriane (mid-May 2018)
A short walk along the shore takes me back years too: the dense, impenetrable Fuegian forest, the waterlogged boggy ground, all as I remember. Toupie, our faithful four-legged mascot, delights in playing fetch with abundant sticks on the shore!
The sailing yacht Milagro anchored in Caleta Eva Luna, Gordon island, province of cape Horn and Chilean Antarctica, January 2025
It’s a quiet night; we rest up to keep going west tomorrow… To be continued in the next post ;-)
Karukinka, a non profit organization in Patagonia, invites you to write the next chapters of this unique epic — where maps still read “unmapped.” Joining Karukinka is more than joining an association: it’s embarking on an exceptional human and maritime adventure, reconciling modern exploration with ancestral memory.
Our association now gathers a hundred members of 12 different nationalities, united by a passion for extreme lands and a strong commitment to Indigenous cultural preservation. Whether you are an experienced sailor, scientist, artist, or simply fascinated by wide spaces and just causes, Karukinka offers the unique chance to join sailing expeditions and a cartographic exploration project that will make history.
The Darwin Cordillera represents one of the last wild frontiers of our planet, a mountain range of striking beauty yet formidable hostility, located at the far southwestern tip of Chilean Tierra del Fuego. This mountain chain, known to Europeans in 1832 by Charles Darwin during his historic voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, constitutes the southernmost extension of the Andes Cordillera and remains to this day one of the most extreme and least explored environments on the planet.
A glacier view in Pia fjord, Darwin cordillera, during a sailing expedition in the patagonian channels (February 2025)
Nestled between 54°15′ and 54°50′ south latitude and 69°15′ and 71°30′ west longitude, this “unknown land” extends 170 kilometers from west to east and 60 kilometers from north to south, harboring an ice field of over 2,300 km² – equivalent to the total area of Alpine glaciers. Until 2011, the year of the first complete crossing achieved by the French Military High Mountain Group (GMHM), the Darwin Cordillera remained one of the last “white rectangles” on world maps, testifying to the extreme difficulty its exploration represents.
Geography and geology: an exceptional natural laboratory
Geographic location and configuration of the Darwin range
The Darwin Cordillera occupies a unique geographic position in the world, forming a mountainous peninsula west of the great island of Tierra del Fuego. This mountain chain is surrounded by water on three sides: to the north by the Almirantazgo Canal connected to the Strait of Magellan, to the south by the Beagle Canal, and to the west by the Cockburn Canal opening onto the Pacific Ocean. Only its eastern portion remains connected to the mainland, near the Argentine-Chilean border, making any land access practically impossible.
The massif extends from Mount Sarmiento in the west (2,404 m) to the Yendegaia valley in the east, passing through its highest peak, Mount Shipton (2,469 m), often confused with Mount Darwin (2,429 m). This historical confusion stems from Eric Shipton’s 1961 expedition, who believed he had climbed Mount Darwin but had actually reached a higher summit, subsequently named in his honor.
A complex geological structure
The geology of the Darwin Cordillera reveals a complex and fascinating tectonic history. The massif is principally composed of a metamorphic complex comprising high-grade metamorphic rocks, notably crystalline schists containing kyanite and sillimanite. These minerals testify to extreme pressure and temperature conditions during the mountain chain’s formation.
Panoramic view of Marinelli Glacier with snow-capped peaks and growlers (Darwin Cordillera, wikipedia)
The high-grade metamorphism observed in the Darwin Cordillera is directly related to the closure of the Rocas Verdes basin during the Cretaceous, a major geological event that shaped the region’s current structure. This metamorphic complex constitutes the only ensemble of its kind in the southern Andes presenting amphibolite rocks with kyanite and sillimanite, making the Darwin Cordillera a unique geological laboratory for understanding the tectonic evolution of South America’s southern tip.
The progressive separation of South America and Antarctica during the Cenozoic transformed local tectonics into a transpressive regime characterized by transform faults. The opening of the Drake Passage 45 million years ago also contributed to shaping the region’s current geomorphology.
The ice field and its characteristics
The Darwin Cordillera ice field covers an impressive area of 2,300 km², rivaling the planet’s largest non-polar glacier systems. This ice mantle feeds a multitude of glaciers flowing toward the sea, creating a landscape of deep fjords and spectacular glacial walls.
Among the most remarkable glaciers, the Marinelli Glacier occupies a particular position as the most active and most studied glacier of the cordillera. Located in Alberto de Agostini National Park, this glacier extends several kilometers from the Darwin Cordillera to Ainsworth Bay in Almirantazgo Fjord. The Marinelli Glacier is recognized for its significant retreat rate, documented over several decades, making it a significant witness to climate change in the region.
Extreme climate: the Roaring Fifties
Dantesque meteorological conditions
The climate of the Darwin Cordillera ranks among the most extreme on the planet, shaped by its position in the dreaded Roaring Fifties. This region experiences direct influence from successive cyclonic depressions, fed by the temperature difference between the relatively warm waters of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic ice masses.
Wind constitutes the most characteristic and most formidable climatic element of the Darwin Cordillera. The average annual wind speed reaches 70 km/h, but gusts can exceed 250 km/h during phenomena called willywaws or ayayema according to indigenous Kawésqar and Yaghan peoples’ terminology. These winds of extraordinary violence were meticulously described by Admiral FitzRoy during his exploration with Darwin, who considered them a “wicked divinity” capable of unleashing without warning.
One of the glaciers of the Cordillera Darwin during a sailing expedition in the Patagonian channels (Karukinka Association, Chile, 2025)
Precipitation and seasonal variability
Precipitation in the Darwin Cordillera is abundant and nearly constant, feeding the vast glacier system. The region receives an average of over 3,000 mm of annual precipitation, principally as snow at altitude and rain in coastal zones. This constant humidity, combined with violent winds, creates frequently reduced visibility conditions that considerably complicate any attempt at exploration.
Average temperature varies between 0 and 5°C during the cold season (southern winter) and between 5 and 10°C during the warm season (southern summer). These relatively slight thermal variations reflect the moderating influence of the ocean, but mask the constant cooling effect of wind that considerably lowers the perceived temperature.
Biodiversity: a unique subantarctic ecosystem
Terrestrial and marine Fauna
Herd of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) during an expedition of the Karukinka association in Tierra del Fuego (2018)
The Darwin Cordillera harbors remarkable biodiversity, adapted to the extreme conditions of this subantarctic region. Among terrestrial mammals, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe) constitutes the emblematic species of steppes and mountainous zones, evolving in herds in the least hostile sectors. These wild camelids, perfectly adapted to violent winds and cold temperatures, represent an important food source for the region’s predators.
The region also harbors several canid species adapted to southern conditions, notably the Magellanic fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) and the gray fox (Lycalopex griseus), which occupy various habitats ranging from forests to rocky zones.
Particular mention must be made of Canadian beavers (Castor canadensis), introduced in the 1940s and subsequently become a major invasive exotic species. These semi-aquatic rodents, whose population today reaches several tens of thousands of individuals, profoundly modify the local ecosystem by constructing dams that disrupt the natural hydrology of watercourses.
Beaver dam on Hoste Island (Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile, autumn-winter expedition 2018)
Avifauna: masters of the southern sky
The avian diversity of the Darwin Cordillera testifies to this region’s ecological richness. Over 90 bird species have been recorded, distributed between terrestrial and marine species. The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), with its impressive wingspan reaching up to 3 meters, dominates the cordillera’s skies and constitutes one of the most striking spectacles for rare observers.
Raptors are well represented with caracaras and chimangos. In wooded zones, the Magellanic woodpecker, comesebos, and rayaditos enliven the Magellanic forest with their characteristic songs.
A black Carancho (Reserve of Cape Horn, April 10, 2025, during a sailing expedition at Cape Horn and in the Patagonian channels)
Aquatic and coastal environments harbor exceptional marine fauna. The waters of the Beagle Canal and surrounding fjords serve as habitat for colonies of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), an emblematic species of the region. More remarkably, the Darwin Cordillera harbors the only colony of king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) located outside Antarctica and subantarctic islands, testifying to this ecosystem’s exceptional character.
Small group of Magellanic penguins (pingüinos) in insular Patagonia
Marine mammals of Patagonian fjords
The waters surrounding the Darwin Cordillera constitute a sanctuary for numerous marine mammal species. Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) regularly frequent these nutrient-rich waters. Leopard seals find refuge in protected fjords, profiting from the region’s fish wealth.
Elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) form temporary colonies on certain isolated beaches, particularly in the Marinelli Glacier zone where an endangered population still subsists. South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) are also present in large numbers, creating noisy colonies on rocky islets of the fjords.
Colony of fur sea lions in the Beagle Channel (Karukinka sailing expedition 2025)
Flora: Magellanic forests and their adaptation
The subantarctic forest ecosystem
The vegetation of the Darwin Cordillera is characterized by the presence of subantarctic Magellanic forests, also called Fuegian forests. These ecosystems unique to the world are dominated by species of the genus Nothofagus, perfectly adapted to the region’s extreme climatic conditions.
Magellanic forest photographed during a sailing expedition in Patagonia (Beagle Channel, Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile, 2025)
The lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) constitutes the most characteristic and most widespread forest species of the Darwin Cordillera. This deciduous tree, capable of resisting violent winds and freezing temperatures, forms dense stands up to 700 meters altitude. Its remarkable adaptation capacity allows it to survive in conditions where few other arboreal species can thrive.
The coihue (Nothofagus betuloides) and ñire (Nothofagus antarctica) complete the southern beech cortege that dominates the forest landscape. These species, associated with canelo (Drimys winteri), form a dense and complex forest ecosystem, shaped by violent winds that literally sculpture tree silhouettes.
Adaptation to the extreme: dwarf lengas and tundra
Beyond 700 meters altitude, conditions become too rigorous to maintain normally sized forests. In this transition zone, a remarkable adaptation phenomenon is observed: the formation of dwarf lengas, trees of the same species but whose growth is considerably slowed and size reduced by extreme conditions.
Tundra landscape in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (winter expedition 2018)
This transition zone marks the boundary between the forest tier and the alpine tier, where vegetation consists principally of mosses and lichens capable of resisting desiccating winds and negative temperatures. This Magellanic tundra constitutes a unique ecosystem, harboring highly specialized plant species.
Specialized flora and endemism
The understory of Magellanic forests harbors remarkable floristic diversity, adapted to conditions of constant humidity and low light. Among remarkable species, drosera uniflora, a small carnivorous plant, perfectly illustrates extraordinary adaptations developed by local flora to survive in this nutrient-poor environment.
Vegetation of the Magellanic forest (Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, 2018)
Shrubs bearing berries occupy an important place in the ecosystem, notably calafate, Darwin’s barberry, and Magellan currant. These species constitute a precious food source for local fauna and testify to the complex interconnection of trophic networks in this extreme environment.
Herbaceous flora includes remarkable endemic species such as Magellan primrose, Magellan avens, various orchid species, and yellow violet. The flowering period, concentrated on southern spring (September to December), briefly transforms landscapes into a kaleidoscope of colors contrasting with the environment’s usual harshness.
Historical discovery by Charles Darwin
The modern history of the Darwin Cordillera begins on February 12, 1834, when Captain Robert FitzRoy names this mountain chain in honor of Charles Darwin’s 25th birthday. This naming occurs during the HMS Beagle’s second voyage, a British hydrographic expedition that revolutionizes geographical and scientific understanding of Tierra del Fuego.
Darwin himself, then 25 years old, discovers these mountains with a mixture of fascination and apprehension. In his writings, he describes a landscape of striking beauty but formidable hostility, already sensing the considerable challenges that exploring this region would represent. FitzRoy had initially named a canal southwest of the mountain “Darwin Canal” to honor the young naturalist’s courage in rescuing the ship’s boats threatened by falling ice.
The era of first attempts
For more than a century after its discovery, the Darwin Cordillera remains largely unexplored, defying the most audacious exploration attempts. Rare incursions limit themselves to the eastern and western extremities of the chain, leaving the massif’s core in near total mystery.
Father Alberto de Agostini, an Italian missionary and explorer, counts among the first to seriously penetrate the region in the early twentieth century. His expeditions, conducted between 1910 and 1960, permit identification and mapping of several summits and glaciers, notably Mount Italia and Mount Francés. His photographs and accounts constitute the first visual testimonies of the Darwin Cordillera’s interior, revealing to the world the magnificence of these glacial landscapes.
Alberto de Agostini and his climbing companions, pioneers of mountaineering in the Cordillera Darwin at the beginning of the 20th century.
The exploit of alpinist Eric Shipton (1961)
The year 1961 marks a turning point in the Darwin Cordillera’s exploration history with the expedition led by Eric Shipton, one of the twentieth century’s greatest British explorers. Accompanied by three Chilean alpinists – Eduardo Garcia, Francisco Vivanco, and Cedomir Marangunic – Shipton achieves what he believes to be the first ascent of Mount Darwin.
This expedition reveals a geographic confusion that persists until 1970. Shipton’s team actually climbs a summit located northwest of the true Mount Darwin, culminating 40 meters higher than the latter. This error will be clarified by a New Zealand expedition in 1970, proposing to name the summit climbed by Shipton Mount Shipton, a proposal accepted by Chilean geographic authorities.
Shipton’s expedition nonetheless marks a crucial stage in Darwin Cordillera knowledge, demonstrating the feasibility of high-altitude alpinism in this extreme region. Shipton’s detailed descriptions reveal extraordinary difficulties posed by climate, with winds of such violence that alpinists must crawl on all fours to progress.
The first complete crossing by GMHM alpinists (2011)
October 6, 2011 marks the completion of one of the last great terrestrial exploration exploits of the twenty-first century. Six members of the Military High Mountain Group (GMHM) from Chamonix successfully complete the first integral crossing of the Darwin Cordillera, a sporting and human feat long considered impossible.
The expedition team named “on Darwin’s edge,” directed by Captain Lionel Albrieux and composed of Lieutenant Didier Jourdain, Master Sergeant Sébastien Bohin, Staff Sergeant François Savary, Corporal Sébastien Ratel, and civilian climber Dimitri Munoz, traverses 150 kilometers in a straight line (250 actual kilometers) in complete autonomy during 29 days.
This historic expedition requires meticulous preparation lasting an entire year. Each member carries 75 kilograms of equipment, including 40 kilograms of freeze-dried food, all hauled on pulkas (sledges) specially tested in Norway. The absence of reliable cartography – the latest dating from 1954 – obliges the team to rely on an unconventional GPS system associated with aerial photographs.
The conditions encountered exceed everything the French alpinists could have imagined. Facing Mount Darwin, the team must negotiate a 5-kilometer sharp ridge, oscillating between 40 centimeters and 1.5 meters wide. Winds regularly reach 150 km/h, forcing explorers to progress on all fours or even lying down to avoid being swept away.
The success of this expedition definitively transforms the Darwin Cordillera from a “terra incognita” into accessible territory, opening the way to future scientific and sporting explorations. The documentary film “On Darwin’s Edge,” created from images filmed by the team, testifies to this exceptional exploit and reveals to the general public the wild beauty of this region.
Conservation and protection status
Alberto de Agostini National Park
Protection of the Darwin Cordillera is principally articulated around Alberto de Agostini National Park, created on January 22, 1965 by Supreme Decree No. 80 of Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture. With an area of 1,460,000 hectares, this park constitutes Chile’s third largest protected area and encompasses the majority of the Darwin Cordillera.
The national park bears the name of Father Alberto María De Agostini (1883-1960), a Salesian missionary, explorer, photographer, geographer, and Italian ethnologist who devoted much of his life to exploring and documenting Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. His pioneering works, including an important photographic collection and approximately twenty books on the region, constitute inestimable scientific and cultural heritage.
The park extends across three Chilean provinces: Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego, and Chilean Antarctica, illustrating the administrative complexity of this border region. It includes numerous islands (Gordon, Londonderry, part of Hoste Island), the entirety of the Darwin Cordillera with its glaciers, as well as numerous fjords.
International recognition and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
In 2005, Alberto de Agostini National Park obtains major international recognition by integrating UNESCO’s Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) Biosphere Reserve. This designation underscores the region’s global ecological and cultural importance and places the Darwin Cordillera among the planet’s 24 most pristine ecoregions.
One of the many fjords of Alberto de Agostini National Park (sailing expedition, Patagonian Channels, Chile, 2025)
Biosphere reserve status implies long-term conservation commitment, associated with scientific research programs and sustainable development. This recognition also fosters responsible ecotourism development, permitting visitors to discover this exceptional region while contributing to its preservation.
The Darwin Cordillera also benefits from protection offered by various international conventions, notably those concerning wetland and migratory species protection. Its unique geographic position makes it an essential corridor for numerous marine bird and marine mammal species transiting between the Atlantic and Pacific.
Current conservation challenges
Despite its protection status, the Darwin Cordillera faces several significant conservation challenges. Climate change constitutes the most concerning threat, with documented retreat of most glaciers in the region. The Marinelli Glacier, in particular, experiences accelerated retreat testifying to global warming’s impact on these fragile ecosystems.
The introduction of exotic species, notably Canadian beavers, poses a major ecological challenge. These ecosystem engineers profoundly modify local hydrology by constructing dams, disrupting natural habitats and compromising Magellanic forest integrity.
Tourist pressure, though limited by the region’s difficult accessibility (only by maritime access), requires careful management to prevent degradation of the most sensitive sites. The development of specialized cruises toward the Darwin Cordillera’s glaciers requires a delicate balance between public accessibility, hazard awareness (avoiding fire due to wind and Yagan archaeological sites present on the coast) and environmental preservation.
Scientific research and contemporary issues
Climate change laboratory
This cordillera constitutes an exceptional natural laboratory for studying climate change and its impacts on subantarctic ecosystems. The region’s glaciers, particularly the Marinelli Glacier, have been subject to continuous scientific monitoring for several decades.
Research conducted reveals a concerning trend of generalized glacier retreat. The Marinelli Glacier, which was one of the region’s most stable glaciers until the 1960s, now presents retreat rates among the world’s highest. This rapid evolution makes it a privileged indicator of climatic modifications at regional and global scales.
Geomorphological and climatological studies conducted in the Darwin Cordillera also contribute to understanding ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere interaction mechanisms in southern high latitudes. This research holds particular importance for global climate prediction models.
Biodiversity and evolutionary adaptation
The Darwin Cordillera’s unique geographic position, at the interface between temperate and subantarctic domains, makes it privileged terrain for understanding adaptation and species evolution mechanisms under extreme environmental conditions.
Research on marine fauna reveals the region’s importance as a biological corridor between Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Marine mammal populations frequenting the Darwin Cordillera’s fjords present particular genetic characteristics, testifying to these ecosystems’ relative isolation.
Two southern right whales in the Beagle Channel (2018)
Study of Magellanic flora contributes to understanding vegetation adaptation mechanisms to extreme wind conditions and water stress. The dwarf forms developed by certain arboreal species constitute a study model for understanding organism phenotypic plasticity facing environmental constraints.
Ecosystem vulnerability and resilience
The cordillera’s ecosystems present particular vulnerability to external disturbances, due to their geographic isolation and already extreme environmental conditions. This intrinsic fragility renders adaptive conservation strategy development all the more crucial.
Research on Magellanic forest resilience facing climate changes reveals variable adaptation capacities depending on species and sites. Some lenga populations show signs of increasing stress, while others appear to maintain vitality despite environmental modifications.
The impact of introduced species on local ecological balance undergoes thorough study, notably concerning Canadian beavers whose proliferation radically modifies aquatic and forest habitat structure. This research contributes to developing invasive species management strategies adapted to the Darwin Cordillera’s specific conditions.
A world heritage to preserve
The Darwin Cordillera remains today one of the planet’s last wild sanctuaries, a territory where nature still reigns as absolute master despite mounting pressure from human activities. This exceptional mountain chain, shaped by millions of years of geological and climatic evolution, constitutes natural heritage of inestimable value for all humanity.
The feat achieved by GMHM in 2011 has certainly lifted the veil on this “terra incognita,” but it has also revealed the fragility of these unique ecosystems facing twenty-first century challenges. Accelerated glacier retreat, introduced species impact, and global climate change pressures threaten this natural jewel’s integrity.
Preserving the Darwin Cordillera requires a global approach combining strict protection, cutting-edge scientific research, and responsible ecotourism development. This extraordinary region reminds us that certain territories of our planet merit preservation in their wild state, not only for their intrinsic beauty, but also for their irreplaceable role in understanding fundamental mechanisms governing our biosphere.
At the heart of Chilean Patagonia stretches one of the planet’s most emblematic sea passages: the Strait of Magellan. This 570-kilometre natural waterway, separating continental Patagonia from Tierra del Fuego, forms the main bi-oceanic corridor linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Inhabited for millennia by the Selknam, Kawésqar and Tehuelche peoples and discovered more than 500 years ago by Ferdinand Magellan, this strategic passage continues to fascinate thanks to its exceptional history, unique geography and remarkable biodiversity.
Table des matières
History and European discovery: in the footsteps of Magellan
The historic expedition of 1520
October 21, 1520, marks a crucial date in the history of global navigation. On this day, the Spanish expedition led by the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan discovered the eastern entrance of the strait that would bear his name. Departing from Seville in September 1519 with five ships and 237 men, Magellan was searching for a passage to the Molucca.
Map of the Strait by Antonio Pigafetta (Ferdinand Magellan expedition, 1520)
The explorer initially named the passage “Estrecho de Todos los Santos” (“Strait of All Saints”) in reference to the religious feast celebrated on the day of its discovery. It was only after his death in the Philippines that Charles V, King of Spain, renamed the strait in honor of its discoverer.
A perilous and revolutionary navigation
Crossing the strait proved particularly difficult for Magellan’s expedition. The sailors faced violent winds, unpredictable currents, and a maze of channels bordered by snow-capped mountains. Antonio Pigafetta, the expedition’s chronicler, described the passage as being “110 leagues long” (about 440 miles) with “very safe harbors, excellent waters, cedar wood
This discovery revolutionized global navigation by providing an alternative to the treacherous Cape Horn passage. Numerous expeditions were conducted to advance hydrographic knowledge to improve navigation safety; among these was the Beauchesne expedition. Before the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the Strait of Magellan quickly became the main maritime route connecting Europe to the Pacific coasts of the Americas.
Map of the Strait of Magellan (1699) based on observations from the French Beauchesne expedition
Geography and physical characteristics
Dimensions and configuration
The Strait of Magellan stretches 570 kilometers from Punta Dungeness in the east to the Evangelistas islets in the west. Its width varies greatly: it narrows to just 2 kilometers at its narrowest point near Carlos III Island and can widen to 32
The strait’s depths are remarkable, ranging from a minimum of 28 meters near Magdalena Island to a maximum of 1,080 meters at the Cooper Key lighthouse. This complex geological configuration is the result of millions of years of tectonic and glacial activity that have shaped the Patagonian landscape.
Geological formation
The strait’s origin dates back to the Late Cretaceous, about 80 million years ago. Earth movements created fractures with flat walls, giving rise to the Patagonian channels. During the Pleistocene, 1.5 million years ago, glacial action (glacial geology) deepened and widened these natural passages.
This geological history explains the strait’s unique morphology, characterized by deep fjords, rocky islands, and winding channels forming a true maritime labyrinth.
Climate and navigation conditions
This historic maritime passage poses particularly challenging weather conditions for navigation. The sub-antarctic climate features persistent westerly winds, often called “williwaw” (a Kawésqar word), which can exceed speeds of 100 knots (185km/h).
These winds, descending from coastal mountains (katabatic winds), create violent and unpredictable gusts, making navigation perilous. Temperatures generally range from -5°C to 15°C, with frequent precipitation and visibility often reduced by fog.
Indigenous Peoples: first guardians of the Strait
Long before Ferdinand Magellan discovered this maritime passage in 1520, the strait and its surroundings had been inhabited for over 11,000 years by different indigenous peoples. These first inhabitants developed complex and diverse cultures, perfectly adapted to the extreme conditions of southern Patagonia. Three main ethnic groups coexisted in this region: the Kawésqar, the Tehuelche (Aónikenk), and the Selknam.
Salesian archive photos: a seated Selknam man with his bow, and a Kawésqar woman with her son
These natives peoples had a deep knowledge of the land and were already navigating these difficult waters centuries before the arrival of Europeans. It was, in fact, their campfires, seen by Magellan’s expedition, that gave the name “Tierra del Fuego” (“Land of Fire”).
Before being called the “Strait of Magellan” and as part of indigenous cartography reconstruction activities by the Karukinka association, one Selknam transcription for this passage between the continent and Tierra del Fuego is Hatitelen.
The Kawésqar: nomads of the channels
The Kawésqar or Kawashkar, also incorrectly called Alacalufs by European navigators, are one of the peoples of the Patagonian channels. Sea nomads, they traveled the channels and fjords between the Gulf of Penas and the Strait of Magellan by canoe for about 6,000 years.
Lifestyle and territory
The Kawésqar territory covered a vast area, including the western part of the strait, Wellington Island, Santa Inés Island, and Desolación Island. Exceptional navigators, they lived mainly on their boats—canoes built from tree bark allowing movement through the Patagonian channel labyrinth.
Their society was organized into small family groups constantly moving in search of marine resources. They fed mainly on sea lions, shellfish, fish, and also collected cholgas (giant mussels up to 17cm). Their name literally means “person” or “human being” in their language.
Spirituality and rituals
The Kawésqar had a belief system centered on Xólas, an omnipresent and celestial creator being. Their complex rituals included ceremonies where women assembled in specialized huts, with their bodies painted, to commune with spiritual forces.
The use of body paint was central to their culture, especially during religious ceremonies and initiation rituals. These practices reflected a sophisticated worldview adapted to their extreme maritime environment.
The Tehuelche (Aónikenk): giants of the continental steppe
The Aónikenk, the southernmost branch of the Tehuelche group, inhabited the vast Patagonian steppes between the Santa Cruz River and the Magellanic strait. These nomadic hunter-gatherers were the first indigenous people encountered by Magellan’s expedition in 1520.
The “Patagonian Giants”
European navigators were amazed by the imposing stature of the Aónikenk, who generally measured over 1.80 meters, quite remarkable compared to Europeans of the time (under 1.65 meters). This physical difference gave rise to the myth of the “Patagonian giants” and the very name Patagonia.
The term “Patagón” was coined by Antonio Pigafetta, referring to the giant Pathoagon, a character from a chivalric novel, thus captivating the European imagination. The Aónikenk called themselves “aonek’enk,” meaning “people of the south.”
Social organization and territory
Aónikenk society was fundamentally egalitarian, organized in bands of hunter-gatherers who moved on foot across their hunting grounds. They possessed detailed environmental knowledge and set up their camps (aike) in strategic places.
Their territory was divided into family hunting zones with clearly established boundaries. Transgressing these could cause conflicts, highlighting the importance of spatial organization in their society.
The Selknam: guardians of Tierra del Fuego
The Selknam, also called Onas by their Yagan neighbors, inhabited the large island of Tierra del Fuego and represented one of the region’s most sophisticated cultures. They arrived on the island on foot before the end of the last glaciation, when the strait was still closed by ice, and developed a complex society with elaborate rituals.
Territorial and social organization
Selknam society was structured around lineages inhabiting communal territories called haruwen. The island was divided into several such territories, grouped into seven “cielos” (skies), major exogamous divisions requiring members to marry those from other groups.
This complex organization revealed a highly stratified society where every natural element was associated with mythical ancestors and specific spiritual territories.
The Hain ceremony
The most remarkable Selknam ritual was the Hain ceremony, a complex male initiation that could last several months. It served to initiate young men into adulthood while maintaining male dominance through sophisticated theatrical performance.
During the Hain, adult men disguised themselves as spirits using elaborate body paintings and masks, terrifying women who had to believe in these supernatural manifestations. The Selknam used only three colors: black (charcoal and ash), white (white clay), and red (ochre).
Tanu, one of the deities/spirits represented during the Hain, Selknam male initiation ritual; photo by Martin Gusinde
Shamanism and spirituality
Selknam shamans, called xo’on, enjoyed great prestige. They entered trances through extended chants, their souls attempting to ascend to one of the “skies” to obtain spiritual power. These shamanic practices reflected a complex spirituality connected to their territorial worldview.
Impact of colonisation and genocide
The arrival of European colonization in the 19th century marked the start of an unprecedented human tragedy for these peoples. Chilean and Argentinian colonization, with the establishment of sheep ranches and whaling, unleashed a true genocide against indigenous populations.
Systematic extermination
Between 1870 and 1900, Chilean and Argentinian authorities organized extermination campaigns against Patagonian and Fuegian peoples. Ranchers paid bounties for the ears of killed natives, making manhunt a profitable activity.
The Selknam population, estimated at over 3,000 in 1896, dropped dramatically to 279 in 1919 (Martin Gusinde, ethnologist), then to just 25 in 1945 (official figures). These numbers must be treated with caution, as they reflect the period’s filters, including intermixing and the need to hide indigenous identity for self-protection.
Human exhibitions
Humiliation culminated with the exhibition of native groups in European and South American “human zoos.” From 1878 to 1900, representatives of the Tehuelche, Selknam, and Kawésqar were captured to be displayed as curiosities. Many did not survive these dehumanizing exhibitions, some of the most degrading manifestations of colonialism and foundational acts of racism.
M. Maître and several captured Selknam, exhibited as part of human zoos in Europe, 1889
Renaissance and contemporary recognition
Despite assassination attempts, these peoples are not extinct. In recent decades, a remarkable cultural and political revival has taken place.
Official recognition
Argentina officially recognized the Selknam in 1994, while Chile did so in 2023 through Law 21,606. The 2010 Argentinian census records 2,761 people identifying as Selknam, with over 294 living in Tierra del Fuego. In Chile, 1,144 people declared themselves Selknam in the 2017 census.
The Kawésqar are recognized by Chilean Indigenous Law 19,253 (since 1993) and are organized into 14 Indigenous Communities. According to the 2017 Chilean census, 3,448 people declare themselves Kawésqar.
Research and rehabilitation
Chilean universities, notably the Universidad de Magallanes and the Universidad Católica Silva Henríquez, conduct research to document the true history of these peoples. Their findings show the Selknam were more numerous than previously thought and challenge colonizer-imposed historical narratives.
This cultural revival bears witness to these peoples’ extraordinary resilience, who, despite systematic genocide, keep their identity alive and claim their place in the history of the Strait of Magellan.
Patagonia wildlife : an exceptional marine fauna
The Strait of Magellan harbors remarkable marine biodiversity, ranking among the richest areas of the Southern Hemisphere. Its cold, nutrient-rich waters support a unique ecosystem with numerous endemic species.
Magellanic penguins
Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island (Magellan Strait, Magallanes province, Chile)
Magdalena Island, 32km northeast of Punta Arenas, hosts the strait’s largest Magellanic penguins colony (Spheniscus magellanicus) colony—about 50,000 breeding pairs gather there each year (October to March) for the breeding season.
Named in honor of Ferdinand Magellan, who saw them in 1520, these penguins reach up to 76cm and weigh 2.7–6.5kg, and are distinguished by two characteristic black bands on their chest.
Marine mammals
The strait supports a rich population of marine mammals. Humpback whales are especially frequent in the Francisco Coloane Marine Protected Area, created for their conservation—one of the world’s best whale-watching spots.
South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) and southern elephant seals establish colonies on the strait’s rocky islands. Marta Island, near Magdalena, is home to over 1,000 sea lions and various seabird species.
Small fur seal colony, Patagonian channels, Chile
Bird diversity
The strait’s waters attract many seabird species: imperial cormorants, black-browed albatrosses, southern giant petrels, and the majestic Andean condors.
Terrestrial flora and coastal ecosystems
Coastal vegetation from the strait to Cape Horn reflects the flora’s remarkable adaptation to Patagonia’s extreme climate. Nothofagus forests—Magellan’s beech (Nothofagus betuloides), lenga (Nothofagus pumilio), and ñirre (Nothofagus antarctica)—dominate wind-shaped wooded areas.
Patagonian beech bent by the wind, Estrecho de Magallanes, Chile
More exposed zones feature matorrals composed of romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum), chaura (Pernettya pumila), and the iconic calafate (Berberis microphylla), a small fruit shrub. The region also boasts an exceptional diversity of mosses and lichens, miniature bryophyte forests emblematic of these subantarctic ecosystems.
Magellan Strait navigation and modern strategic importance
Mandatory piloting and Chilean maritime navigation rules for safety
Since 1978, navigation in the Strait of Magellan, as a cape Horn alternative, has required mandatory piloting for all commercial vessels, a measure by Chilean maritime authorities to ensure safety in these challenging waters and protect the exceptional marine environment.
Pilots generally board at Bahia Posesión for the eastern entrance and guide ships to the western exit near the Evangelistas islets, backed by a network of lighthouses and maritime traffic control stations along the strait.
Economic and geopolitical renaissance
Contrary to pessimistic predictions after the Panama Canal opened, the Strait of Magellan is experiencing a major strategic renaissance. Chilean Navy reports a 25% maritime traffic increase in 2024 over the previous year and projects a 70% increase for the year overall.
This growth results from several converging factors: global geopolitical tensions, the Panama Canal’s limitations for large ships, and Asia-Pacific’s emergence as a global economic hub. The strait route is 390 nautical miles shorter than via Cape Horn, saving about 32 navigation hours.
Green hydrogen development Magallanes
Magallanes is emerging as a major green hydrogen player, thanks to its exceptional climate. Constant, strong winds provide wind energy potential capable of producing seven times Chile’s current electrical capacity.
This controversial development would turn the strait into a strategic energy corridor for global green hydrogen supply. Chinese and Japanese investments reflect growing international interest in this new economic activity.
Tourism and discovery
Cruises and wildlife observation tours
The Strait of Magellan has become a premier tourist destination, attracting nearly 77,691 passengers for the 2024–2025 season. Punta Arenas, the region’s main port, hosts 175 cruises from 47 different ships, establishing the area as Chile’s leading cruise tourism port system.
Excursions to Magdalena Island are the highlight, with half-day trips for visitors to observe Magellanic penguins and whales in their natural habitat, guided by specialists who share insights about the birds’ and whales’ biology and behavior.
Antarctic gateway for tourism
The strait is a preferred gateway to Antarctica: Over 60% of cruise passengers (47,222) choose Antarctic programs, making Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams the main departure points for polar expeditions via the Drake Passage.
View of Punta Arenas, a stopover for international maritime transit, Magallanes Province, Chile, South America
This specialization strengthens the region as a hub for international polar tourism, with infrastructure meeting International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) standards.
Conservation and environmental challenges
Marine protected areas
Conservation of the strait’s unique ecosystem relies on several marine protected areas. The Francisco Coloane Marine Park is Chile’s first marine park, created to protect whales and their habitat.
The Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, established in 1982, protects Magdalena and Marta islands and their exceptional fauna. These measures aim to maintain ecological balance while allowing sustainable tourism.
Climate challenges
Climate change presents a major challenge for the strait’s ecosystem. Altered ocean currents, changing temperatures, and shifts in species distribution require constant scientific monitoring.
The Magallanes region is studied intensively to understand climate change’s impact on subantarctic biodiversity. This research informs broader understanding of environmental changes in polar regions.
A passage for the Future
The Strait of Magellan perfectly embodies the meeting of history and future, preservation and development. This legendary passage, discovered over five centuries ago, is regaining strategic importance in a world in energy and geopolitical transition.
A unique bi-oceanic corridor and sanctuary for exceptional biodiversity, the Strait of Magellan stands out as one of the planet’s most fascinating places. Its ability to unite economic development, environmental preservation, and tourist appeal could make it a model for polar regions in the 21st century.
For travelers seeking extraordinary discoveries, this maritime passage offers an unforgettable experience at Patagonia’s far south, with one continental shore and one insular. Between maritime history, extraordinary wildlife, and magnificent landscapes, this legendary passage continues to write the greatest chapters of human adventure at the world’s southern edge.
The Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve (Cape Horn Nature Reserve), established in 2005, is one of the southernmost and largest protected areas in the world, covering more than 4,884,000 hectares of southern lands and waters. It contains unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems, pristine subantarctic forests, remarkable biodiversity—including over 5% of the world’s bryophyte diversity—and the last populations of the Yaghan people, who maintain a millennia-old connection with these extreme landscapes.
Table des matières
The Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve was included in UNESCO’s “Man and the Biosphere” program in June 2005, becoming both the southernmost and one of the largest biosphere reserves in South America. Spanning about 4,884,274 hectares, it comprises a terrestrial area of 1,917,238 ha and a marine area of 2,967,036 ha, integrating for the first time in Chile both marine and terrestrial ecosystems under a unified conservation status. The Alberto de Agostini and Cape Horn National Parks form the core protected area, where all infrastructure development is strictly prohibited.
1. Geography and zoning of the Cape Horn nature reserve
Geographically, the reserve extends across the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, between 54.1° S and 56.2° S latitude, and 66.1° W and 72.5° W longitude. It includes the Wollaston, Hermite, Navarino, and Hoste islands, as well as channels (including the Beagle Channel), fjords, and currents that form a landscape shaped by glaciations and tectonic activity. The UNESCO MAB Reserve zoning (Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve, i.e., the southern Chilean marine reserve) is structured into three areas:
The core zone (Alberto de Agostini National Park including the Darwin Range, and Cape Horn National Park) is strictly protected.
The buffer zone, where light and sustainable activities are allowed.
The transition zone, including isolated villages like Puerto Williams and limited infrastructure under a sustainable development framework.
The reserve’s subantarctic forests are the southernmost on earth. Dominated by three Nothofagus species—N. pumilio, N. betuloides, and N. antarctica—they form both deciduous and evergreen stands, interspersed with peat bogs and alpine heaths. These forests are among the world’s rare examples of non-fragmented temperate forest. The organic-rich soils support vast carpets of bryophytes, typical of the cool, humid environment; these play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle and carbon sequestration.
2.2 Marine and coastal ecosystems
The marine component of the reserve centers around a complex network of fjords, channels, and underwater plateaus. The Humboldt current and the mixing of cold Pacific and Atlantic waters have fostered the development of kelp forests (Macrocystis pyrifera, Durvillaea antarctica) forming “underwater forests” that host diverse invertebrate fauna and fish communities. Intertidal habitats harbor macroalgae species and numerous endemic invertebrates, while the cold, oxygen-rich waters support populations of seals, sea lions, and several cetacean species.
3. Biological diversity and endemism: subantarctic biodiversity
3.1 Bryophytes and lichens
With over 300 species of liverworts and 450 species of mosses, the reserve is a global hotspot for bryophytes, representing more than 5% of global diversity on less than 0.01% of the world’s land surface. These communities, described as “miniature forests,” serve as sentinels for assessing the impacts of climate change and rising UV radiation.
Example of bryophytes / miniature forest (mosses, liverworts, and lichens) from the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (MAB-UNESCO); Navarino Island, 2020 (c) Lauriane Lemasson.
3.2 Terrestrial and marine fauna
Terrestrial fauna include the southern river otter (Lontra provocax), the Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus), and other endemic birds. In the marine environment, the surrounding waters are home to black-browed albatross, giant petrels, Magellanic penguins, and stable populations of fur seals and leopard seals, highlighting the ecological importance of this protected area.
A black Carancho from Martial Bay (Cape Horn Reserve, April 10, 2025, during a sailing expedition at Cape Horn and in the Patagonian channels)Whales in the Beagle Channel during the 2018 expedition (Karukinka Association)
4. Biocultural dimension and Yaghan ethnology
The reserve is also a cultural sanctuary. The Yaghan, nomadic people of the southern channels, are the world’s southernmost indigenous group, with a presence dating back over 7,500 years, as evidenced by archaeological sites on Navarino Island. They continue to possess expert knowledge of canoe navigation and subantarctic ecology, and have actively participated in research within the reserve, particularly through the Omora Ethnobotanical Park near Puerto Williams. Their oral traditions, language, and knowledge of local flora and fauna are incorporated into educational and conservation programs. Ecotourism in Patagonia is also a key activity of the Omora initiative.
5. Governance and management
The reserve is managed by a board chaired by the regional governor, involving public agencies and local organizations. The scientific committee, coordinated by the Omora Park and the University of Magallanes, leads research, ecological monitoring, and participatory conservation efforts. In 2006, the reserve joined UNESCO’s Ibero-MAB network, strengthening transnational cooperation for research and training.
6. Threats and conservation challenges
Despite its isolation, the reserve faces several threats:
Uncontrolled tourism development, particularly southern cruises and increased traffic around Cape Horn, poses risks of pollution and disturbance to marine wildlife.
Intensive salmon farming in northern fjords introduces exotic species and degrades water quality. Salmon now breed in these waters, impacting native species such as the robalo.
The spread of introduced species such as the North American beaver and mink threatens riparian forests, streamside habitats, and shorebird nesting sites.
Long-term monitoring programs, such as the Omora initiative and Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) stations, assess these pressures and propose adaptive measures. However, monitoring is hampered by the vastness of the reserve and its logistical challenges.
Lake created at the foot of a glacier by beavers, photographed during a sailing expedition in Patagonia (Beagle Channel, Hoste Island, Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile).
7. Research and education initiatives
7.1 Omora Ethnobotanical Park
Founded in 2000, the Omora Ethnobotanical Park is at the center of a transdisciplinary approach combining ecology, environmental philosophy, and “field philosophy” education. It offers educational trails, including “miniature forests,” to raise public awareness of bryophyte diversity and the link between biodiversity and Yaghan culture.
7.2 Cape Horn International Center (CHIC)
Inaugurated in 2020 in Puerto Williams, CHIC brings together researchers, artists, and indigenous communities to develop a model for biocultural conservation, technical training, and sustainable development. Its programs address the responses of biodiversity to climate change, the management of invasive species, and the formulation of public policy adapted to subantarctic zones.
The Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve remains one of the rare refuges where harmonious coexistence between local inhabitants and ecosystems at the literal edge of the world is fully realized. Securing its future means strengthening participatory governance, managing invasive species, and supervising polar tourism under the banner of responsible ecotourism. Finally, the ongoing integration of Yaghan knowledge in research and education programs will ensure the preservation of both the biological and cultural heritage of this unique subantarctic sanctuary.
Pia Glacier, Patagonian Channels, Darwin Range, Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Magallanes, Chile, 2025
Bibliography
Rozzi, R. et al. (2006). Ten Principles for Biocultural Conservation at the Southern Tip of the Americas: The Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Ecology and Society, 11(1). https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss1/art43/
Rozzi, R. et al. (2004). Omora Ethnobotanical Park: A Model for Integrating Biocultural Conservation and Environmental Philosophy in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Environmental Ethics, 26(2), 131–169. https://doi.org/10.5840/enviroethics200426226
Mittermeier, R. A. et al. (2003). Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions. Conservation International. https://www.conservation.org
CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal). (2023). Reserva de la Biósfera Cabo de Hornos. Gobierno de Chile. https://www.chilebosque.cl
Cape Horn International Center (CHIC). (2021). CHIC Strategic Plan 2021–2026. Universidad de Magallanes. https://www.centrochic.cl
Anderson, C.B. et al. (2011). Exotic ecosystem engineers transform sub-Antarctic forest structure and function. Biological Invasions, 13, 545–561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9841-4
Anderson, C.B. et al. (2019). Cape Horn’s Lessons for Sustainability. Science Advances (UNESCO CHIC/UMAG). https://advances.sciencemag.org/
Rozzi, R. et al. (2010). La Reserva de Biósfera Cabo de Hornos: una propuesta educativa y de desarrollo sustentable en el extremo austral de Chile. Universidad de Magallanes. Disponible sur la bibliothèque CHIC.
Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos in Spanish, Kaap Hoorn in Dutch, Loköshpi in the Yaghan language) is far more than just a geographic point. Located at 55°58′ south latitude and 67°16′ west longitude, this rocky promontory at 425 meters above sea level marks the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and symbolically marks the meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. At 965 kilometers from the Antarctic continent and just 138 kilometers from Ushuaia, Cape Horn rises as the ultimate sentinel of the Americas before the vastness of the Southern Ocean.
Table des matières
Geographical Position of Cape Horn
Location within the Fuegian archipelago
Cape Horn is situated on Horn Island (Isla Hornos), the southernmost island of the Hermite archipelago, itself part of the vast island complex of Tierra del Fuego. This modestly sized island (approximately 6 km by 2 km) is administratively part of the commune of Cabo de Hornos, in the Antarctic Province, within the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region.
Contrary to popular belief, Cape Horn is not the southernmost point of the South American continent — that title belongs to the Diego Ramírez Islands, located 105 kilometers to the west-southwest. However, Cape Horn remains the southernmost of the great historical sailing capes and the most symbolic nautical waypoint in the Southern Hemisphere.
Precise Coordinates and Strategic Distances
With exact coordinates of 55°58′28″ south latitude and 67°16′10″ west longitude, Cape Horn lies at a unique geographical intersection where the major oceans of the Southern Hemisphere converge:
Distance from Ushuaia (Argentina): 138 km to the north-northwest
Distance from Puerto Williams (Chile): 56 km to the north
Distance from the Antarctic continent: 965 km to the south
Distance from the geographic South Pole: 2,535 km
Geographic map showing Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, adjacent waters including Drake Passage, and nearby islands located in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans. (Source : Wikipedia)
Geological Formation and Geomorphology
Regional geological context
The Cape Horn region is embedded in the complex geological history of Tierra del Fuego, shaped by Andean orogeny and Quaternary glaciations. The archipelago was formed through a process of collapse and fragmentation of the southern tip of the Andes, amplified by glacial erosion and rising sea levels following the last Ice Age.
The geological formations of Horn Island consist mainly of sedimentary and volcanic strata from the Upper Cretaceous period, bearing witness to the intense tectonic activity related to the closure of the Rocas Verdes marginal basin and the early stages of Andean compression. This explains the rugged topography of the region, characterized by moderate elevations but extremely fragmented coastlines.
Coastal Morphology
To sailors, Cape Horn appears as a 425-meter cliff dropping directly into the ocean. This distinctive coastal morphology is the result of marine erosion, Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles, and ongoing tectonic activity.
The Magellan-Fagnano Fault, a left-lateral strike-slip fault running east–west through Tierra del Fuego, indirectly influences the geomorphology of the Cape Horn region. With a movement rate of approximately 6.4 mm/year, this fault is a reminder of the continuous tectonic activity that shapes this part of the world.
Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage, an 809-kilometer-wide strait separating South America from the Antarctic Peninsula. This strait represents the shortest distance between Antarctica and any other continental landmass, only 135 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, between Cape Horn and Snow Island in the South Shetlands.
Map of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and Seawater Density Fronts Around Antarctica, Showing Ocean Depth and Main Fronts Near the Southern Ocean and Surrounding Continents (source : Wikipedia)
Antarctic Circumpolar Current
The Drake Passage is the point of maximum constriction of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) — the most powerful ocean current on Earth. The ACC transports an average of 150 million cubic meters of water per second — nearly 100 times the combined flow of all the world’s rivers. Its strength peaks at Cape Horn.
This oceanographic phenomenon is the main driver of the extreme weather conditions in the region. With no continental barriers, the ACC fuels the relentless west winds known as the “Roaring Forties” and “Furious Fifties”.
Subpolar Oceanic Climate
Cape Horn enjoys a subpolar oceanic climate, with relatively stable yet cold year-round temperatures. Average temperatures hover around 5°C, and the area receives up to 2,000 mm of rainfall annually, with nearly 278 days of rain per year.
Wind is the dominant climatic factor, averaging 30 km/h but frequently exceeding 100 km/h during storms. These conditions are directly linked to Cape Horn’s position within the zone of the Furious Fifties — a corridor of uninterrupted westerly winds that circle the Southern Hemisphere.
Biodiversity and Conservation Status
Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO)
Since 2005, Cape Horn has been part of the Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO under the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). The reserve spans 4,884,273 hectares, encompassing a core area of 1,347,417 hectares composed of the Alberto de Agostini National Park and Cape Horn National Park.
The southernmost part of Horn island during a sailing expedition to cape Horn with SY Milagro (Association Karukinka, 2025)
Cabo de Hornos National Park
The Cabo de Hornos National Park, created on April 26, 1945, spans 63,093 hectares and includes the Wollaston and Hermite archipelagos. It is the southernmost protected area on the planet, hosting unique subantarctic ecosystems adapted to harsh climatic conditions.
Exceptional Biodiversity
The Cape Horn region is home to the southernmost forest ecosystem in the world and harbors 5% of the planet’s bryophyte species (mosses and liverworts).
The flora comprises Magellanic subpolar forests, dominated by Nothofagus species (southern beeches), alongside rich communities of mosses, lichens, and ferns adapted to extreme cold and humidity.
Primary forest in Tekenika Bay (Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Karukinka Expedition, 2018)
The marine fauna is equally impressive: humpback whales, southern dolphins, South American sea lions, elephant seals, and orcas are frequently observed. The birdlife is dominated by black-browed albatrosses, giant petrels, Magellanic penguins, imperial cormorants, and even Andean condors.
Whales observed during a sailing expedition through the Patagonian channels (Chile) autumn 2018 (c) Karukinka
Maritime History and European Discovery
The Discovery of 1616
Cape Horn was discovered on January 29, 1616, during a Dutch expedition led by Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire. They sought an alternative to the Strait of Magellan to bypass the trade monopoly of the Dutch East India Company.
The cape was named in honor of the Dutch town of Hoorn, the expedition’s port of origin. This discovery profoundly altered maritime trade routes by offering a new corridor — broader than the Strait of Magellan, but vastly more dangerous.
A Historic Trade Route
For nearly three centuries, Cape Horn was a crucial maritime passage for global trade routes. Large sailing ships — known as “Cape Horners” — traversed these waters carrying goods between Europe, the Americas, and Asia: including nitrate, grain, wool, and gold from Australia.
The era of the great sailing ships ended with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. The last commercial sailing vessel to round the Horn was the Pamir, in 1949, marking the close of a legendary chapter in maritime history.
One of the many maps produced during the French Cape Horn Mission (1882–1883) led by Commander Martial
Indigenous Context and Cultural Memory
The First Inhabitants
Before European colonization (1860–1920), the Cape Horn region was solely inhabited by the Yaghan people (also Yámana) — marine nomads who navigated these waterways in bark canoes. These hunter-gatherers developed an extraordinary maritime culture adapted to the severe subantarctic climate.
The Cape Horn promontory was called Loköshpi in the Yaghan language, reflecting a rich indigenous toponymy. According to research by Karukinka Association, over 3,000 indigenous place names (in Yaghan, Haush, and Selk’nam) have been recorded in the area, revealing a detailed and sensitive knowledge of the landscape.
Preservation and Memory Work
For over a decade, the Karukinka Association, founded by Lauriane Lemasson in 2014, has worked to archive, preserve, and honor the memory of the indigenous cultures of the Cape Horn region. Their expeditions in the Patagonian channels, from Tierra del Fuego to Cape Horn, have contributed to sound archives, toponymic mapping, and cultural education.
This work is all the more crucial when one considers that these peoples experienced cultural genocide in the early 20th century, their population declining from over 10,000 individuals to fewer than 500 by 1920.
Contemporary Challenges and Futures
Tourism and Conservation
Cape Horn now attracts a growing number of expedition cruises, mostly departing from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas. While weather constraints limit visitor numbers, increased traffic poses conservation challenges for fragile ecosystems.
Chile maintains a military base on Horn Island, with a garrison, a chapel, and a lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper and their family constitute the only permanent inhabitants of this isolated place.
The Cape Horn lighthouse with the Cape promontory in the background during the rounding of Cape Horn by sailboat in April 2025 (Karukinka Expedition, sailing vessel Milagro)
Scientific Research
Cape Horn continues to be a site of important scientific research, particularly regarding climate change, oceanography, and subantarctic biodiversity. The work of the Karukinka Association and its partners contributes to the growing body of knowledge on extreme ecosystems undergoing rapid transformation.
Conclusion
Cape Horn occupies a unique place on the globe — both physically and symbolically. Situated at the southern tip of Horn Island in the Hermite archipelago, at 55°58′ South and 67°16′ West, it marks the symbolic point of convergence between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, between the Americas and Antarctica.
Its geographic position explains its extreme oceanographic and climatic conditions, forged over millennia of tectonic, glacial, and atmospheric dynamics. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the furious westerly winds, and the legendary nature of the Drake Passage make this one of the most dangerous maritime zones in the world.
Yet beyond the physical landscape lies a story of human history, resilience, tragedy, and conservation — from the Yaghan navigators to the Dutch explorers, from the age of sail to the fight to protect its fragile ecosystems.
To understand Cape Horn is to grasp the essence of a place where extremity meets universality, and where the end of the world becomes a mirror of the planet’s past, present, and future.
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