Information about Isla Navarino

Isla Navarino is a Chilean island located strategically between Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, to the north, and the Cape Horn, to the south. The island forms part of the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, southernmost in the country and in the world, belonging to the Antártica Chilena Province of the XII Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. It constitutes the ground base nearest to the Antarctic continent. Its population is concentrated primarily in the communal capital, Puerto Williams, and in small settlements like Puerto Navarino and Puerto Toro. The highest point of the island is Pico Navarino at 1195 meters.

Historical background

History and archaeology are, probably, the most valuable resource of Navarino Island and its adjacent sectors. The discovery of the Yamana or Yahgan culture through their still living people can give a rise to a refined scientific tourism, developed on the basis of a local museum, the Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum. The routes of the English missions can be followed, making haltings in all the points that were scene of transcendental facts. Also it is possible to make an active scientific tourism, on the basis of archaeology, aquatic birds, geology and botany of the island, besides to take advantage of his strategic location.

Features

The coast of the Navarino Island offers ideal scenery for sea kayaking among small barren islands and channels surrounded by native vegetation and populated by a rich variety of birds.

The Murray Channel, at the moment, is opened to Chilean boats of fishing, and could welcome tourism directed by fishermen in its boats. From the island circuits can be made towards the seas of Patagonia, visiting the glaciers of the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel (located in the Alberto de Agostini National Park), and towards the Cape Horn and Chilean Antarctica.

In the island long hikes in the sector of the Dientes de Navarino can be made, where there are also areas for rock climbing.

Towards the interior it is acceded to forests, lagoons, cascades and beautiful mountainous sectors, and throughout the coast there are several ranches.

All the North sector of the island, including the coast and the slopes that fall towards it, is suitable for horseback riding trails by the forests and plains.

Salmon trout are found in abundance in Navarino Lake, and in the North coast of the island, the sea enters deep coves suitable for fishing of snook.

Climate

In the most northern strip of the Navarino Island, where is Puerto Williams, the annual precipitations average are of 467 mm., with a temperature of 6ºC. The warmest month presents average temperature of 9,6ºC, and coldest 1,9ºC. Argentine city of Ushuaia is under the same type of climate, with a slight increase of precipitations. In the strip more to the south, they increase precipitations about to 800 annual mm and diminish the temperatures slightly. Rains are distributed more or less uniformly in all the stations of the year and a part of her falls in snow form. In as much, in the extensive southern strip of the Navarino Island, that covers the zone with the lakes Navarino and Windhond, there is an increase of precipitations, a diminution of the summer temperatures and an increase of the winter temperatures by wind drift.

Flora

In the North end of the Navarino Island there is found a type of vegetation characterized by the deciduous Magellanic forest, whose characteristic species are Lenga Beech (Nothofagus pumilio), combined with Ñirre Beech (Nothofagus antarctica) in the driest areas, Coihue of Magallanes (Nothofagus betuloides) in the wettest areas and some shrublands and Magellanic moorland in areas of poor drainage.

Immediately to the south is the evergreen Magellanic rainforest, probably associated to the increase of precipitations, the greater altitude and an improvement in the drainage of grounds. The characteristic species is Nothofagus betuloides (Coihue of Magallanes), forming pure communities in sectors of greater altitude or coasts exposed to the wind.

The South portion of the island, that it surrounds to the Navarino and Windhond lakes, plus the territories of the southern coast, has a vegetation of Magellanic moorland. This formation groups a series of vegetal communities, among the most prominent are the Esfagnosa Tundra (Sphagnum magellanicum) and the Pulvinada Tundra (Donatia fascicularis - Astelia pumilia).

Finally it is the Andean Desert, that includes all the territories that by effect of climatic conditions derived from the altitude, have a devoid vegetation of trees or high shrubs and that does not reach values of cover superior to 30%, or they are without vegetation.

See Omora Ethnobotanical Park.

Natural and Cultural Features

Cultural historical sites are Wulaia cove and the English Mission of Douglas Creek. The large Stirling House, an iron Mecano construction brought in the 1860s from England by the English missionaries, previously was in Ushuaia and then in Tekenika Bay, being finally installed in Douglas Creek. Sighting of whales and orcas in Windhond Bay. Other place of high cultural interest is the Yahgan cemetery of Mejillones Bay, in which tombs, dating from first half of XX century, occurs an expression of religious sincretism.

Villa Ukika, district in Puerto Williams where live the few last Yamana or Yahgan.

Puerto Navarino, a king crabs and procket wheels fishermen port, which have beautiful wooden constructions mainly of the 1930s. Puerto Toro, world's southernst town. Skiing in Cerro La Bandera, nearby Puerto Williams.

The area of Isla Navarino and surrounding islands have been declared UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in June 2005, which is called Cabo de Hornos.

Access

Puerto Williams can be acceded to/from Punta Arenas (Sandy Point), with flights of DAP (Airlines of the Patagonia), that have daily frequency, except Sundays, and an itinerary of 1 hour and 15 minutes, approximately, crossing the mountain range of Darwin and fjords. In addition ferry exists that makes a weekly trip, crossing the Strait of Magellan and the channels Brecknock, Cockburn and Beagle. The boat transportation takes between 30 and 36 hours. In 2006 also a commercial connection by motorboat between Ushuaia (Argentina) and Isla Navarino was established.

Towns and Villages

• Puerto Williams
• Puerto Navarino
• Caleta Eugenia
• Puerto Toro
• Villa Ukika

Reference

• Translated entry from Chilean Official site

External links

• Comuna de Cabo de Hornos / Commune of Cabo de Hornos official website
• Museo Antropológico Martín Gusinde

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