I have just begun our study abroad trip to Argentina and Antarctica. In these first couple days following our arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina, we’ve explored the mountainous region’s natural beauty in Tierra del Fuego National Park, walked the iconic street of San Martín, and taken a tour of the Beagle Channel. The first impression of Ushuaia that I had was awe of the beauty in the surrounding mountains of the Andes. Even though we were experiencing the southern hemisphere’s summer, snow was still falling, and the peaks were still covered in snow in Ushuaia. Bright pink and purple flowers contrasted with the white snow to highlight the colors in the mountains. In Tierra del Fuego National Park, we saw more of these majestic mountains, as well as bogs with moss-covered trees and beaches with weather-worn stones.
On San Martín Street, we meandered around local shops and grocery stores. One of the things I noticed was that, as Ushuaia is a gateway to the Antarctic, so much of the city’s economy is centered around Antarctic tourism. Many of the shops along the main road offered a mix of penguin and Antarctic souvenirs, as well as traditional Argentinian souvenirs like máte and fútbol jerseys. In addition to the merchandise for Antarctica and Ushuaia, many shops outfitted gear for the extreme cold and heavy snows that are common in the region. The architecture was well adapted to the polar weather also, with roofs sloped to allow snow to slide off rather than pile up.
Our latest excursion was to the Beagle Channel to watch for sea lions and cormorants. On one of the rocks with the most sea lions, there was a red lighthouse that stood out from the rest of the grey skies and shadowy mountains in the distance. The sleepy pinnipeds that lay on the rocks reminded me of the ones I was familiar with in La Jolla, California, with the way they loved to sun themselves and bark at each other. Also on the rocks were imperial shags (a type of cormorant), which looked quite like penguins from a distance. Hopefully we will get to see penguins this plentiful once we embark for Antarctica!
So far, Tierra del Fuego National Park has been my favorite excursion, because of its beautiful display of natural beauty. In the coming days in Antarctica, I am most excited to do whale watching and the FjordPhyto phytoplankton sampling trip. Weather and sea conditions are going to be a major factor though, especially in this extreme environment. Flexibility and a spirit of adventure will be critical as we begin our voyage to the Southern Continent.
