We start our journey Northwards

We left Puerto Williams and also Chile today, our southern most point in our journey. Getting to this amazing place had been straight forward but political problems between Chile and Argentina mean that getting across the Beagle Channel and into Argentina were more problematic. Ushuaia is the southern most city in Argentina not 60km away from Puerto Williams and 30 mins across the sea but Chilean boats are not allowed into the port. Argentinian boats are, however, allowed into Chile's port at Puerto Navarino on Isla Navarino where PW is. You have to catch an Argentinian Zodiac boat (at great expense) that comes across every day .

We were taken by minibus the 60km to Puerto Navarino along a dirt road. The nearer we got the windier it became. The 'port' was a single Navy building in the middle of nowhere on the opposite side of the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia, where we went through the customs procedure.

Puerto Navarino where the dirt road ends, the port of embarkation from Chile!

The Zodiac arrived but the passengers looked a little 'shaken'. The wind in the channel had got up to dangerous speeds. The Zodiac would not go back in the wind. We waited for an hour and a half, then suddenly 'vamos' we go. We were rushed into the boat and set off across the rather 'bouncy' channel.

The Zodiac arriving from Ushuaia.

The Zodiac battling through the swell

See a video of the Zodiac crossing

We arrived rather exhilarated in Ushuaia to be met by the immigration process and a new country. We then embarked into a new country and a city with lots of modern cars, tarmaced roads, shops and restaurants, not to mention boats with names like Antarctica 3 and Antarctic Explorer (Ushuaia is a major port for Antarctic exploration). What a difference to the Fin Del Mundo in PW!

Sharon arrives in Argentina.