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Ends of the Earth: Diving in Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina (Watch Video)
Just occasionally you find yourself given the opportunity to do something you never thought you would get to do in your lifetime. For me, that was diving in the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia in the Tierra Del Fuego province of Argentina.
Ushuaia is the most southerly city in the world, El Fin del Mundo, the “End of the World”, flanked by mountains to the north and the Beagle Channel to the south. Mike and I had spent the last few months travelling South America, from backpacking Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, we had travelled by campervan down through Chile and into Argentina. We hadn’t originally planned on going so far south, but we had read about a dive center offering tours out of Ushuaia and couldn’t resist the draw of Tierra Del Fuego, where the Andes meet the ocean.
Leaving our trusty camper behind we boarded a flight to Ushuaia. It is an interesting city, with good accomodation, great restaurants and quite a lot of tourist shops. It also feels like the last stopping point before the wilds. Ushuaia is the stepping-off port for most of the commercial expeditions to Antarctica. There is a grittiness to it that I have experienced in other working port towns and this combined with the backdrop of snow capped mountains and ‘end of the earth’ feel really added to the experience. The nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park also offers some really nice hiking paths and wildlife viewing.
As near as we could find out there was really only one option for local dives: Ushuaia Divers. The day before our dives, we headed down to the harbour to meet with the dive shop owner/operator Carlos to sort out paperwork and finalise timings for the following day. It was a very small small operation (really just Carlos along with an occasional assistant or DM), but we could tell he really knew all of the dive sites in the Beagle Channel. As an added bonus, his rental drysuits were a stunning bright orange … great for photographs! Carlos was very pleasant and enthusiastic about the forecast for the next days diving. It gets very windy here, very often, so you take the dive days when they come!
After a good nights sleep, despite the excitement, we returned to the dive center the next day to get kitted up into our wonderfully Orange drysuits. Really very Orange and importantly very warm, due to the thick neoprene. Surrounded by that much neoprene, moving was less of a walk and more of a waddle after that, but I figured we were in penguin territory, so it was ok.
Boarding a fast RIB, we set off out of the harbour and into the Beagle Channel, with great views of the lighthouse as we whizzed by to our first dive site Iturrieta.
We descended into the cold (around 3ºC) water and found ourselves in a mini kelp forest. After a few moments acclimatising, we headed off exploring round the rocks and through the kelp. There were sea stars, urchins and nudibranchs everywhere. I have seldom seen so many nudibranchs in such a small area! It was a fabulous dive, but not a very long one, as we were both getting pretty chilled by the 45 minute mark and struggled to undo our gear with numbed fingers to pass it up onto the boat. The staff soon had us back on board and a hot drink in everyone’s hands.
After a fairly short surface interval (the dives were both shallow and the breeze does nothing to warm you up) we headed to our second site of the day, Islas Bridges. Thick kelp patches and huge king crabs were the star attractions. Plenty of smaller crab species, nudibranchs and other mollusks call the kelp home and we were amazed by the numbers of huge sea urchins. Our visit in November was in a shoulder season so the weather and sea conditions were not the best. Nonetheless we enjoyed our taste of southern hemisphere diving and could tell that the area had great potential. At other times of the year you can dive with fur seals, see whales, penguins and orcas from the boat, or even get a lucky glimpse of a cormorant hunting small fish underwater.
It was a short but very worthwhile trip for us and though Mike had to stop me trying to stowaway on an Antarctica trip, we can happily say we travelled as far as we could to explore the underwater world at the “End of the World”. If you are planning a trip along the Andes, the flight to Ushuaia is an affordable and really unique experience that we highly recommend. It is also possible to drive there, but it is a long drive on small roads and so a great deal more time and planning would be required.
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Stay Longer for Less at Temple Point, Kenya with Dive Worldwide
Dive Worldwide has recently introduced Kenya to its portfolio of dive destinations, making it a new must-visit for divers. The company has chosen Temple Point Resort, located in Watamu, a small town on Kenya’s Indian Ocean Coast. The resort embodies the spirit of Kenya, with thatched roof buildings and bright white interiors, complemented with local art. The Creek Deluxe rooms enjoy a creek view and sunset vistas, whilst Boutique Garden rooms offer peace nestled in lush greenery.
An abundance of activities such as golf, stand up paddleboarding and kite surfing await those looking for action; while those in search of rejuvenation may partake in a range of yoga classes, or indulge in the spa. Spend evenings dining poolside dining or lazing in hammocks suspended over the creek; there is no detail missed at Temple Point.
The waters surrounding Temple Point Resort are bustling with life, however, there is also an opportunity to explore on dry land. Tsavo National Park is close enough for a day safari, allowing guests to double up on the wildlife experiences Kenya has to offer, from elephants to whale sharks.
Suggested Dive Itinerary: Dive and Discover Kenya
Embark on an adventure to one of Africa’s finest marine parks, Watamu, the first of its kind in the continent. Created in 1968, Watamu offers excellent diving and snorkelling for those of all experience levels. Lively coral reefs and the surrounding waters are home to over 1,000 species of fish, devil rays, mantas, whale sharks, dolphins and turtles.
DEAL: Stay 12 nights for the price of 10 at Temple Point Resort
Price: Dive and Discover Kenya now costs £2295pp, saving £150 per person. Including international flights from the UK, 12 nights’ B&B (for the price of 10), transfers, 5 days, 10 dive pack, tanks and weights. Based on travel in September ONLY. https://www.diveworldwide.com/trip-ideas/dive-discover-kenya#details
For more information visit: diveworldwide.com or call 01962 302 087
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Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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