There is a famous Rio Grande on the US Mexican border and another in Tierra Del Fuego that is deservedly not so famous. We visited the later and found it a sprawling town growing quickly from the nearby oil and gas fields but somewhat lacking in character. Even the main church is just a giant tin shed. it's the equivalent of a modern gold rush town - which I guess is what it is. The only modern building of any artistic merit is the casino.
The population are exempt federal income tax and VAT, which also helps attract immigrants. Some form of inducement is certainly required as on the day we were there it was raining and just made the average daily maximum for April of 9 degrees. The locals get an 80% subsidy on gas and electricity - which helps.
The city of 55,000 odd people just sprawls out over a huge plain and finding specific services is difficult. We drove around for ages before we found a hotel - It was full so we took the next available place - grotty, overpriced, overheated and lacking any character. Finding somewhere to eat was equally trying. Our first night we had dinner on the waterfront in a Chilean restaurant. The lack of other patrons and a Chilean restaurant in Argentina should have been warning enough. Not even the view was very good as the 11 metre tides meant looking out over gale swept mud banks that continued for over a km. We decided to have desert at Tante Sara, a normally upmarket chain. The place was crowded and service diabolical.
We started our only full day in town by finding new accommodation and lucked into a very pleasant little hostel run by a Tango teacher. She was delightful and seemed to live for Tango. If we understood the conversation correctly she had run off with her Tango partner. With new digs found we set out to experience the delights of the town - they weren't many. A cliff 15 kms out of town provided an expansive view of the extreme tides - but we could see little through the fog while the wind and temperature made dallying unappealing. Back in town we searched out the artisan market - a few shacks in central park selling unneeded knickknacks.
Dinner beckoned and we were determined to do better than the first night. Scouring the streets there seemed to be hundreds of hair salons, a few bars and almost no appealing places to eat. After an hour of looking we swallowed our pride and went back to Tante Sara - and much better service.
The roads to Rio Grande are filled with interesting sights and in season (November,to Easter) the Estancias offer wonderful hospitality in quaint old buildings that date back a 100 years. There are condors, foxes, trout and salmon and guanaco aplenty on these roads along with wonderful sea and lake vistas and abandoned tourist cabins. So make the trip, but remember that it's the journey not the destination that counts.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Driving in Patagonia
Being passed by a large truck carrying a 40 ft container at 120 kms an hour on a double yellow line was a new experience, but generally the roads and driving habits are not too bad in Patagonia.
The hardest part is understanding the rules. In Ushuaia uphill traffic has priority over all other traffic. Down hill is next priority, however all the main street run horizontally, so there is lots of stopping and starting. Outside of the hills you give way to the right, except at roundabouts where you generally (but not always) giveway to the left. Red lights seem to be optional to obey at some intersections and religiously observed at others. So deciding when to yield and when to proceed is a moderately complex decision.
The main road to Rio Grande is sealed and a good two lane highway. I still don't know what the maximum legal speed is, but we were frequently passed at our sedate 110kms/hr. The roads off the highway are gravel and of varying quality. They would be great for rallying as we drove three 80km sections of sometimes brilliant, smooth, well gravelled road. Unfortunately every now and then there would be large potholes and frequent cattle stops that required substantial consideration if the springs and passengers were to survive. No wonder the older cars all seem to have stuffed suspension.
Driving stress is reduced by generally courteous behaviour. Occasionally someone would honk at my dithering and sometimes they would simply drive aroiund me, but mostly they just grinned at the hapless gringo.
Ross
The hardest part is understanding the rules. In Ushuaia uphill traffic has priority over all other traffic. Down hill is next priority, however all the main street run horizontally, so there is lots of stopping and starting. Outside of the hills you give way to the right, except at roundabouts where you generally (but not always) giveway to the left. Red lights seem to be optional to obey at some intersections and religiously observed at others. So deciding when to yield and when to proceed is a moderately complex decision.
The main road to Rio Grande is sealed and a good two lane highway. I still don't know what the maximum legal speed is, but we were frequently passed at our sedate 110kms/hr. The roads off the highway are gravel and of varying quality. They would be great for rallying as we drove three 80km sections of sometimes brilliant, smooth, well gravelled road. Unfortunately every now and then there would be large potholes and frequent cattle stops that required substantial consideration if the springs and passengers were to survive. No wonder the older cars all seem to have stuffed suspension.
Driving stress is reduced by generally courteous behaviour. Occasionally someone would honk at my dithering and sometimes they would simply drive aroiund me, but mostly they just grinned at the hapless gringo.
Ross
Monday, April 12, 2010
Photos
A first cut of photos is below (there should be about 66 pictures)
To see them in full size go to http://picasaweb.google.com/ross.bidmead/PatagoniaKayakShort?feat=directlink
To see them in full size go to http://picasaweb.google.com/ross.bidmead/PatagoniaKayakShort?feat=directlink
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Exploring Isla Grande
We've had a good few days exploring Isla Grande, the main island of Tierra del Fuego. Two nights camping at Harberton in fine calm weather were great. In keeping with the name "land of Fires" we kept the campfire going continuously. Despite the coastal location we had frost on the tents and a max temperature of about 12 degrees.
The museum at Harberton was fascinating and our guide spent an hour explaining the differences in various whales and dolphins, illustrated with skeletons we could touch and hold. We made a small contribution to research by recording our dolphin sightings in the Beagle channel. The Chilean dolphins being rarely seen. The visit to the rendering room where whales were rendered to bone received mixed reactions from retching to fascination. The rendering in done in half 44 gallon drums over wood fires in an odourous process.
Ther are 10-12000 Magellanic penguins nesting on a nearby island and the trip out to see them was well worth while for a wide variety of birdlife.
Yesterday we left Harberton and crossed the Andes at Garibaldi Pass. The east coast is thick with Guanocos, a big cousin of Llamas. They are protected and leap sheep fences with a single graceful bound. In fact they vastly outnumber sheep. In 1995 a severe winter decimated sheep numbers in Patagonia (Harberton lost 78%). Volcanic eruptions this century left a layer of ash that the sheep couldn't deal with, causing further big losses. The price of wool has collapsed - and so now many estancias have given up on sheep - and indeed seem to be increasingly focussing on farming tourists as a primary source of income.
We have seen several Condors, including one that swooped low overhead. Carrion eaters, they are ugly close up as their vultiure status becomes obvious, but in flight they are stunning.
The museum at Harberton was fascinating and our guide spent an hour explaining the differences in various whales and dolphins, illustrated with skeletons we could touch and hold. We made a small contribution to research by recording our dolphin sightings in the Beagle channel. The Chilean dolphins being rarely seen. The visit to the rendering room where whales were rendered to bone received mixed reactions from retching to fascination. The rendering in done in half 44 gallon drums over wood fires in an odourous process.
Ther are 10-12000 Magellanic penguins nesting on a nearby island and the trip out to see them was well worth while for a wide variety of birdlife.
Yesterday we left Harberton and crossed the Andes at Garibaldi Pass. The east coast is thick with Guanocos, a big cousin of Llamas. They are protected and leap sheep fences with a single graceful bound. In fact they vastly outnumber sheep. In 1995 a severe winter decimated sheep numbers in Patagonia (Harberton lost 78%). Volcanic eruptions this century left a layer of ash that the sheep couldn't deal with, causing further big losses. The price of wool has collapsed - and so now many estancias have given up on sheep - and indeed seem to be increasingly focussing on farming tourists as a primary source of income.
We have seen several Condors, including one that swooped low overhead. Carrion eaters, they are ugly close up as their vultiure status becomes obvious, but in flight they are stunning.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Adios from the three amigos
After landing back in Ushuaia the three amigos (Joy, Brett and Shelene) are leaving the safety of the family group to branch out on their own. Armed with a few Spanish words, two phrasebooks, great charade skills and a desire to have fun we’re off follow our dreams and see among other things the Atlantic Coast of Isla Grande.
We’ve set up a separate blog http://paddlepatagonia.blogspot.com/ to capture the next part of our trip.
Joy, Brett & Shelene
We’ve set up a separate blog http://paddlepatagonia.blogspot.com/ to capture the next part of our trip.
Joy, Brett & Shelene
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Trip reflections
We are now back in Ushuaia and largely caught up on sleep etc.
The trip feels like it has gone well, but as always it had several aspects that were different from expectations.
Firstly we had no wind on the 11 days of the trip. This is one of the windiest places in the world and we never got to sail. It also meant that we had brilliant paddling conditions.
The glaciers calving into the water were spectacular and we had great fun and were awed paddling amongst the icebergs flowing from them. I think we paddled in front of 5 tidal water glaciers.
The water was colder than research indicated. We were expecting water temperatures of 4-8 degrees, but in the glacial bays we experienced new pancake ice forming amongst the glacial blocks. Easy enough to paddle through, but too cold to fall out into.
Condors were almost common and we could even see a pair nesting (just). Penguins were not at all common, but steamer ducks were comic relief. Albatross and Petrels were seen, but not as often as on the antarctic convergence.
Dolphins of several types were also common and we were often entertained by their presence, once for 30 minutes. We only saw a single seal and were not graced by the presence of the resident orcas.
There were no board walks or well formed tracks, but there were quite a few trails and huge potential for further land exploration. The land is almost all swampy and damp, sometimes its swamp under beech forest and sometimes its open land, but always its soft and wet.
The wet land made camping less attractive, but the yacht, despite being cramped with 11 of us aboard, worked well; providing a warm, dry haven at the end of each day.
This is a bit more of a fact feast than a blog. Hope to find time to add pictures and better prose.
We are off tomorrow to Estancia Harberton and possibly Rio Grande tomorrow. This afternoon we are off to explore Glaciar Martial.
Ross
The trip feels like it has gone well, but as always it had several aspects that were different from expectations.
Firstly we had no wind on the 11 days of the trip. This is one of the windiest places in the world and we never got to sail. It also meant that we had brilliant paddling conditions.
The glaciers calving into the water were spectacular and we had great fun and were awed paddling amongst the icebergs flowing from them. I think we paddled in front of 5 tidal water glaciers.
The water was colder than research indicated. We were expecting water temperatures of 4-8 degrees, but in the glacial bays we experienced new pancake ice forming amongst the glacial blocks. Easy enough to paddle through, but too cold to fall out into.
Condors were almost common and we could even see a pair nesting (just). Penguins were not at all common, but steamer ducks were comic relief. Albatross and Petrels were seen, but not as often as on the antarctic convergence.
Dolphins of several types were also common and we were often entertained by their presence, once for 30 minutes. We only saw a single seal and were not graced by the presence of the resident orcas.
There were no board walks or well formed tracks, but there were quite a few trails and huge potential for further land exploration. The land is almost all swampy and damp, sometimes its swamp under beech forest and sometimes its open land, but always its soft and wet.
The wet land made camping less attractive, but the yacht, despite being cramped with 11 of us aboard, worked well; providing a warm, dry haven at the end of each day.
This is a bit more of a fact feast than a blog. Hope to find time to add pictures and better prose.
We are off tomorrow to Estancia Harberton and possibly Rio Grande tomorrow. This afternoon we are off to explore Glaciar Martial.
Ross
Saturday, April 3, 2010
New Bloggy thingy migiggy.
I woke up at 8.58am completely freezing. Brrrr. I was pressured into
going for a walk up what I thought was quite a moderate length but no.
Instead I tramped/walked/plodded/stumbled up a hill that was maybe
double the length than what I though. Me and the mummy got distracted by
the possibility of beavers and steered onto our own course trekking down
to a small stream which turned into a large river. Snacking on mini
Easter eggs the whole way. We used our gumboots to the full extinct by
walking down the river and only once did I get my foot wet. Yes I only
managed one foot the left one to be exact. And that was when I FAILED
getting into the Zodiac and lost my footing simultaneously. I didn't get
my camera wet YAY!!! After that I went for a yaky kayaky a VERY long
yaky kayaky. And came back to a cold beer. VERY TRUE. But don't worry
Brian stole it. :P.
I appraise the wabusto! We love you, you keep us warm and cozy. YAY. And
we also love and miss Melbee! Yay Rabbits.
I am the jetlagged Llama whisperer.
Tayla.
going for a walk up what I thought was quite a moderate length but no.
Instead I tramped/walked/plodded/stumbled up a hill that was maybe
double the length than what I though. Me and the mummy got distracted by
the possibility of beavers and steered onto our own course trekking down
to a small stream which turned into a large river. Snacking on mini
Easter eggs the whole way. We used our gumboots to the full extinct by
walking down the river and only once did I get my foot wet. Yes I only
managed one foot the left one to be exact. And that was when I FAILED
getting into the Zodiac and lost my footing simultaneously. I didn't get
my camera wet YAY!!! After that I went for a yaky kayaky a VERY long
yaky kayaky. And came back to a cold beer. VERY TRUE. But don't worry
Brian stole it. :P.
I appraise the wabusto! We love you, you keep us warm and cozy. YAY. And
we also love and miss Melbee! Yay Rabbits.
I am the jetlagged Llama whisperer.
Tayla.
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