The Strait of Magellan is a maritime passageway located at the extreme southern tip of South America, between Patagonia and the big island of Tierra del Fuego. Thus, it is the main natural passageway between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Ferdinand Magellan a Portuguese explorer and navigator in the service of Charles I of Spain, became the first European to navigate the strait in 1520 during his global circumnavigation voyage.Until the Panama Canal opened in 1914, the Strait of Magellan was the main route for steamships traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Nowadays this whole area, specially the Patagonia remains as one of the most pristine waters in the world, but highly threatened by the fishing industry that is now settling on the country's last virgin coasts, in the region of Magallanes, south of Patagonia and South west Atlantic on the Argentinian side. The expansion
is taking place without scientific evidence or serious studies to limit production to water capacity. This could have
catastrophic consequences for local ecosystems, which are part of one of the greatest aquifer reserves of the world. These photographs were taken during sailings from the Port of Coquimbo to the Strait of Magellan in Chile concluding with disembarkation at Puerto Madryn, located northeast of the Province of Chubut, Argentina. Also, from Montevideo in Uruguay to the south again. Trips were made in Dec.2015, Feb 2017 & Nov 2019.
El sur entre los mares
El Estrecho de Magallanes es un paso marítimo situado en el extremo sur de Sudamérica, entre la Patagonia y la gran isla de Tierra del Fuego. Es el principal paso natural entre los océanos Pacífico y Atlántico. Fernando de Magallanes, explorador y navegante portugués al servicio de Carlos I de España, fue el primer europeo que navegó por el estrecho en 1520 durante su viaje de circunnavegación mundial. Hasta la apertura del Canal de Panamá en 1914, el Estrecho de Magallanes era la principal ruta para los barcos de vapor que viajaban del Atlántico al Pacífico. Hoy en día toda esta zona, especialmente la Patagonia, sigue siendo una de las aguas más prístinas del mundo, pero muy amenazada por la industria pesquera que se está instalando en las últimas costas vírgenes del país, en la región de Magallanes, al sur de la Patagonia y en el suroeste del Atlántico en el lado argentino. La expansión se está produciendo sin pruebas científicas ni estudios serios para limitar la producción a la capacidad de agua. Esto podría tener consecuencias catastróficas para los ecosistemas locales, que forman parte de una de las mayores reservas acuíferas del mundo. Estas fotografías fueron tomadas durante varias navegaciones desde el Puerto de Coquimbo al Estrecho de Magallanes en Chile concluyendo con el desembarco en Puerto Madryn, ubicado al noreste de la Provincia de Chubut, Argentina. También, desde Montevideo en Uruguay hacia el sur nuevamente. Los viajes fueron realizados en Dic.2015, Feb 2017 y Nov 2019.
Seagull near Punta Arenas, Magallanes. Patagonia. Chile
Kim, 2nd mate on board of MY Esperanza. Between Valparaíso and Puerto Montt. Chile.
Window to the sea while sailing on board of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior in Patagonia, Chile.
Sailing in big waves between Valparaíso and Puerto Montt. Chile.
Arturo, cook helper. Magellan strait, Chile.
Rio de la plata, Argentina.
Bent, Chief engineer of MY Esperanza. Magellan Strait, Chile.
Fishing net seen near the Golfo de Penas, Chile.
Dusky Dolphin swimming in the south west Atlantic Ocean near Argentinean Patagonia. Argentina.
View from the ship while crossing the Magellan strait, Chile.
The Amalia Glacier, is a tidewater glacier located in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park on the edge of the Sarmiento Channel. The glacier originates in the Southern Patagonia ice field. From 1945 to 1986, its terminus retreated 7 km, being along with the recession of the O'Higgins glacier the most dramatic retreat of glaciers of the Southern Patagonia ice field during that period. Chile.
Spanish troller between the limits of Argentina and international waters. South west Atlantic Ocean. Argentina.
Oleg, Fitter of the MY Esperanza shows his tattoo with the name of her daughter. Between Valparaíso and Puerto Montt, Chile.
Bosun of the MY Esperanza. Magellan Strait between Chile and Argentina.
Bridge of the MY Esperanza ship. Sailing south Pacific Ocean, Chile.
Salmon farm in Puerto Montt, Chile.
Frozen fish. Near Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
Cabin mate while sailing Patagonia, Chile.
View of high waves from the MY Esperanza. Between Puerto Montt and Patagonia, Chile.
South west Atlantic Ocean near Argentinean Patagonia. Argentina.
Young Indonesian fishermen on board of a Chinese vessel working in the South West Atlantic, near Argentina. Many of these young men remains for over 2 years working on board of fishing vessels in the middle of the ocean, without internet connection or any other interaction with the shore.
Capitan Leonidas MV went aground on rocks in 1963 in Canal Messier, Chile when the captain tried to sink it to claim insurance. The ´sinking´went wrong and he eventually went to prison and lost his captains license for life. Patagonia, Chile.
Giant Petrel flying above the south west Atlantic Ocean. Argentina.
Boat suit. Patagonia, Chile,
Thunder storm while sailing Rio de la Plata from Montevideo, Uruguay to Buenos Aires, Argentina