This week in Ushuaia a video has been circulating non-stop: a humpback whale, enormous, just meters from a boat in the Beagle Canal. Not in the Atlantic, not in a documentary. Here, minutes from the center of Ushuaia.
And it is not an isolated case. Sightings are multiplying in a way that surprises even those of us who have been working in the city for years and thought we knew well what the canal has to offer.
Something unusual is happening in the waters of Ushuaia, and it is worth telling.
Is the sighting an unprecedented phenomenon?
It is not that whales have never been here before. But nobody expected to see them at this time of year so close to the city.
To understand why this generates so much excitement, it is worth clarifying something: whales are not entirely foreign to the Beagle Canal. Researchers at CADIC-CONICET have been documenting their presence for years and have a catalogue of more than 200 humpback whales identified individually by the natural markings on their tail flukes. Some individuals return season after season.
But what is happening now is on a different scale. Sightings are more frequent, closer to the coast and, most strikingly, are now reaching Ushuaia Bay itself. Seeing a whale from the city center no longer belongs to the realm of the anecdotal.
Scientists explain that this recovery is related to the return of whales to old feeding grounds that they had abandoned for decades. The canal offers cold, highly oxygenated water rich in food: Fuegian sardines and a small crustacean called langostilla that forms a key part of these animals’ food chain. In short, the Beagle Canal is consolidating itself as a destination for whales… And a unique opportunity for those visiting Ushuaia in March.
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Where can they be seen from?
Yes, there are sightings from the bay and there are photos taken from the waterfront itself. But if you really want to increase your chances, what makes sense to do are the cruises in the Beagle Canal.
The two species being observed most are the humpback whale — known for its leaps and enormous pectoral fins — and the sei whale, slimmer and faster, which historically preferred open ocean waters but this year is coming quite close to the bay. Animals of between 15 and 20 meters, not very easy to overlook.
The areas with the most records are those surrounding the Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse — which everyone knows as the End of the World Lighthouse, although the real one is much further east — and the vicinity of the Bridges Islands, where canal currents generate nutrient upwellings that attract whales as well as sea lions, cormorants and all the usual coastal wildlife.
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Beagle Canal cruises this season
At Original House we offer the experience of cruising the Beagle Canal with certified local operators, departing from the tourist pier less than 500 meters from the hotel in the center of Ushuaia. Under normal conditions it is already an impressive excursion: sea lions, imperial cormorants, the Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, mountain scenery from the water. But this season, the possibility of crossing paths with a whale adds something that no itinerary can fully plan for.
That said, it is important to be clear: the sighting is not guaranteed. These are animals that move freely, and while the odds right now are higher than in any other recent season, they may or may not be there. The excursion that extends the route to Isla Martillo with penguins passes through feeding areas where humpbacks have been seen quite regularly in recent days, and also includes the encounter with Magellanic and Gentoo penguins in the final stages of their season.
It is also worth mentioning that the Argentine Naval Prefecture is very active in regulation: there are exclusion zones, distance protocols and an obligation to report every sighting. Operators follow those rules to the letter, which guarantees a responsible experience both for travelers and for the ecosystem.
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A great time to be in Ushuaia
March is always a special month at the End of the World: days still long, calmer weather, the first autumn hues beginning to appear in the forest and less bustle than at peak season. This year a natural phenomenon adds itself, one that the whole city is watching in amazement.
To live the experience this way, the best thing is to book your accommodation in Ushuaia as soon as possible from the best starting point. We are steps from the port and happy to help you coordinate the Beagle Canal excursion.
Because if working in Ushuaia teaches you anything, it is that this place always has something new to show. This week, it chose to show it in a big way.
You can reach us on WhatsApp or make your reservation right now. We look forward to seeing you!
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