Maybe someday we will consider one of these cruises, but not yet!
Needless to say, our boat was much smaller! There were two captains, our guide, and 23 passengers.
We bounced and bobbed as we left the Ushuaia Bay heading to Les Eclaireus Lighthouse, the ancient guard of the bay and to explore a little of the Beagle Channel, the same place Charles Darwin explored in 1833! Today it is more commonly called El Faro del Fin del Mundo (The light house at the end of the world.) 
We had panoramic views of Ushuaia Bay. The city lies along the coast of the Beagle Channel below the Martial Glacier on a steep hill. Looking back, we could see Argentina on the right and Chile on the left.
As we neared the lighthouse our captain slowed the boat down to allow everyone the opportunity to take pictures. The lighthouse was built in 1920 and the color is red, white, red meaning that there is danger to the west which warned the ships which way to proceed through the channel. It is five nautical miles east of Ushuaia and on the northeastern most island of the five or more Les Eclaireurs islands. It can only be accessed by water, but it is not open to the public.
Right next to the lighthouse is another island where we saw hundreds of cormorants, both Rock, and Imperial. The Imperial, or shag, cormorants have white necks and chests; the Rock cormorants have black necks. There were also albatross in the area.
Just beyond the birds were the sea lions on Alicia Island.
We took some videos of the sea lions, too. Sea Lions video https://youtu.be/bBRrAxbT-rU and https://youtu.be/Xp-SctpBQWA
It was windy and chilly outside and when we came back in we were treated to some delicious hot chocolate as we made our way to Bridges Island where we stopped for a short walk. Another boat arrived at the same time and their group took off before us to explore.
There is a cushion plant that grows here - and has for centuries outlasting even the original inhabitants! It looks like a moss-covered rock, but when you look closer, you can see that several plants co-exist on the moss like surface. This unique species grows only one milimeter a year, and then only in the warmer months which makes Isla Bridges a fragile, but well-protected island in the Beagle Channel. The longer green plant growing on the surface is a calafete plant.
Again, we had amazing views of the Channel and back to Ushuaia, and Chile!
Right next to the lighthouse is another island where we saw hundreds of cormorants, both Rock, and Imperial. The Imperial, or shag, cormorants have white necks and chests; the Rock cormorants have black necks. There were also albatross in the area.
Just beyond the birds were the sea lions on Alicia Island.
We took some videos of the sea lions, too. Sea Lions video https://youtu.be/bBRrAxbT-rU and https://youtu.be/Xp-SctpBQWAIt was windy and chilly outside and when we came back in we were treated to some delicious hot chocolate as we made our way to Bridges Island where we stopped for a short walk. Another boat arrived at the same time and their group took off before us to explore.
There is a cushion plant that grows here - and has for centuries outlasting even the original inhabitants! It looks like a moss-covered rock, but when you look closer, you can see that several plants co-exist on the moss like surface. This unique species grows only one milimeter a year, and then only in the warmer months which makes Isla Bridges a fragile, but well-protected island in the Beagle Channel. The longer green plant growing on the surface is a calafete plant.
Again, we had amazing views of the Channel and back to Ushuaia, and Chile!
All too soon we were back on our boat making our way back to Ushuaia. This evening we left early enough to get into El Viejo Marino Restaurant for dinner at 7:00 when they opened. It was delicious! We shared a seafood dish that had king crab, scallops, and prawns in a pink sauce and salad. It was a little like a soup, but thick. I can guarantee there was not a drop left!!!
Mosaic street art on our walk back to the hotel
It's 10pm, but still light out!
We have enjoyed our stay in Ushuaia but leave for El Chalten in the morning so we will say goodnight.
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