Beagle Channel

Beagle Channel is a strait separating islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, in extreme southern South America. It separates Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego from several smaller islands to the south. Its eastern portion is part of the border between Chile and Argentina, but the western part is completely within Chile. Beagle Channel is about 150 miles long and is about three miles wide at its narrowest point. To the west the Darwin Sound connects it to the Pacific Ocean. Although it is navigable by large ships, there are safer waters to the south (Drake Passage) and to the north (Strait of Magellan). Several small islands near the eastern end were the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Chile and Argentina; by the terms of a 1985 treaty they are now part of Chile. (See Picton, Lennox and Nueva.)

Related Topics:
Tierra del Fuego - Archipelago - South America - Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego - Chile - Argentina - Darwin Sound - Pacific Ocean - Drake Passage - Strait of Magellan - Picton, Lennox and Nueva

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The main settlements on the channel are Puerto Williams, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina.

Related Topics:
Puerto Williams - Chile - Ushuaia - Argentina

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is named after the ship HMS Beagle which was involved in two hydrographic surveys of the coasts of the southern part of South America in the early 19th century. During the first, under the overall command of the Australian Commander Philip Parker King, the Beagle's captain Pringle Stokes committed suicide and was replaced by captain Robert FitzRoy. The second is better known as the Voyage of the Beagle and is famous because captain FitzRoy took Charles Darwin along as a gentleman's companion, giving him opportunities as an amateur naturalist.

Related Topics:
HMS ''Beagle'' - Hydrographic survey - South America - 19th century - Philip Parker King - Robert FitzRoy - The Voyage of the Beagle - Charles Darwin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~