Navarino Island

History and archaeology may be the most valuable resource of Navarino Island and its adjacent sectors.{{Cn|date=June 2024}} It is considered to have dense concentrations of Yahgan archeological sites in the world. The Yahgan were nomadic people, known for building temporary settlements on a seasonal basis. Their middens show dependency on fishing for food, and on a range of vegetables they gathered.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}

There is a Megalithic Yaghan archaeological site dating to about 10,000 years ago near Wulaia Bay. Numerous remains of huts surrounded by ring middens have been found on the lowland terraces.C. Michael Hogan (2008) [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18795 Bahia Wulaia Dome Middens, The Megalithic Portal'', ed. Andy Burnham]

Interest in the Yahgan culture attracts tourists. At the regional museum, the Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum, exhibits the Yaghan culture: their dwellings, fish traps, and crafts; and the remains of the 19th-century English missions can be seen. Aquatic birds, and the geology and botany of the island, also attract tourists.

The first recorded European landing on Navarino Island was by Jacques l'Hermite's fleet in 1624. The island was later visited by {{HMS|Beagle}}, under the command of Phillip Parker King and Robert FitzRoy in 1829, who named it after the Battle of Navarino.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Navarino Island's post-European contact history includes significant events like the Snipe incident.{{cn|date=February 2024}} In 1958, a dispute over the Beagle Channel's border line led to a military incident between Chile and Argentina.{{cn|date=February 2024}} The conflict centred around the sovereign rights over Snipe, an uninhabitable islet between Picton Island and Navarino Island, claimed by both countries.{{cn|date=February 2024}} The situation escalated with the construction and subsequent destruction of lighthouses by Chilean and Argentine forces, respectively, and military deployments from both sides.{{cn|date=February 2024}} A truce was eventually agreed upon, leading to the withdrawal of Argentine military from the islet and the establishment of a status quo without a lighthouse. The conflict over the islet was later resolved by the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984, recognizing it as Chilean territory.[https://www.mundoandino.com/argentina/snipe-incident Snipe Incident and contributions to culture], MundoAndino. Retrieved on 2024-02-01.

Additionally, the introduction of Canadian beavers in the 1940s by the Argentine government had a major ecological impact on Navarino Island. With no natural predators, the beavers caused significant environmental changes, particularly to the island's tree populations.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

The countries disagreed about the sovereign rights over the zone and Snipe, an uninhabitable islet between Picton Island and Navarino Island, claimed by both. Chileans call the waterway around the islet Beagle Channel, but in Argentina they called it Moat channel on the grounds that the Beagle Channel, allegedly, went south around Navarino Island.{{Cite web |url=http://www.argentina-rree.com/13/13-023.htm |title=Algunas cuestiones con los países vecinos |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2012-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217001733/http://www.argentina-rree.com/13/13-023.htm |url-status=dead }}

The waters around Navarino Island were the location of the Snipe incident between Chile and Argentina in 1958. It was the result of a disputed border line in the Beagle Channel.

In 1971, both countries agreed to British led arbitration to be followed, if necessary, with a binding decision by a panel of five international judges under British auspicices. Arbitration proved unsuccessful and in 1977 judges ruled that the islands belong to Chile. However, in 1978 Argentina rejected the decision and began preparing for military action, Operation Soberanía, bringing the countries to the brink of war. In 1984, after the Argentine defeat in the Falklands war with Britain, and following a national referendum, a new democratic Argentine government signed a treaty with Chile accepting the islands belonged to Chile.

Jacques l'Hermite's fleet were the first Europeans to disembark at the Navarino Island, in 1624. They recorded the native name of the island as Wulla.{{cite book |last=Chapman |first=Anne |author-link=Anne Chapman |year=2012 |title=Yaganes del cabo de Hornos. Encuentro con los europeos antes y después de Darwin.|trans-title=Yaghans of Cape Horn. Encounter with Europeans before and after Darwin.|location= Santiago de Chile|language=Spanish |publisher=Pehuén editores S.A.}} HMS Beagle visited the island under the command of Phillip Parker King and Robert FitzRoy as part of a survey started in 1829. They named the island after then-recent Battle of Navarino (1827) which was a turning point of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.{{cite web |title=Antecedentes Historicos de Puerto Williams |url=http://www.ptowilliams.cl/Antecedentes_Historico.html |publisher=City of Puerto Williams |accessdate=27 September 2019 |language=es |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106064115/http://www.ptowilliams.cl/Antecedentes_Historico.html |url-status=dead }}

== Features ==

The coast of Navarino Island offers opportunities for sea kayaking among small barren islands and channels surrounded by native vegetation and populated by a rich variety of birds.

There is fishing in the Murray Channel. Boat trips can also be taken to visit the glaciers of the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel (located in the Alberto de Agostini National Park), and towards Cape Horn and Chilean Antarctica.

There is a hiking circuit around the jagged pinnacles known as the Dientes de Navarino. The trail passes peaks known as Cerro Clem and Montes Lindenmayer, named in 2001 by the Chilean Ministry of Natural Resources for the author of the Lonely Planet guide.Lindenmayer, C.(2003) Trekking in the Patagonian Andes Lonely Planet {{ISBN|978-1-86450-059-2}} p.257

There are also areas for rock climbing.

Several ranches have been established on the island. The northern section of the island is suitable for horseback riding.

Salmon trout are found in abundance in Navarino Lake, and on the north coast of the island, the sea enters deep coves suitable for fishing snook.

The island has a polar tundra climate (Köppen: ET). On the northern coastal strip, where Puerto Williams is located, the annual average precipitation is {{convert|467|mm|0|abbr=on}}, with an average temperature of {{convert|6|°C|0}}. The average temperature in the warmest month is {{convert|9.6|°C|1}}, and in the coldest month {{convert|1.9|°C|1}}. Further south, annual precipitation increases to about {{convert|800|mm|in|abbr=on}}, with a slight diminution in temperatures. Precipitation is distributed more or less uniformly across the year, and some falls as snow. In the extensive southernmost part of the island, including Lakes Navarino and Windhond, there is an increase in precipitation, a diminution of summer temperatures, and an increase in the winter temperatures through {{Clarify span|wind drift.|date=September 2019|reason=West Wind Drift (Antarctic Circumpolar Current)?}}

{{Weather box|location = Puerto Williams (1991–2020, extremes 1968–present)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high C = 25.2

|Feb record high C = 26.1

|Mar record high C = 24.0

|Apr record high C = 22.2

|May record high C = 17.5

|Jun record high C = 18.0

|Jul record high C = 15.9

|Aug record high C = 14.8

|Sep record high C = 18.6

|Oct record high C = 22.8

|Nov record high C = 24.2

|Dec record high C = 26.0

|year record high C = 26.1

|Jan high C = 15.4

|Feb high C = 14.7

|Mar high C = 14.8

|Apr high C = 11.4

|May high C = 8.5

|Jun high C = 5.5

|Jul high C = 5.7

|Aug high C = 7.5

|Sep high C = 9.7

|Oct high C = 11.4

|Nov high C = 12.9

|Dec high C = 14.4

|year high C = 11.0

|Jan mean C = 9.9

|Feb mean C = 9.6

|Mar mean C = 8.4

|Apr mean C = 6.2

|May mean C = 4.1

|Jun mean C = 1.9

|Jul mean C = 1.9

|Aug mean C = 2.9

|Sep mean C = 4.3

|Oct mean C = 6.1

|Nov mean C = 7.7

|Dec mean C = 8.7

|year mean C = 6.0

|Jan low C = 5.2

|Feb low C = 5.0

|Mar low C = 3.9

|Apr low C = 1.7

|May low C = -0.6

|Jun low C = -1.6

|Jul low C = -2.0

|Aug low C = -0.8

|Sep low C = -0.2

|Oct low C = 1.4

|Nov low C = 2.3

|Dec low C = 4.2

|year low C = 1.5

|Jan record low C = -2.6

|Feb record low C = -3.0

|Mar record low C = -5.1

|Apr record low C = -5.8

|May record low C = -6.4

|Jun record low C = -12.6

|Jul record low C = -10.5

|Aug record low C = -8.6

|Sep record low C = -9.8

|Oct record low C = -5.0

|Nov record low C = -6.4

|Dec record low C = -2.0

|year record low C = -12.6

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 52.0

|Feb precipitation mm = 53.2

|Mar precipitation mm = 48.1

|Apr precipitation mm = 40.0

|May precipitation mm = 37.8

|Jun precipitation mm = 45.3

|Jul precipitation mm = 33.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 36.0

|Sep precipitation mm = 32.1

|Oct precipitation mm = 30.1

|Nov precipitation mm = 40.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 48.1

|year precipitation mm = 496.6

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 10.6

|Feb precipitation days = 9.4

|Mar precipitation days = 8.2

|Apr precipitation days = 7.3

|May precipitation days = 6.9

|Jun precipitation days = 7.6

|Jul precipitation days = 7.0

|Aug precipitation days = 6.2

|Sep precipitation days = 6.3

|Oct precipitation days = 6.9

|Nov precipitation days = 8.2

|Dec precipitation days = 9.9

|year precipitation days = 94.5

|source 1 = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230530201507/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/550001

| archive-date = 30 May 2023

| url = https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/550001

| title = Datos Normales y Promedios Históricos Promedios de 30 años o menos

| publisher = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

| language = es

| access-date = 30 May 2023}}

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230530201735/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/promedioTemperatura30/550001/2020

| archive-date = 30 May 2023

| url = https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/promedioTemperatura30/550001/2020

| title = Temperaturas Medias y Extremas en 30 Años-Entre los años: 1991 al 2020-Nombre estación: Guardiamarina Zañartu, Pto Williams Ad.

| publisher = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

| language = es

| access-date = 30 May 2023}}{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230530202002/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/550001

| archive-date = 30 May 2023

| url = https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/550001

| title = Temperatura Histórica de la Guardiamarina Zañartu, Pto Williams Ad.

| publisher = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

| language = es

| access-date = 30 May 2023

| url-status = live}}

|source 2 = NOAA (precipitation days 1991–2020){{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230806111508/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Guardiamarinazanartupuertowilliamsad_85968.csv

| archive-date = 6 August 2023

| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Guardiamarinazanartupuertowilliamsad_85968.csv

| title = Guardia Marina Zañartu Puerto Williams Climate Normals 1991–2020

| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 6 August 2023}}

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Navarino Island

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|collapsed = yes

|Jan high C = 12.3

|Feb high C = 12.4

|Mar high C = 11.7

|Apr high C = 9.1

|May high C = 6.9

|Jun high C = 5.0

|Jul high C = 5.0

|Aug high C = 5.1

|Sep high C = 7.5

|Oct high C = 9.8

|Nov high C = 10.5

|Dec high C = 11.8

|year high C = 9.0

|Jan mean C = 9.8

|Feb mean C = 9.3

|Mar mean C = 8.4

|Apr mean C = 6.1

|May mean C = 3.8

|Jun mean C = 2.6

|Jul mean C = 2.2

|Aug mean C = 1.8

|Sep mean C = 3.9

|Oct mean C = 6.2

|Nov mean C = 7.2

|Dec mean C = 9.6

|year mean C = 5.9

|Jan low C = 5.2

|Feb low C = 6.0

|Mar low C = 4.6

|Apr low C = 2.9

|May low C = 1.0

|Jun low C = -0.5

|Jul low C = 0.0

|Aug low C = -0.3

|Sep low C = 1.0

|Oct low C = 2.9

|Nov low C = 4.1

|Dec low C = 5.0

|year low C = 2.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 51.9

|Feb precipitation mm = 44.1

|Mar precipitation mm = 40.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 38.3

|May precipitation mm = 44.3

|Jun precipitation mm = 26.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 34.8

|Aug precipitation mm = 42.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 26.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 25.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 33.6

|Dec precipitation mm = 38.7

|year precipitation mm = 450.8

|Jan humidity = 79

|Feb humidity = 85

|Mar humidity = 81

|Apr humidity = 81

|May humidity = 83

|Jun humidity = 84

|Jul humidity = 87

|Aug humidity = 91

|Sep humidity = 86

|Oct humidity = 84

|Nov humidity = 83

|Dec humidity = 84

|year humidity = 84

|source 1 = Bioclimatografia de Chile{{cite web

| first1 = Ernst

| last1 = Hajek

| first2 = Francesco

| last2 = Castri

| url = http://www.ecolyma.cl/documentos/bioclimatografia_de_chile.pdf

| title = Bioclimatografia de Chile

| accessdate = 23 April 2015

| publisher =

| page = 222

| language = Spanish

| year = 1975

}}

|date= April 2015

}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = yes

|location = Rio Douglas

|Jan high C = 13.2

|Feb high C = 13.7

|Mar high C = 12.9

|Apr high C = 8.9

|May high C = 6.7

|Jun high C = 3.6

|Jul high C = 4.2

|Aug high C = 6.0

|Sep high C = 7.5

|Oct high C = 10.4

|Nov high C = 10.4

|Dec high C = 12.5

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 8.9

|Feb mean C = 9.4

|Mar mean C = 9.0

|Apr mean C = 5.5

|May mean C = 3.6

|Jun mean C = 0.8

|Jul mean C = 1.5

|Aug mean C = 2.5

|Sep mean C = 3.8

|Oct mean C = 6.1

|Nov mean C = 6.5

|Dec mean C = 8.3

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 4.7

|Feb low C = 5.0

|Mar low C = 4.3

|Apr low C = 1.6

|May low C = -0.1

|Jun low C = -2.5

|Jul low C = -1.6

|Aug low C = -1.2

|Sep low C = -0.2

|Oct low C = 1.5

|Nov low C = 2.3

|Dec low C = 3.9

| year low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 95.1

|Feb precipitation mm = 60.1

|Mar precipitation mm = 85.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 85.0

|May precipitation mm = 98.2

|Jun precipitation mm = 83.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 99.3

|Aug precipitation mm = 57.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 40.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 49.3

|Nov precipitation mm = 113.7

|Dec precipitation mm = 63.2

|year precipitation mm =

| Jan humidity =

| Feb humidity =

| Mar humidity =

| Apr humidity =

| May humidity =

| Jun humidity =

| Jul humidity =

| Aug humidity =

| Sep humidity =

| Oct humidity =

| Nov humidity =

| Dec humidity =

| year humidity =

|source 1 = Bioclimatografia de Chile{{cite web

| first1 = Ernst

| last1 = Hajek

| first2 = Francesco

| url = http://www.ecolyma.cl/documentos/bioclimatografia_de_chile.pdf

| title = Bioclimatografia de Chile

| access-date = 27 May 2024

| last2 = Castri

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091122225453/http://www.ecolyma.cl/documentos/bioclimatografia_de_chile.pdf

|archive-date = 22 November 2009

| language = es

| year = 1975}}

}}

{{See also|Omora Ethnobotanical Park}}

In the North end of the island the vegetation is characterized by the deciduous Magellanic forest, whose characteristic species are Lenga Beech (Nothofagus pumilio), with Ñirre Beech (Nothofagus antarctica) in the driest areas, Coihue of Magallanes (Nothofagus betuloides) in the wettest areas and some shrublands and Magellanic moorland in areas of poor drainage.

Immediately to the south is the evergreen Magellanic rainforest, probably associated with the increased precipitation, the greater altitude and an improvement in the drainage. The characteristic species is Nothofagus betuloides (Coihue of Magallanes), forming pure communities in sectors of greater altitude or coasts exposed to the wind.

The south portion of the island, surrounding Lakes Navarino and Windhond, and the territories of the southern coast, have a vegetation of Magellanic moorland. This includes a series of vegetal communities, the Esfagnosa Tundra (Sphagnum magellanicum) and the Pulvinada Tundra (Donatia fascicularis - Astelia pumila).

At higher altitudes, the terrain is Andean Desert, which lacks trees or tall shrubs and is less than 30% covered by vegetation.

Like much of surrounding Tierra del Fuego, Navarino Island has been severely affected by invasive beavers. The Canadian beavers were introduced to Tierra del Fuego in the 1940s by the Argentinian government in an effort to kickstart a fur trade in the area. With no natural predators, the beavers quickly spread to neighbouring islands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2019/07/argentina-brought-beavers-tierra-del-fuego-it-was-not-good|title=Argentina brought beavers to Tierra del Fuego. It was not a good idea|date=27 July 2019}}

Because the trees in Tierra del Fuego and Isla Navarino do not have any natural defences, they are unable to recover once felled by beavers.

Researchers from the University of North Texas, when studying Navarino Island found that the slow-moving water behind beaver dams has attracted two further invasive species to the Island, muskrat and mink. While the mink prey on the muskrats, they also feed on native geese and duck, leading to what they term an "invasive meltdown process".{{Cite web| title=A synergistic trio of invasive mammals? Facilitative interactions among beavers, muskrats, and mink at the southern end of the Americas | url=http://www.umag.cl/facultades/williams/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crego-Jimenez-Rozzi-2016-Biological-Invasions.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116032125/http://www.umag.cl/facultades/williams/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crego-Jimenez-Rozzi-2016-Biological-Invasions.pdf | archive-date=2019-11-16}}

{{See also|Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum}}

File:Yahgan_cemetery_Mejillones_Navarino_Chile.jpg

Cultural historical sites are Bahia Wulaia and the English Mission of Douglas Creek. The large Stirling House, an iron prefab construction brought in 1869 from England by the Anglican English missionaries, used to be in Ushuaia. It was moved to Baia Tekenika, and then was installed for mission use at Douglas Creek. In the Yahgan cemetery at Baia Mejillones, tombs dating from the first half of the 20th century show elements of religious syncretism.

Villa Ukika is a district of Puerto Williams where the last few Yamana live. Other settlements are the hamlets of Puerto Navarino - a fishing port for king crabs - and Puerto Toro which claims to be the world's southernmost "settlement."

The area of Isla Navarino and the surrounding islands have been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in June 2005, called Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve.

Puerto Williams can be reached by air from Punta Arenas, by DAP through the Guardiamarina Zañartu Airport, daily except Sundays. In addition there is a weekly ferry, crossing the Strait of Magellan and the Brecknock, Cockburn and Beagle Channels. The boat trip takes between 30 and 36 hours. As of January 2011, there was also a commercial connection by motorboat between Ushuaia and Isla Navarino.

• Río Guanaco
• Puerto Bevan
• Puerto Williams
• Puerto Navarino
• Caleta Eugenia
• Puerto Toro
• Villa Ukika

• Cabo de Hornos (communa) (in Spanish)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Isla Navarino}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615194714/http://www.bienes.gob.cl/s_conces/html/_isla_navarino.html Translated entry from Chilean Official site]
• [http://www.imcabodehornos.cl/ Comuna de Cabo de Hornos / Commune of Cabo de Hornos official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071212130250/http://www.dibam.cl/sdm_mm_gusinde/?id_subsubmenu=1104&id_submenu=1085&id_menu=2 Museo Antropológico Martín Gusinde]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Islands of Tierra del Fuego