Chile > Chilean Fjords

Fjords and channels of Chile

a) throughout the Strait of Magellan:

Punta Dúngenes - Primera Angostura - Segunda Angostura, Paso Nuevo -Paso Inglés - Paso Tortuoso - Paso Largo - Paso del Mar - Cabo Pilar (and back).

b) from Cabo Tamar to isla San Pedro:

Cabo Tamar - Canal Smyth - Canal Mayne or Canal Gray - Paso Victoria - Estrecho Collingwood - Paso Farquhar - Canal Sarmiento - Angostura Guías - Canal Inocentes - Canal Concepción - Paso Caffin - Canal Trinidad - either Pacific Ocean, (and back) or to continue Canal Wide - either (east route) Canal Icy - Canal Grappler or (west route) Canal Escape - Paso del Abismo or Paso Piloto Pardo - Canal Escape; then Paso del Indio - Angostura Inglesa - Canal Messier to Isla San Pedro, (and back) or from Cabo Ladrillero to Canal Concepción to inner channels (and back)

c) From Strait of Magellan to Puerto Natales or Puerto Bories:

from Isla Brinkley - Seno Unión - Canal Morla Vicuña - Canal y angostura Kirke - Canal Valdés, Golfo Almirante Montt - Canal Señoret - Seno Última Esperanza - Puerto Natales - Puerto Bories (and back)

d) from Strait of Magellan to Puerto Williams:

from islote Anxious - Canal Magdalena - Canal Cockburn - Paso Brecknock or Canal Ocasión - Canal Unión - Paso Occidental - Paso Norte - Canal Ballenero- Canal O'Brien - Paso Timbales - Brazo noroeste del Canal Beagle - Canal Beagle - Puerto Williams (and back).(Chilean ships can use Paso Aguirre)

e) from Puerto Williams to Cabo de Hornos:

Canal Beagle - Paso Picton - Paso Richmond - to Cabo de Hornos (and back)

f) to the east Beagle Channel:

Ships coming from east can access through the eastern mouth, northeast of Isla Nueva or through the Pasos Richmond and Picton.

g) to Seno Otway and Seno Skyring:

from Isla Carlos III - Canal Jerónimo - Seno Otway - Canal Fitz-Roy - Seno Skyring to Bahía Mina Elena (and back).

h) to Isla Guarello:

from Isla Inocentes - Canal Concepción - Canal Oeste - Seno Contreras - Bahía Corbeta Papudo in Isla Guarello, (and back), or from Bahía Corbeta Papudo in Isla Guarello - Seno Contreras - Paso Metalero (and back).

i) throughout Chonos Archipelago:

j) to bahía Chacabuco:

from Canal Moraleda - Paso del Medio or Canal Pilcomayo or Canal Ferronave - Seno Aysén to Bahía Chacabuco (and back).

k) to Laguna San Rafael:

l) through the inner channels of Chiloé:

from Boca del Guafo or Golfo Corcovado to Puerto Montt or to Golfo de Coronados, (and back) throughout the inner Channels heading to ports and bays

m) to Puerto Montt through Canal de Chacao:

from golfo Coronados - Canal de Chacao - Golfo de Ancud - Canal Calbuco or Paso Queullín - Seno de Reloncaví - Paso Guar - Puerto Montt (and back).

Transportation

Since it is impossible to reach all the region by road through Chile, the transport of persons and cargo must be done by road, ship or airplanes according to the public infrastructure provision.

Ferry lanes

In order to carry significant quantities of persons, vehicles, and cargo directly onto an unimproved shore to supply the islands and coastal region including settlements, the ferry is the best suited ship type and most of them are basically a cargo boat with no fancy, cruiser-type accommodation, even though they have managed to improve their customer service. There are 150 major ships sailing in the southern regions of Chile.

Cruise ships also operate between the main ports of the region and offer a journey that is considered an experience in itself, due to the slow way of entering this magnificent landscape of narrow channels and solitary islands.

The Carretera Austral requires the use of three ferries: a 30 minute crossing about 45 kilometers (28 mi) south of the start of the highway in Puerto Montt, a 5 hour crossing from Hornopirén (110 kilometers (68 mi) south of Puerto Montt) to Caleta Gonzalo and a 50 minute crossing from Puerto Yungay to Rio Bravo, connecting to the final 100 kilometers (62 mi) of the highway.

With the exception of Chiloé Island, the region is sparsely inhabited. The main ports are: Puerto Montt, Quellón, Chaitén, Melinka, Puerto Chacabuco, Puyuguapi, Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas, Porvenir and Puerto Williams.

South of Chiloé, there are also small ports like Villa Puerto Edén, Bahía Corbeta Papudo on Guarello Island, Puerto Bories, Puerto Navarino, Puerto Toro, and Caleta Eugenia.

The Isthmus of Ofqui canal project

In order to open a direct passage from the Moraleda Channel to the Messier Channel without to go out into the open Pacific Ocean to round the Taitao Peninsula, the Chilean Government ordered in 1937 the construction of a canal from the San Rafael Lagoon through the isthmus (2,200 m long, 17 m wide, 5 m depth) to the Negro River, that later should be dredged 25 kilometres (16 mi). 1937 began the work on the ground, under the management of the railways department of the Ministry of Public Works. Work continued until May 1943 when funds ran out. The map on the right shows the Laguna San Rafael and the Golfo Elefantes, they are the southernmost part of the Moraleda Channel. The Golfo San Esteban can be seen as the northernmost part of the Messier Channel.

Chacao Channel bridge

The Chacao Channel bridge, also known as Chiloé Bicentennial Bridge, is a planned bridge that is to link the island of Chiloé with mainland Chile crossing the Chacao Channel. It was one of the several projects that were planned to commemorate the Chile's bicentennial in 2010. If completed as a suspension bridge, it would be the largest such bridge in South America.

Main fjords and channels

Chacao to Guafo

Access to the Sea of Chiloé and Reloncaví Sound Settlements: Chacao Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Hornopirén area Settlements: Hornopirén Access to Settlements: Raúl Marin Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Puelo River, Todos los Santos Lake and Vuriloche Pass Settlements: Canutillar, Cochamó Access to Carretera Austral Settlements: Caleta Gonzalo

Guaitecas to the Gulf of Penas

Access to Coyhaique area Settlements: Puerto Chacabuco Access to Baker and Pascua River area Settlements: Caleta Tortel Access to Settlements: Access to Villa O'Higgins and O'Higgins Lake Settlements: Puerto Yungay Access to Settlements: Access to northern Aysén Region Settlements: Access to Villa La Tapera Settlements: Puerto Cisnes Access to Settlements:

Gulf of Penas to Straits of Magellan

Safe sea-lane from Central Chile to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Tierra del Fuego Settlements: Villa Puerto Edén Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Safe sea-lane from Central Chile to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Tierra del Fuego Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements:

Tierra del Fuego and Puerto Natales

Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Safe sea-lane from Central Chile to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Tierra del Fuego Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Cami Lake in Tierra del Fuego Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Access to Settlements: Safe sea-lane between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Settlements: Puerto Navarino, Puerto Williams, Puerto Toro. Access to Beagle Channel from the Pacific and the Strait of Magellan Settlements: Access to the Strait of Magellan from Pacific Ocean Settlements: Access to the Strait of Magellan from Pacific Ocean Settlements: Access to the Strait of Magellan from Pacific Ocean, route from Beagle Channel to Strait of Magellan Settlements: Route from Beagle Channel to Strait of Magellan Settlements: Safe sea-lane between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Settlements: Porvenir, Punta Arenas, Camerón Connects Beagle Channel with Cape Horn through Bahía Nassau Puerto Navarino Access to Settlements:

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