Puerto San Julián

Magellan's fleet spent the winter of 1520 in this bay, and the events of that stay, a mutiny, executions and the first Mass said on what is now Argentine soil, gave the place a permanent line in the history of European navigation; Drake anchored here later in the same century for similar reasons. The town marks it with the Nao Victoria, a full-size replica of Magellan's ship built on the waterfront and open to walk through. The bay itself is the other attraction: boat trips run to Banco Cormorán and Banco Justicia, islands within the estuary holding Magellanic penguins and cormorant colonies, with Commerson's dolphins commonly escorting the boats through the shallow channels.

History

Ferdinand Magellan, leading a Spanish expedition, reached the harbour on 31 March 1520, named it and wintered here with his crew for five months; Antonio Pigafetta described the native people they met as giants and called them Patagonians, a name most likely taken from Patagón, a wild creature in a Spanish chivalric novel of 1512 that Magellan liked to read. On Easter Sunday Magellan faced a mutiny led by his captains, put it down, executed mutineers including one captain and left another behind, and he sailed on 21 August 1520 (Wikipedia, Puerto San Julián).

What's there

• The Nao Victoria - a full-size replica of Magellan's ship on the waterfront.
• The estuary islands - penguin and cormorant colonies reached by boat.
• Commerson's dolphins - resident dolphins in the bay channels.
• The historical bay - the anchorage used by Magellan and later Drake.

When to go

October to March for the boat trips and nesting birds; penguins leave by autumn and sailings largely stop. Weather cancels trips regularly. The ship replica is open year-round with shorter winter hours.

Before you go

The town is a small, plain service stop on the RN3 with limited food and lodging. The ship replica is modest in scale of presentation and takes half an hour. Boat trips depend on tides as well as wind, since the bay is shallow.

Nearby

Monte León national park lies south; Puerto Deseado is far north along the coast.

Key facts