The Staten Island is located in the South Atlantic east of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. Department belongs to Ushuaia in Argentina’s Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands, the peninsula being separated by 24 km Miter Strait of Le Maire.
As has been declared a Provincial Reserve Ecological, historical and tourist access is restricted to certain quotas tour leave from Ushuaia, who must stay overnight in the boat.

Flora and Fauna:

The vegetation consists of forests of cherry trees (Nothofagus betuloides) and cinnamon (Drimys winteri), thorny shrubs (such as El Calafate (Berberis buxifolia) and understory of ferns, lichens and mosses.

The fauna consists of marine mammals that reached shore (penguins, seals one-and two-hair sea otters, gulls, cormorants, petrels), and in the interior lagoons, huillín or freshwater otter (Lutra provocax) and Cuyén puyen or fish (Galaxias maculatus).

The lighthouse Eclaireurs:

It is traditional to see the lighthouse Eclaireurs in Staten Island. It is the watchman of the bay of Ushuaia, an icon still moves in the waters of the Beagle Channel, which indicates the abrupt cut to the known world and the gateway to the most pristine seas and ice. It is often touted as the “Faro del Fin del Mundo” by many excursions proposed canal from the visit to Ushuaia, arriving with a catamaran to its slim body. One big difference is that this lighthouse is not inhabited, and its towering red and white painted reaches 11 meters high, where there is a small kiosk. Its light is provided by solar panels and is located on a rocky islet just 22 meters above sea level. There one may see cormorants and sea lions that take advantage of the post to rest, and the typical dance group of birds flying over the environment.

Puerto Parry:

The Naval Base of Puerto Parry of the Argentina Navy is in a deep and narrow fjord, flanked on both sides by mountains over 600 meters high. It is the only inhabited place on Staten Island and its function is to guard the vessels in the area. It has a strength of four sailors who were rotated every 45 days.

History:

– The island was discovered by Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire on 25 December 1615, who called Land of the Lords of the States. The master Dutchman Hendrick Brouwer’s circumnavigation in 1643. Staten Island comes from «Stateneiland» in Holland, which is the name given to the parliament in that European country. Knowing how dangerous the seas surrounding the Argentine navy Luis Piedra Buena, who had already rescued a group of shipwrecked Germans, in 1862 built a shelter near the bay.

– On 6 October 1868, by a law passed by Congress, is granted to Luis Piedra Buena ownership of Staten Island in recognition of his humanitarian and Argentina’s sovereignty claim in the far southern lands.

– San Juan Lighthouse Rescue was inaugurated on 25 May 1884 and operated until 1889. The lighthouse, known as the Lighthouse of the End of the World, Jules Verne inspired his novel, published in 1905. It was also built a military prison in Cuba, which operated between 1899 and 1902, and was subsequently transported to Ushuaia.

– On May 19, 1909 Decree provides for the administrative division of the then national territories, specifying the limits of the now defunct Staten Island Department (under the Territory of Tierra del Fuego), comprising the islands of the same name and all others who are in the Atlantic under the sovereignty of law in Argentina.

Bon voyage!