Herd of Guanacos - Patagonia - Cabo Dos Bahías - Prov. Chubut

The walls of “Cueva de las manos” (Cave of the Hands) in the province of Santa Cruz (Patagonia, Argentina) are covered with negative impressions of hands dated over 10,000 years back, though their significance has never been quite clarified. Maybe this cave of difficult access, located near Rio Pinturas, was a place of rites of passage and the hand impressions belonged to those who freely and solemnly swore to abide by the rules of the group.

In the Patagonia, the Perito Moreno glacier front is 60 m high and 5 km long, towering over the Lago Argentino, into which from time to time mighty blocks of ice thunder down. This 30-km long glacier, with an area of 250 km2, is the only one in Argentina – and perhaps in the whole world – that has remained hardly untouched by the climate change.

If you have not seen the sky in Patagonia, you have not seen Argentina. The clouds, lit up by the sunlight and in constant change, are blown across the landscape by often strong winds. Countless windmills pump the scarce though essential water for men and cattle from the deep water table. - Estancia Las Toscas / Patagonia / Argentina

Two gauchos from the province of Córdoba try to catch a foal. They have retained some traditional garments of their status. Despite the rapid development of the country, they are and remain the living symbol of Argentina. The gaucho spends most of his existence on the horse, which is his most loyal friend. Rough, brave and strong, the man of the pampas loves freedom above all else. - 1973

Argentina, the country of bovines, however, has a wildlife that is well represented and varies from one region to another. In this area, the Atlantic coastline occupies a privileged place. It is true that it stretches, from north to south, over hundreds of kilometres. Mammals and birds abound on the coasts. In Cabo dos Bahías (province of Chubut) there is a huge colony of penguins. These animals are protected. They live their lives in peace and quiet and are a fascinating subject of study for the naturalist. They are not very shy and are easy to approach. - 1973

There are many species of wildlife along the coast of Argentina. In addition to penguins, there are also the lobos (sea wolves), which are scattered along the coast. These lobos, like other animals along the coast, form colonies that are surprisingly large in number. One of these groups has taken up residence in La Lobería, in the province of Río Negro. - 1973

Among the wild species of the Argentinean coast are the elephant seals, which, like the others, live in huge colonies. At the northern end of the Valdés peninsula (Chubut province), one of these colonies can be seen and is a real tourist attraction. These enormous mammals laze lazily on the beach floor. Despite their somewhat fearsome appearance, elephant seals - especially the females and young - are harmless. Only if you try to cut off their retreat to the sea do they become aggressive. - 1973

Argentina's soil holds real treasures, but has not yet been fully explored. Oil, however, has been extracted for years, in considerable quantities in the area of Comodoro Rivadavia province of Chubut on the southern coastal strip. If you follow the road from Buenos Aires to the southern tip, you will notice strange machines in the pampas, reminiscent of large grasshoppers, which are constantly pumping oil out of the earth's interior. Drilling rigs also rise up from the ocean. Comodoro Rivadavia is home to thousands of engineers, workers and employees who earn their living directly or indirectly from the oil deposits. The “black gold” is not refined in the city itself, but in La Plata, south of Buenos Aires. Comodoro Rivadavia's oil production covers part of the country's needs. Further drilling is being done in other provinces, especially in Mendoza and San Juan. - 1973

For Argentines, Patagonia is a remote and wild world where the most diverse legends circulate. In his work “The Children of Captain Grant”, Jules Verne has given us a description of this mysterious country that excites our imagination. The Río Negro marks the natural border between the provinces of Buenos Aires and Río Negro. In the background of the photo, we can see the silhouette of the church of Carmen de Patagones, an important place of the colonization of the country. During the 19th century, immigrants used the rivers that cross Patagonia in order to penetrate the interior of the country. - 1973

The settlement of settlers from Wales in the valleys of southern Argentina represented the first stage of a comprehensive colonisation programme. Welsh people even ventured into the Andes range. Their intention was to promote agriculture and exploit mineral resources in this part of Argentina. North and west of the Río Chubut, they discovered virgin land as they advanced into the long valleys of the Sierra. The picture shows the interior of a colonial home in Gaiman (Chubut province), an important settlement. This home belongs to Miss Mainwen Williams, the 70-year-old daughter of an Argentinian mother and a Welsh father. Her family includes nine siblings. All the objects that decorate the house are about eighty years old, so they date from the first period of immigrant settlement in this region. There is a small Welsh museum in Gaiman. - 1973

The sky over Patagonia looks different from anywhere else. It is often veiled by very light clouds that let a strange light shine through. Sometimes the wind blows in violent gusts and causes sandstorms. Then it is necessary to seek shelter immediately to escape the turmoil of the elements. A yellowish light intensifies the sense of threat that grips the traveller. But the storm does not last long, and soon the sky is clear again. The inhabitants of the Pampas have taken advantage of the wind. They set up windmills at various points on their property and use them to pump water out of the ground. In many places this precious wet is completely lacking, which is all the more regrettable because thousands of cattle, which together with the sheep make up the wealth of Patagonia, need a watering place. This picture was taken on the estancia “Las Toscas” in the province of Santa Cruz. - 1973

National Road 3 between Viedma and San Antonio Oeste (Río Negro province). This important transport connection begins in Buenos Aires and leads to the zones near the south polar. Its total length is 3218 kilometres. At the other end of the road, in Tierra del Fuego, is Ushuaia, the southernmost city on earth. The initially asphalted National Road 3 gradually turns into a sandy track, riddled with deep holes that endanger the traffic. Drivers have to be very careful. Petrol stations and garages are rare. Keep this in mind when you travel to Patagonia. Drivers always carry provisions, enough petrol and tools to repair breakdowns. They also have a sense of solidarity and are always ready to help a motorist in trouble. - 1973

A cistern truck and a car are travelling on National Road 3 in Patagonia. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Patagonia, also known as desierto verde (green desert), is an immense sheep pasture. The sheep are bred only for the wool. The estancieros completely neglect meat production. The sheep meat is therefore of poor quality and plays no role at all in the national budget. On the other hand, the price of wool has been repeatedly driven up on the international market. About ten million sheep are kept in the polar zones, seven million in Patagonia alone. The wool is pressed into bales of 200 to 300 kilos. It is shipped by ship from Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz province) to Buenos Aires and from Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) to Europe. In the last few years, synthetic fibres have increasingly competed with wool. Our picture was taken between Río Gallegos and Río Turbio (Santa Cruz province), on the track leading to the Cordillera. - 1973

Sheep shearing takes place during the months of December and January, in the heart of the southern summer. The work is carried out in a galpón, a building reserved for this purpose that can be seen in all the estancias. The sheep are led to the galpón by ovejeros on horseback. Each esquilador (shearer) shears about 200 sheep a day. He uses an electric shearer set in motion by a motor which, at the same time, provides light to the property. Twice a year the esquiladores cut the wool around the sheep's eyes. The animals cannot see clearly because of the thickness of their fleece. - 1973

The owners of the estancias are very often descendants of immigrants from Europe. They raise sheep to produce as much wool as possible. This estancia is called “Cancha Carreras” and is located between Río Turbio and Calafate (Santa Cruz province). An estancia consists of several buildings, namely residential houses, galpones, workshops, storage sheds, garages, meeting and entertainment halls, libraries, etc. On some estancias you can even find an airfield on which the small planes land that are necessary for the quick connection between the farm and the provincial capital. Enormous distances separate the individual estancias, which are practically cut off from the rest of the world. Contact with the outside world is maintained with the help of short-wave transmitters. Springs guarantee the water supply. They make it possible to establish plantations. Around the estancia stretches the grassy steppe of the pampas, where the domestic animals can graze undisturbed. - 1973

The araucarias (Araucaria araucana) grow in the Andes on both sides of the border between Argentina and Chile. This tree reaches a height of 30 meters. - 1973

South of Sarmiento, one comes across a petrified forest known as “Bosque José Ormachea”. It consists of araucaria trunks that are around 70 million years old. Around it stretches the desert, dominated by washed-out, strangely coloured hills. - 1973

South of Sarmiento, one comes across a petrified forest known as “Bosque José Ormachea”. It consists of araucaria trunks that are around 70 million years old. Around it stretches the desert, dominated by washed-out, strangely coloured hills. - Province of Chubut - 1973

Guanacos are the most common wild animals in Patagonia. They belong to the large family of camels. Guanacos live in groups, are extremely shy and flee at any unusual noise. The Tehuelche used guanaco skins to make their clothing. - 1973

This armadillo, called a pichi, lives in southern Patagonia. It feeds on grasses and roots. These armadillos are often hunted for their tasty meat. Traditional musical instruments such as the charangos are also made from the carapace parts of some armadillo species. - 1973

The “Cueva de las Manos”, a difficult-to-access rock shelter above the Río Pinturas, between Bajo Caracoles and Perito Moreno (Santa Cruz province). The walls are covered all over with depictions of hands. - 1973

The “Cueva de las Manos”, a difficult-to-access rock shelter above the Río Pinturas, between Bajo Caracoles and Perito Moreno (Santa Cruz province). In a side grotto are these rock paintings of guanacos, hands and symbols. The diameter of the circle is 27 cm. - 1973

On the estancia “La Margarita” at Lake Viedma, in the province of Santa Cruz, the gauchos set off for the sheep pastures. On horseback, they cover great distances across the steppes of Patagonia. - 1973

Farrier Delphin Rodríguez from Bahía Bustamante (Chubut province) smiles cheerfully, which is not at all the case for all gauchos in the Pampas. Most of them are rough around the edges as a result of their adventurous lives. It often takes a lot of patience to be accepted by the men in a group. However, beneath the tough exterior lies a big heart. Their love of nature and the great outdoors has become legendary. They are completely at one with the special landscape in which they live, and their profession requires people of unusual strength. - 1973

The gaucho spends most of his life on horseback. He watches over the huge herds of sheep in Patagonia. When he rests from his long journeys across the pampas, he devotes himself to handicrafts. He makes admirable leather whips and takes special care in the manufacture of his stirrups, which are an important part of the mount. The horse of Delphin Rodríguez, the farrier in the previous photo, has stirrups decorated with beautifully crafted wooden pieces. - 1973

On 21 October 1520, Ferdinand Magellan and a fleet of four ships entered a strait separating Patagonia from Tierra del Fuego, which today bears his name. On 28 November of the same year, the Portuguese navigator's sailors reached the Pacific Ocean. The passage had taken thirty-six days. This achievement was one stage in the first voyage around the world, an adventure that was to end in death for Magellan and most of the men in his crew. Today, traversing the Strait of Magellan offers no difficulties, despite the harsh weather in these regions. A ferry connects the mainland with the large southern island. The areas on both sides of the strait belong to Chile. Tierra del Fuego owes its name to the navigator Magellan, who was astonished to notice Indian fires all along the shores. Today, instead of the Indian fires, the columns of flames from the oil drilling sites glow there. The National Road 3 leads to the northern shore of the strait and continues over there. - 1973

The dusty track of National Road 3 between Puerto San Julián and Puerto Santa Cruz - Patagonia - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Letterbox of the Estancia La Tapera - in the background the Río Chico - Province Santa Cruz - 1973

Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego province) is the southernmost city on earth. It was built on the northern bank of the Beagle Channel. Its foundation dates back to 1862, the work of Reverend Waite Hockin Sterling, who came to this deserted area to protect the Indians against the bad treatment they were subjected to by the whites. Ushuaia is on Argentinean soil. Cape Horn is not far away. Buenos Aires, on the other hand, lies 3218 kilometres by road to the north ... For about fifty years, Ushuaia served as a penal colony. Today it has about five thousand inhabitants. The port is frequented by ships of small and medium tonnage as well as by sailing boats, whose owners sometimes sail around the world all by themselves. Tourists are rare in Ushuaia. The city's strategic location is important. The Argentine army maintains an air force and naval base here. - 1973

View of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. - 1973

This decommissioned ship is anchored near Ushuaia. - 1973

At Lago Argentino in the Calafate region. There are indigenous pictograms on the rocks. In the background the Andes. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Río La Leona with Cerro Fortaleza, 722m. - Calafate Region - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Horse skeleton in the pampas north of Río Turbio on the way to Calafate. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

After a heavy rain on the track from Camarones to Bahia Bustamante - Chubut Province - 1973

Steam locomotive with coal trailer in Río Turbio - Province of Santa Cruz - 1973

These iron wheels can be found on the Río Pipo in the Argentinean part of Tierra del Fuego. Monte Susana in the background. - 1973

There are huge flocks of sheep in Patagonia. Not the meat but the wool is the main purpose of sheep farming. One sheep yields four to five kilos of wool. After shearing, this is pressed into bales weighing about 200 kilograms and wrapped in cloth. In the port of Río Grande, these bales are shipped to Europe. - 1973

There are huge flocks of sheep in Patagonia. Not the meat but the wool is the main purpose of sheep farming. One sheep yields four to five kilos of wool. After shearing, it is pressed into bales weighing about 200 kilograms and wrapped in a cloth on which a worker writes the name of the estancia. - Estancia “Las Toscas” in the province of Santa Cruz. - 1976

Rainbow over Lake Brazo Rico near Calafate - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

At the northern arm of the lake Brazo Rico near Calafate with a dead tree and two water birds - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

The Argentine Antarctic covers an area of 1,230,000 square kilometres, a world of ice and rocks that is still largely unexplored. Only a few have had the courage and endurance to venture into this inhospitable region, where dangers threaten and temperatures are extremely low. Already in certain sections of the Andes Cordillera, especially in the southernmost part, one feels this impression of solitude. You only have to make the trip to the Perito Moreno glacier to convince yourself of this. This magnificent glacier owes its name to an Argentinean naturalist. It is 17 kilometres long and at least three kilometres wide, with a front height of 70 metres. Here at the glacier break-off, blocks of ice are constantly breaking away and plummeting into the depths with a deafening roar. They then float as icebergs through Lake Argentino. The Perito Moreno glacier advances four metres a year - a consequence of the heavy precipitation on the peaks of the southernmost Andes. - 1973

Tobacco pouch made of ñandú leather (South American ostrich). This wild animal abounds in Patagonia; it is smaller than its African counterpart. The object has a length of 35 centimetres. It is decorated with small silver nails, which form symbolic designs (Museo de la Patagonia, Bariloche, Río Negro). - 1973

Fitz Roy (3375 m), one of the most beautiful Argentinean Andean peaks, rises in the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz province). Because of the harsh weather that prevails in the mountains, it is dangerous to climb. - 1973

Guanacos grazing on the pampas. The Fitz Roy massif in the background. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

San Carlos de Bariloche in the province of Río Negro is one of the most famous holiday resorts in Argentina, along with Mar del Plata. Even in neighbouring countries, in the United States and in Europe, people talk about it. An 1800-kilometre asphalt road provides the connection to Buenos Aires. The city was built on the shores of the famous Lake Nahuel Huapi. In summer and winter, thousands of tourists from all provinces of the country and from abroad crowd the streets. They have displaced the Araucanians, who were once the unchallenged masters of the whole area. San Carlos de Bariloche is something like a small capital in the mountains. There are picturesque little houses here, but also skyscrapers and ostentatious buildings, which contribute to the fact that the place is getting uglier and uglier. Diversions include fishing, sailing, swimming, golf and, in winter, skiing. Lake Nahuel Huapi lends its name to a huge national park where you can find plant species peculiar to the region and wildlife, including deer. - 1973

El Chocón is the fourth of five dams on the Río Limay in the northwestern part of Patagonia in Argentina. The reservoir lies on the border of the provinces of Neuquén and Río Negro and is the largest hydropower plant in Patagonia. It is used to monitor and control the flow of the Río Limay to the Río Negro. The water is also used for irrigation. - 1973

62 kilometres away from San Carlos de Bariloche, on the banks of the Limay River, lies Valle Encantado, a place with a special magic. Surrounded by mountains and rock formations that, letting the imagination run wild, come to life in the eyes of the beholder. - Neuquén Province - 1973

The estancia is a small town. It includes many different buildings. Sometimes there is even a school, which is attended by the children of the farm workers. This saves the pupils the trip to the next village, which is often dozens of kilometres away. A single teacher teaches the little ones and the big ones. Our picture was taken during the break in the school of the estancia “Palitué” (Neuquén province). Little José Luis Jimenéz, son of a peon, drinks his cup of milk. - 1973

Gauchos from the Palitué estancia (province of Neuquén) go to the corral (cattle park) where all the domestic animals on the estate are kept. They will carry out a strict selection of them. They dedicate themselves to this work whenever they are not called upon to carry out other tasks. But, in one case as in others, the gauchos always travel on horseback, which is their favourite means of transport, very rarely setting foot on land. They carry with them the accessories they need to do their work. - 1973

Cows from the Palitué estancia (province of Neuquén), which have just given birth to their young, are gathered in the corral. The gauchos will soon make their appearance in order to carry out work of the utmost importance. It is a matter of separating the heifers from their mothers, which is not without its difficulties. Then the cows are taken back by the gauchos to their respective pastures where they will eventually gain the necessary weight. To achieve this, they need to be perfectly quiet, hence the cruel necessity to take their offspring away from them. The pastures are chosen for the quality of their grass. Finally, the cows are sent by truck to the slaughterhouses and the meat is kept in the capital's refrigerators. These measures are justified by the fact that Argentines have a predominantly meat diet. But it should also be pointed out that the production and sale of meat abroad is one of the main economic activities of the Argentine nation. - 1973

The gaucho's task is both arduous and dangerous. It is the result of a long tradition which dates back to the beginning of the colonisation of the pampas. It requires skill, patience, endurance and a great deal of security of movement. These essential qualities are put to good use especially when sorting the animals inside the corral. The constant coming and going of the animals is not made to facilitate the movement of the gaucho. In addition, the dust that rises from the corral floor forms clouds in which people and animals seem to get lost. But the gaucho and his horse are one and the same, because they have been used to this kind of exercise for a long time. This agreement also exists between the different gauchos who work in an estancia. The daily task involves a lot of discipline on the part of the men. These conditions must be observed every time the animals are grouped together, taken to the pasture or sorted out. - 1973

The great rivers that run through Patagonia have their source in the Andes. The gradient is gentle, and the watercourses take their time before pouring into the Atlantic Ocean. But in the rainy season, when the storms rage in the peaks of the Cordillera, the rivers swell. Then floods threaten people, animals and crops. The inhabitants of both banks use the many fords as river crossings. The photograph shows a scene that used to be characteristic of life in the pampas, but is becoming increasingly rare today as a result of Argentina's economic development: A herd of four hundred Hereford cattle is being driven through the Río Alumine (Neuquén province) and taken to the next estancia. These transports are increasingly carried out with the help of trucks, at least where bridges allow the rapid crossing of Patagonia's rivers and streams. - 1973

If the gaucho has more than the bare necessities, he soon becomes the head of a large family. Far from all the comforts of civilisation, the gaucho is also a naïve painter. He leaves the cooking, the cleaning, the weaving to his wife. - Gobernador Gregores (?), Province Santa Cruz - 1976

Metallic skeletons on the endless pampas, the "mills" tame the wind to pump essential water for the herds, sometimes from considerable depths. - Estancia Las Toscas, Province Santa Cruz, Patagonia - 1976

Metallic skeletons on the endless pampas, the "mills" tame the wind to pump essential water for the herds, sometimes from considerable depths. - At the Ruta 3, Province Santa Cruz, Patagonia - 1975

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - Near Estancia Los Luises, Santa Cruz Province - 1973

On the map, the north of Tierra del Fuego is the natural continuation of the Argentine Patagonia. Here, too, the vast plains can be found, where thousands of domestic animals graze on the thin grasslands. Here, rainfall also increases, allowing lush vegetation to develop. - 1973

Two gauchos on the way to their estancia in the Calafate region. The Andes mountain range in the background. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

A lonely gaucho on his way to his estancia El Zurdo on the border with Chile. - Between Río Gallegos and El Turbio, Santa Cruz Province - 1973

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - Torres del Paine NP, Chile - 1976

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - 1976

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - Estancia Las Toscas, Province Santa Cruz, Patagonia - 1976

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - Estancia La Luciana, Ayacucho, Province Buenos Aires - 1975

Access to the Estancia " Rincón de los Morros", near El Turbio, Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia - 1973

Signpost to the Estancia Carro Roto on route 3 - Province of Santa Cruz - 1973

Road sign at route 3, it takes 120 km to get to Estancia Silvita! - Province of Santa Cruz - 1973

On the estancia “La Margarita” at Lake Viedma, in the province of Santa Cruz, the gauchos set off for the sheep pastures. On horseback, they cover great distances across the steppes of Patagonia. In the background the Fitz Roy massif. - 1973

62 kilometres away from San Carlos de Bariloche, on the banks of the Limay River, lies Valle Encantado, a place with a special magic. Surrounded by mountains and rock formations that, letting the imagination run wild, come to life in the eyes of the beholder. - Neuquén Province - 1973

Argentina's soil holds real treasures, but has not yet been fully explored. Oil, however, has been extracted for years, in considerable quantities in the area of Comodoro Rivadavia province of Chubut on the southern coastal strip. If you follow the road from Buenos Aires to the southern tip, you will notice strange machines in the pampas, reminiscent of large grasshoppers, which are constantly pumping oil out of the earth's interior. Drilling rigs also rise up from the ocean. Comodoro Rivadavia is home to thousands of engineers, workers and employees who earn their living directly or indirectly from the oil deposits. The “black gold” is not refined in the city itself, but in La Plata, south of Buenos Aires. Comodoro Rivadavia's oil production covers part of the country's needs. Further drilling is being done in other provinces, especially in Mendoza and San Juan. - 1973

Mount Fitz Roy (3,375 m) was named in honour of the captain of the Beagle. It was under his command in 1834, following a sixteen-day boat journey on the Río Santa Cruz – in which Charles Darwin also took part – that this peak was first sighted. Towering some 1,600 metres above the surrounding plateau, it resembles a cluster of pillars and spires, whose vertical walls are separated by gorges a thousand metres deep. The Fitz Roy is rightly regarded as the most beautiful peak in the Andes. - Book: Picture 200 - Argentina - 1973

These traditional windmills are essential for supplying water to livestock farms in the extremely remote and arid regions of Patagonia. As surface water is scarce, these windmills pump groundwater directly into water tanks or livestock troughs. The vast farms (estancias) are not connected to the electricity grid as they are often located far from the nearest town. Patagonia is one of the windiest regions on earth. The design of these windmills, with their many rotor blades, allows them to start turning even in a very light breeze, whilst protecting themselves from destruction during the notorious Patagonian storms thanks to an automatic flag control system. – Estancia “Las Toscas” in the province of Santa Cruz – Argentina – 1975

The sky over Patagonia looks different from anywhere else. It is often veiled by very light clouds that let a strange light shine through. Sometimes the wind blows in violent gusts and causes sandstorms. Then it is necessary to seek shelter immediately to escape the turmoil of the elements. A yellowish light intensifies the sense of threat that grips the traveller. But the storm does not last long, and soon the sky is clear again. The inhabitants of the Pampas have taken advantage of the wind. They set up windmills at various points on their property and use them to pump water out of the ground. In many places this precious wet is completely lacking, which is all the more regrettable because thousands of cattle, which together with the sheep make up the wealth of Patagonia, need a watering place. This picture was taken on the estancia “Las Toscas” in the province of Santa Cruz. - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andean Cordillera, which in certain sections presents an insurmountable barrier. The winds blow in from the Pacific in an almost constant direction. The clouds they carry gather over the high mountain peaks and bring heavy rainfall. This explains why, despite the relatively low altitude, glaciers – some of which are of immense proportions – stretch across the eastern flank of the Andes. In Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies Lago Argentino, the ‘Silver Lake’, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is attracting ever more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen in the immediate vicinity. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. Pictured here is the equally famous Perito Moreno. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 205 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 204 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 203 - Argentina - 1973

The Perito Moreno Glacier (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno) is one of the best-known and most spectacular glaciers on Earth. It is situated in Los Glaciares National Park in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, in south-western Patagonia. The glacier stretches for around 30 kilometres and is 5 kilometres wide. The impressive ice front rises, on average, 55 to 75 metres above the surface of Lago Argentino. Underwater, the ice extends a further 100 metres or so into the depths. Unlike most glaciers worldwide, which are shrinking due to global warming, the Perito Moreno Glacier is in a relatively stable equilibrium. It advances by up to 2 metres every day. As a result of this continuous movement, chunks of ice as tall as houses regularly break off from the front. This phenomenon is accompanied by a thunderous crash and a deep rumble that can be heard for kilometres. As it advances, the glacier periodically blocks a side arm of Lago Argentino (Brazo Rico). The dammed-up water builds up enormous pressure until the barrier finally collapses in a spectacular process lasting several days. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 202 - Argentina - 1973

Steam locomotive with coal trailer in Río Turbio - Province of Santa Cruz - 1973

The massive granodiorite batholith of the Southern Andes is dominated in the Chilean province of Magallanes by the Cordillera del Paine (2,460 m), which extends into Argentine territory. The towering rock spires, the Torres del Paine, consist of remnants of Cretaceous overlying strata that once covered the intrusive body that had risen from the depths. Contact metamorphism has greatly hardened the rock, making it particularly resistant to erosion. In the foreground is Laguna Amarga. The photograph was taken during the southern summer, on 10 January at 11 pm. - Book: Picture 5 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The national park is one of the last refuges for guanacos still living in the wild. - Book: Picture 208 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The small mountain lakes in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, such as Lago Nordenskjöld, owe their formation to the erosive action of Ice Age glaciers. - Book: Picture 207 - Argentina - 1975

A vast steppe with low vegetation (such as matahambre shrubs) tinged with autumnal red in the foreground, and the striking Cordillera del Paine mountain range with its snow-capped peaks in the background. We are in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The turquoise lake is Lago Nordenskjöld, named after the Swedish geologist and polar explorer Otto Nordenskjöld, who conducted scientific research in the region at the end of the 19th century. – Chile – 1975

In southern Patagonia, and particularly in Tierra del Fuego and southern Chile, the climate and vegetation allow only sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered across thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are rounded up for just three occasions: disinfection baths, shearing and the slaughterhouse. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days on end with their powerful dogs, keeping in contact with one another via bonfires and smoke signals. – Torres del Paine National Park – Chile – 1975

The picture shows Monte San Valentín in the Chilean Southern Andes from a bird’s-eye view. At a height of approximately 4,058 metres, it is the highest mountain in the Patagonia region. On the left-hand side of the picture, one can see the extensive fjord and seawater area of the Pacific catchment, which is typical of the rugged coastal landscape of southern Chile. – Chile – 1975

Set against the backdrop of the Darwin Range in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, which rises to a height of 2,300 metres, a large valley glacier flows into the Admiralty Fjord. Two central moraines, formed by the confluence of tributary glaciers, appear as dark stripes. Icebergs drift from the pack ice field in front of the calving glacier tongue into the fjord, which flows into the Strait of Magellan. - Book: Picture 10 - Argentina - 1975

At Cape Horn, at 56° S and 67° 15' W, South America reaches its southernmost point. The cape lies on the 8-kilometre-long Horn Island, which belongs to Chile; the island consists of igneous rock and drops away into the sea on its western side as a 425-metre-high cliff. The island and the cape were discovered on 29 January 1616 by the Dutch navigators W. C. Schouten and Le Maire and named after Schouten’s birthplace, Hoorn in Holland. The name commonly used in Spanish, Cabo de Hornos (horno = oven), is a phonetic adaptation that makes little sense. Cape Hoorn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, was feared in the age of sailing ships because of its cliffs and severe winter storms. Since the opening of the Panama Canal (1914), it has played only a modest role in local coastal and tourist shipping. - Book: Picture 212 - Argentina - 1975

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