Underwater expedition charts seaweed forests in the remote waters of southern Patagonia

Inútil Bay, located at the tip of South America in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, has been difficult to explore due to severe logistical and meteorological challenges. A multi-institutional team of researchers has completed the first comprehensive exploration of the intertidal and subtidal rocky ecosystems in this remote marine environment.

At the icy, wind-swept tip of South America lies Inútil Bay, a remote marine environment in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago that has long guarded its underwater secrets because of severe logistical and meteorological challenges. A multi-institutional team of researchers has successfully conducted the first comprehensive exploration of the intertidal and subtidal rocky ecosystems of Inútil Bay.