My wife and I spend nearly three years in
South America on our 39ft.
catamaran, sailing south and returning north, both on the Atlantic side of the continent. This was some time ago, 2002 through 2004. On the way south we spent several months in
Brazil from Cabedelo to Rio Grande de Sur, then a few weeks in Uruguay and on to Buenos Aires where we spent a couple months and left the
boat in San Fernando for another couple months before returning. At that time the Argentine
regulations were no worse than
Brazil or Chile, though Chile was more strict about Clearance and Zarpe
regulations and papers. At that time there were several areas in
Argentina and Chile that were forbidden for sailing through by foreign yachts. At one time when filling out a zarpe for the Chilean
Navy I had mistakenly put down an anchorage that was not permitted by the Chileans.
"If I was in your country, I couldn't just go anywhere I pleased," said the Chilean
Navy person in front of me by way of justification for the restriction.
"Yes, you could," I replied and they had nothing else to say.
From Buenos Aires we went to Mar de Plata and on south to Puerto Williams, Chile, even though our papers said our first port would be Ushuaia, Argentina. No problem with Chilean officials. We spent nearly a year along the Beagle Channel, from mid-December, 2002, to early November, 2003, changing back and forth from Argentina to Chile, including rounding Cape Horn. Paper work could be demanding, but not too odious from the standpoint that it is their country and they can demand whatever they want and we loved both countries for the people and wild and stark scenery. Argentines are more laid back and friendly and Chileans are curious and helpful, at least that is my summary in a few words.
From Puerto Williams, Chile, we sailed to the Falkland Islands and spent about five weeks there before heading north to Mar del Plata, Argentina.
I found the Falkland Islands more demanding for wind and sailing and finding protected anchorages than the Beagle Channel.
One strange story about Argentine officials:
We had clearance papers from Puerto Williams, Chile, for the Falkland Islands, as well as from the Falkland Islands to Argentina when we arrive at Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The Argentines still claim the Falkland Islands even after being rebuffed by the British during the 1982 conflict (The Falkland Islanders say it was not a war, as war was never declared, but an armed conflict).
What we call the Falkland Islands is called the Malvinas Islands by the Argentines.
On arrival at Mar del Plata we showed our Falkland Island clearance papers to Mar del Plata to the officials. The officials looked at them and made a face and asked for our clearance from Puerto Williams, Chile, to the Falklands. I handed them over as I had been warned that this might happen. We were told to return the following day and left the office without any formal clearance.
The following day we were shown into a room with several officials and were told our clearance into Argentina would be back dated to the date we entered the Falkland Islands, about a month earlier. All forms for clearance into Argentina, including visa and passport stamps, were back dated to then and we were free to go. Though this shortened our time on our visa in Argentina, we were headed to Punta del Este, Uruguay, for a
haul out, so it mattered little to us.