About Puerto Williams Kelp Forests
Puerto Williams, southernmost city in Chile's Tierra del Fuego Patagonia, boasts dive sites like the kelp gardens off Navarino Island and Murray Channel. Giant Macrocystis kelp towers to 100 feet, hosting huillines, seals, and orcas occasionally. Waters 48-54°F; viz 15-50 feet. Charter with Yecid Dive Center; extreme remoteness amplifies risks.
Safety Considerations
Strong, unpredictable currents (2-5 knots) demand drift diving expertise; use current hooks. Kelp snags gear, so streamline profiles. DAN cold-water protocols: drysuit seals checked pre-entry. Wind squalls from Beagle Channel require secure boat anchoring. Buddy contact continuous; ascend on shared reference. Shearwater Perdix 2 for drift-adjusted algorithms.
Essential Gear
Bare X-Mission drysuit, 7mm neoprene undergarment, OMS wing setup, current hook (Dive Rite), SMB reel. Backup buoyancy (Scubapro Hydros Pro). Comms: underwater VHF if advanced.
Emergency Tips
Hold kelp or deploy SMB in current; signal with light/plane. Lost diver: search pattern 5 minutes max, then surface. O2 kit onboard; medevac via Chilean Navy to Punta Arenas chamber (helicopter 1-2 hours).