Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse

Though this is not the celebrated lighthouse that inspired Jules Verne, Les Éclaireurs is equally iconic thanks to its implausible location and imposing presence and the abundant marine animals that populate the islet. The lighthouse —built in 1920— withstands buffeting from Patagonian winds and strong ocean currents from atop a rocky promontory in the middle of the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego. Sea lions and cormorants (flying cousins of penguins) rest on the rocky coasts as summer tourists approach in a flotilla of boats.