 The Strait of Magellan, near Punta Arenas The Strait of Magellan is a navigable route immediately south of mainland South America. Located between the continent and Tierra del Fuego, and Cape Horn to the south, the strait is arguably the most important natural passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans.
Ferdinand Magellan became the first European to navigate the strait in 1520, during his global circumnavigation voyage. Because Magellan's ships entered it on November 1st, it was originally named Estreito de Todos los Santos .
On May 23rd 1843 Chile took possession of the channel, under whose sovereignty it remains to this day. On the coast of the Strait lies the city of Punta Arenas and the village of Porvenir.
 The Strait of Magellan at dawn  The Strait of Magellan at sunset Until the construction of the Panama canal, the strait was the second-most used route for ships crossing between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans (the most used route involved rounding Cape Horn, an open-ocean route to the south).
The strait is considered a difficult route to navigate because of the inhospitable climate and the narrowness of the passage.
 Strait of Magellan, satellite image This path was crossed by, among others:
Prospectors during the 1849 California gold rush used this route as well.
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