Small but intense, Puerto Santa Cruz offers us splendid landscapes with rich birds and the warmth of its people who feel proud of their origin.
Walking around the downtown of Puerto Santa Cruz, we found monuments and traces of facts that gave origin to its historical heritage. We could imagine the old times when the pioneers reaffirmed the sovereignty by building the first settlement. Today there is a tourist development of the natural areas on top of that.
In our tour we found the Exaltación de la Santa Cruz Church in Misionero Ravine, thought to be the first settlement. The Christ brought from Turin (Italy) stands out.
Here and there we discovered monuments and busts of the men who fought against all odds and set their feet in the area to stay. On Piedra Buena Avenue we visited the mausoleum of the first governor of the territory, lieutenant commander Carlos Maria Moyano. In that place, Hernando Magellan called for a mass in order to pray for the success of the mission leading to the Strait that is named after him.
Later on, we found masterpieces that pay tribute to commanding officer Luis Piedrabuena and Commodore Luis Py, who explored the new lands.
The layered plains on the south margin of the estuary shelter the settlement against the sea winds. On the coast there lies the Centennial Cross, a big structure made of iron, which recalls the arrival of the naval squadron under Commodore Py in 1878.
Back in the city center, we visited the Carlos Borgialli Regional Museum, in which we observed the flora and fauna of the area and some archaeological and paleontological regional traces.
During our visit we witnessed an excellent sheep livestock auction at the fair carried out at Sociedad Rural. Cattle breeders from the area were well represented by the great number of people and the good animals displayed.
On the south margin of the estuary, the spot Punta Quilla is in Puerto Santa Cruz. It is of deep water and good transport of merchandise. Overseas vessels can reach wide and modern piers while smaller ships have a different area. It has good light and buoy and all the services provided by the ports as required for the different maneuvers.
We then visited the Santa Cruz estuary by car to see the natural atmosphere and distinguish the different hues of the water depending on the time. On 25 km along the south margin, what we loved the most was the town itself, typical of Argentinian Patagonia.
The estuary is two kilometers wide and it is the proper place for all kinds of water sports such as water skiing, sailing and canoeing which are practiced by local people as well as visitors to Puerto Santa Cruz. Isla Leones (Lions Island) has an important colony of sea birds.
“If you like fishing, you can rent a motorboat to travel around the estuary and fish a good sea bass, silverside, trout or perch". Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to accept a true local fisher invitation.
After our visit to Puerto Santa Cruz, we enjoyed the stanzas of singer Horacio Guaraní:
Puerto Santa Cruz
so distant and beloved
a little piece of cold,
sunshine in my heart...”