Iconic is the image of the Saint Christopher ship looking out at tourists from all over the world every winter and summer season.
People wonder what happened to it.
It has a story, and we are going to tell it to you here.

In Ushuaia, it is impossible not to imagine its incredible landscapes, its beautiful mountains and, of course, the enigmatic ship off the coast, the Saint Christopher, an unmistakable symbol that has been part of the landscape of this city since 1957.
With its 60 years of resting on the coast, it has become a postcard background that all visitors carry in their souvenir photos of this beautiful city.

A Little History: From D-Day to the Ushuaia Coast

The Saint Christopher was not always a static inhabitant of the Ushuaia coast. Its history begins in the midst of the heat of World War II, when it was built in 1943 by Camden Shipbuilding Co. in New Jersey, USA. The ship was part of a program to build salvage tugs, known as ATR (Auxiliary Tug Rescue), with wooden hulls and steam machinery, in order to take advantage of the idle capacity of several shipyards and save strategic materials during the conflict.

Initially delivered to the US Navy, the Saint Christopher was loaned to the British Admiralty under the name HMS Justice.
Although there are reports suggesting its participation in the D-Day operation in Normandy, this information has not been officially confirmed.
After the war, in 1946, the ship was returned to the US Navy and decommissioned in 1947.

From War Hero to Guardian of the Beagle Channel

After her service in the war, the Saint Christopher was sold to Leopoldo Simoncini in Buenos Aires, who renamed her with the name we know today.
In 1953, she was used by the Salvamar company, owned by Simoncini, in an attempt to refloat the Monte Cervantes, a German passenger ship that had sunk in 1930 off Les Eclaireurs lighthouse in the Beagle Channel.

In the salvage operation of the Saint Christopher, together with other tugboats of the Argentine Navy, tried to take the Monte Cervantes to a nearby beach.
In spite of that, the effort was in vain, as the German ship sank again in the depths of the waters of the End of the World.
As a consequence of the failed attempt, the Salvamar company went bankrupt, and the Saint Christopher, with engine and rudder problems, was stranded in Ushuaia.

A Silent Witness to the Past: Saint Christopher Today

In 1957, the Saint Christopher was towed to the coast of Ushuaia with the help of trucks, run aground and abandoned in the place where it still rests.
Over the decades, the ship has endured the passage of time, becoming an emblematic element of the city.
Although it went through some preservation efforts, such as the removal of fuel oil from its tanks in 2004, its structure remains a reminder of its glorious past.

In 2010, as part of the celebrations of the Bicentennial of the May Revolution, the Prefecture and the Municipality of Ushuaia carried out works to enhance the value of the Saint Christopher.
These efforts were aimed at preserving the ship for future generations and keeping alive the history it represents.

The Saint Christopher: A Tourist Icon in Ushuaia

Today, the Saint Christopher is much more than a derelict ship; it is a symbol of Ushuaia’s resilient spirit and a testament to its rich maritime history.
For tourists visiting the city, a stop on the waterfront to view the ship is a must.
It is a perfect place to take pictures, learn about the history and connect with the region’s past.

The story of the Saint Christopher is an example of how objects, even those that seem to have lost their original purpose, can find new meaning over time.
This ship, once a tool of war and salvage, now serves as a bridge between the past and the present, reminding us of part of the founding history of this southern city.

If you visit Ushuaia, be sure to approach the Saint Christopher and let yourself be carried away by the story that its wood, worn by time and weather, has to tell.
It is a living piece of history, anchored at the end of the world, waiting to be discovered by those who are looking for something more than just scenery on their trip.