Travesía vuelta al indio

In 1865, the clipper Mimosa arrived at Punta Cuevas, carrying Welsh immigrants who faced a harsh reality: no source of fresh water and a landscape that offered little immediate refuge. These pioneers carved temporary shelters into the cliffs to survive until they could reach the Chubut River, and today, when you stand at the starting line at Parador Praia, you are looking out at the same Golfo Nuevo that greeted them. The bay was named Bahía Sin Fondo in 1520 by Ferdinand Magellan, who was struck by the sheer depth of these waters, a characteristic that still defines the experience of swimming here today.

The Patagonian gulf

The Travesía vuelta al indio, held annually by Megaciclo, invites you to navigate these historic waters across distances of 1km, 2km, or 2.5km. As you swim, the coastline reveals the Monument to the Tehuelche Indian, a stone marker erected in 1965 to honor the centennial of that first Welsh settlement. The environment is sensitive; the nearby El Doradillo area is a sanctuary where Southern Right Whales congregate from May to December, though the race window is set for January to coincide with safer, more stable conditions. You may also find yourself crossing over the site of mysterious submarine contacts reported in the late 1950s, an enigma that persists in local maritime lore.

Race logistics

Participation requires a mandatory safety buoy—torpedoes are explicitly prohibited—and a medical certificate no older than six months. The entry fee ranges from 60 to 80 EUR, covering the race kit, insurance, and the post-swim medal. While wetsuit use is optional, the cold water temperatures characteristic of the South Atlantic make them a common choice for many participants. The event focuses on the challenge itself, with a non-competitive structure that celebrates the completion of the course over podium placement. On the morning of January 30, 2027, the assembly at Playa El Golfito marks the start of this crossing, tracing a path through the same deep, cold channel that has shaped the history of Puerto Madryn.