Abra Channel (Spanish ''Canal Abra'', formerly ''Sea Shell Channel'') is one of the three channels which connects Magellan Strait with the Pacific Ocean (Others are

Bárbara Channel Barbara Channel (Spanish ''Canal Bárbara'')) is one of the three channels which connects Magellan Strait with the Pacific Ocean (Others are Abra Channel and Magdalena Channel). It is located between the Santa Inés Island and the Clarence Island ...

and

Magdalena Channel 350px, The channel is visible in the lower left corner. Magdalena Channel () is a Chilean channel joining the Strait of Magellan with the Cockburn Channel and is part of a major navigation route which ultimately connects with the Beagle Channel. ...

). It is located between the Santa Inés Island and the ''Jacques Island'' and ends at the Otway Bay. An incomplete examination by the ''Sylvia'' showed it to be a fine navigable passage, but no anchorages were found. It may possibly be of service to a vessel embayed in Otway Bay, enabling her to run into the strait. Abra Island, which stands in the center of the eastern entrance, is 300 feet high and covered with vegetation. The entrance is 2 miles wide, but it soon narrows to 1 mile. A rock with a depth of 1.5

fathom A fathom is a unit of length in the imperial and the U.S. customary systems equal to , used especially for measuring the depth of water. The fathom is neither an International Standard (SI) unit, nor an internationally-accepted non-SI unit. Hi ...

s on it, and well marked with kelp, lies in the fairway of Abra Channel, with center of Maycock Island bearing 305°, distant 0,75 mile, and summit of Francis Island 32°. Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa wrote: :''We called it the opening (Abra) because we can't see its termination''.

References

* United States Hydrographic Office
South America Pilot
(1916) p. 410 Straits of Chile Bodies of water of Magallanes Region {{MagellanAntarctic-geo-stub