Drake Passage

Antarctica is some 550 nautical miles from the next closest continent, South America and its famous southern point Cape Horn. To visit the great white southern land you must cross the dreaded Drake Passage. Many a mariner tale exists about the violent winds of the Roaring 40's, Furious 50's, and Screaming 60's. It is the only place in the world where storms can circle the globe unimpeded by land.

It was crossing the northern part of the Drake that we spent our first day aboard the National Geographic Endeavour. Once we left the confines of the Beagle Channel the previous night, the wind and swells that make the Drake so famous were upon us. Fortunately for us, or unfortunately if we wanted to add our own tale to the lore of the sea, we awoke to light winds and seas. Some still took patches, pills, or bands while others tried out their sea legs. Briefings, talks, and introductions were carried out, but it was those who spent time on deck who had their first Antarctic experience: the parade of seabirds.

There are about a dozen species of sea birds that can be seen in the Drake on most days, but it is the albatross that catch our attention due to their size. Views were enjoyed of black browed and a very old wanderer, almost all white, which gave them an appropriate name, the snowy albatross.

Later in the afternoon our attention switched from birds to two finback whales! These giants of the southern ocean were hunted and caught in staggering numbers during the last century. They are slow to reproduce so the repopulation of the species will take quite a long time. The two we saw came by the ship for a moment, close enough to see the diagnostic creamy color of the right side of the lower lip. They then turned and accelerated off into the vast cold waters, showing how they received their nickname: greyhounds of the sea.