Drake Passage, Southern Ocean: 57º 30' South, 65º West
Our departure last night from the port city of Ushuaia, Argentina, provided some fantastic wildlife viewing from the decks after dinner. The surface of the Beagle Channel was almost as smooth as glass, which meant that the black-browed albatross were reluctant flyers, at best. When they did fly, all they could muster were brief episodes of flapping followed by an even briefer period of stiff-winged gliding as they labored into the still air. Sooty shearwaters, blue-eyed shags, Chilean skuas, a minke whale and dolphins were among the other wildlife observed.
We were well on our way across the infamous Drake Passage by the time most of us awoke this morning. Sea conditions were good with a gentle swell rocking the Endeavour accompanied by a light wind. The wind increased later, gracing the tops of the swells and waves with sporadic whitecaps, yet the ride remained pleasant. Naturalist Richard White presented an illustrated lecture in the lounge on the seabirds of the Southern Ocean during the late morning. This was followed by a quick session on bonding with your binoculars in order to get the most viewing pleasure. (It goes further than simply putting them around your neck, as Naturalist Karen Copeland showed us.) Then there was a mass gathering of new aficionados on the aft deck, braving the elements to get close-up views of an assortment of Southern Ocean seabirds: pintado petrels, prions, giant petrels, white-chinned petrels, gray-headed and black-browed albatrosses as well as the much larger wandering and royal albatrosses.
Pictured is a royal albatross passing through the field of view of one of the Endeavour guests. The royal albatross is similar to the wandering in size—up to eleven feet from wing tip to wing tip—but has slightly different patterning and breeds in the Indian Ocean section of the Southern Ocean. Seeing one here, in the South American section, is a testament to the adaptation of this beautiful bird to one of the largest and windiest oceans in the world.
Our departure last night from the port city of Ushuaia, Argentina, provided some fantastic wildlife viewing from the decks after dinner. The surface of the Beagle Channel was almost as smooth as glass, which meant that the black-browed albatross were reluctant flyers, at best. When they did fly, all they could muster were brief episodes of flapping followed by an even briefer period of stiff-winged gliding as they labored into the still air. Sooty shearwaters, blue-eyed shags, Chilean skuas, a minke whale and dolphins were among the other wildlife observed.
We were well on our way across the infamous Drake Passage by the time most of us awoke this morning. Sea conditions were good with a gentle swell rocking the Endeavour accompanied by a light wind. The wind increased later, gracing the tops of the swells and waves with sporadic whitecaps, yet the ride remained pleasant. Naturalist Richard White presented an illustrated lecture in the lounge on the seabirds of the Southern Ocean during the late morning. This was followed by a quick session on bonding with your binoculars in order to get the most viewing pleasure. (It goes further than simply putting them around your neck, as Naturalist Karen Copeland showed us.) Then there was a mass gathering of new aficionados on the aft deck, braving the elements to get close-up views of an assortment of Southern Ocean seabirds: pintado petrels, prions, giant petrels, white-chinned petrels, gray-headed and black-browed albatrosses as well as the much larger wandering and royal albatrosses.
Pictured is a royal albatross passing through the field of view of one of the Endeavour guests. The royal albatross is similar to the wandering in size—up to eleven feet from wing tip to wing tip—but has slightly different patterning and breeds in the Indian Ocean section of the Southern Ocean. Seeing one here, in the South American section, is a testament to the adaptation of this beautiful bird to one of the largest and windiest oceans in the world.
