Drake Passage
As Antarctica fades into the distance, and our 11-day adventure draws to an end, one cannot help but think of all the new and flabbergasting things we have seen and done. “You can sleep when you get home,” was a common phrase uttered onboard the Endeavour. Our days were full, not only with activities, but also just absorbing the land and sea around us. Zodiac tours, bird watching, and iceberg spying, were all a daily occurrence, and often continued into the latter part of the evening. Ice Berg Alley in the Weddell Sea was an ideal place to take pictures of the huge tabular bergs which had broken off the Ross Ice Shelf. They were lit dramatically by the sunlight; a stark contrast to the brown mesa-like geology of the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. On the Western side of the Peninsula, the Lemaire Channel offered breathtaking views, as the sun set behind the snow-topped mountains, casting a red glow upon the ice. These sights are what truly distinguish Antarctica from anywhere else in the world. During the days, we were on the go, landing at least twice a day. This trip we landed on some new and exciting places where the Endeavour had never been before, nor any other passenger ship. We were often greeted by a host of hundreds of the black and white fellows, looking inquisitively at the new “Giant Red Penguins” landing on the shore. On a particularly gorgeous day, we lowered our kayaks into the water, and a vast majority of the guests paddled serenely amongst shag and gull colonized islands, with spectacular ice cliffs rising in the distance.
The wildlife we have seen on this trip contained so many types of birds, it could make you dizzy trying to keep track of them. Crab-eater, weddell, and leopard seals were seen on almost every landing. We even ran across some fur seals. And the whales!Humpback whales graced us with their presence many times during the trip, including last evening. As we headed home through the Drake Passage, they seemingly waved goodbye to us with their flukes.
Our Antarctic adventure is over for now, but none will soon forget the incredible world of Antarctica.
As Antarctica fades into the distance, and our 11-day adventure draws to an end, one cannot help but think of all the new and flabbergasting things we have seen and done. “You can sleep when you get home,” was a common phrase uttered onboard the Endeavour. Our days were full, not only with activities, but also just absorbing the land and sea around us. Zodiac tours, bird watching, and iceberg spying, were all a daily occurrence, and often continued into the latter part of the evening. Ice Berg Alley in the Weddell Sea was an ideal place to take pictures of the huge tabular bergs which had broken off the Ross Ice Shelf. They were lit dramatically by the sunlight; a stark contrast to the brown mesa-like geology of the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. On the Western side of the Peninsula, the Lemaire Channel offered breathtaking views, as the sun set behind the snow-topped mountains, casting a red glow upon the ice. These sights are what truly distinguish Antarctica from anywhere else in the world. During the days, we were on the go, landing at least twice a day. This trip we landed on some new and exciting places where the Endeavour had never been before, nor any other passenger ship. We were often greeted by a host of hundreds of the black and white fellows, looking inquisitively at the new “Giant Red Penguins” landing on the shore. On a particularly gorgeous day, we lowered our kayaks into the water, and a vast majority of the guests paddled serenely amongst shag and gull colonized islands, with spectacular ice cliffs rising in the distance.
The wildlife we have seen on this trip contained so many types of birds, it could make you dizzy trying to keep track of them. Crab-eater, weddell, and leopard seals were seen on almost every landing. We even ran across some fur seals. And the whales!Humpback whales graced us with their presence many times during the trip, including last evening. As we headed home through the Drake Passage, they seemingly waved goodbye to us with their flukes.
Our Antarctic adventure is over for now, but none will soon forget the incredible world of Antarctica.
