The Drake Passage
We awoke this morning some 90 nautical miles southeast of Cape Horn, well out to sea in the infamous Drake Passage. Renowned as one of the stormiest regions in the world, the Drake we are experiencing is a veritable pussycat. A light westerly breeze and a moderate swell remind us we are at sea, nothing more.
As bright sunshine mingles with an occasional passing shower, many gather on the aft deck for an introduction to the seabirds of the southern ocean. A wide variety of birds waft about in our wake, gliding on the ever-present westerly wind. Both Wandering and Royal albatross, the largest flying birds on earth, cruise past our rail. With wingspans of up to 11 feet yet breadths of merely 9 inches, these behemoths are capable of flying thousands of kilometers on foraging flights lasting a month or more. Breeding circumpolarly on sub- Antarctic islands, the giant albatross are a sure sign that we are deep in the vast southern ocean. Numerous species of petrels, close relatives of albatross, also followed the ship today. Blue petrel, Giant petrel, White-chinned petrel, Black-bellied storm petrel and Wilson's storm petrel all were seen, despite their rapid flight and in some cases, tiny size. Indeed, in addition to the largest flying birds, we've seen the smallest member of the seabird group today. The Wilson's storm petrel, a mere sprite compared to the albatrosses, has a wingspan of only 8 inches. Yet like it's distant cousin, these diminutive birds are capable of epic migrations. Each austral summer they breed around the fringe of the Antarctic and at the end of the season migrate to the opposite end of the globe, to the northern oceans, where they can be found in the thousands during July and August.
Who would have thought we would ever be emulating a tiny, non-descript seabird, making our own journey from one end of the earth to the other?
We awoke this morning some 90 nautical miles southeast of Cape Horn, well out to sea in the infamous Drake Passage. Renowned as one of the stormiest regions in the world, the Drake we are experiencing is a veritable pussycat. A light westerly breeze and a moderate swell remind us we are at sea, nothing more.
As bright sunshine mingles with an occasional passing shower, many gather on the aft deck for an introduction to the seabirds of the southern ocean. A wide variety of birds waft about in our wake, gliding on the ever-present westerly wind. Both Wandering and Royal albatross, the largest flying birds on earth, cruise past our rail. With wingspans of up to 11 feet yet breadths of merely 9 inches, these behemoths are capable of flying thousands of kilometers on foraging flights lasting a month or more. Breeding circumpolarly on sub- Antarctic islands, the giant albatross are a sure sign that we are deep in the vast southern ocean. Numerous species of petrels, close relatives of albatross, also followed the ship today. Blue petrel, Giant petrel, White-chinned petrel, Black-bellied storm petrel and Wilson's storm petrel all were seen, despite their rapid flight and in some cases, tiny size. Indeed, in addition to the largest flying birds, we've seen the smallest member of the seabird group today. The Wilson's storm petrel, a mere sprite compared to the albatrosses, has a wingspan of only 8 inches. Yet like it's distant cousin, these diminutive birds are capable of epic migrations. Each austral summer they breed around the fringe of the Antarctic and at the end of the season migrate to the opposite end of the globe, to the northern oceans, where they can be found in the thousands during July and August.
Who would have thought we would ever be emulating a tiny, non-descript seabird, making our own journey from one end of the earth to the other?
