The Drake Passage
After departing from Ushuaia and steaming east down the Beagle Channel we turned to the south and headed out into the Southern Ocean. Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America, is now behind us and ahead of us is the expanse of ocean known as the Drake Passage. Beyond that lies our destination - Antarctica.
These exposed seas can be rough and storm-tossed but we are blessed with a relatively calm day at sea. There is time for finding our way around our new home on board, catching up on sleep and preparing for our Antarctic experiences. An important part of this preparation are the presentations from the on board naturalists. There is also the time to spend on the bridge looking for the seabirds and marine mammals that live here in the Southern Ocean, in many cases species that we will not see when we reach Antarctica.
Perhaps most notable among these are the albatrosses - magnificent ocean wanderers that treat the vast expanses of the Southern Ocean as their backyard. Today we were fortunate to see good numbers of four species of albatross. The distance traveled by these seabirds was amply demonstrated by the presence of several royal albatrosses, a species that only breeds in New Zealand. Other species breed more locally, for example in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, but still travel significant distances in search of their food which is typically squid, seized close to the surface. While they are superlative fliers, they are also waterproof and buoyant, have webbed feet and are able to settle on the water and rest for periods.
As we continue our journey south overnight, decreasing temperatures hint at what lies ahead. For now, we are content to have spent a fine day at sea in the company of some other ocean going travelers.
After departing from Ushuaia and steaming east down the Beagle Channel we turned to the south and headed out into the Southern Ocean. Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America, is now behind us and ahead of us is the expanse of ocean known as the Drake Passage. Beyond that lies our destination - Antarctica.
These exposed seas can be rough and storm-tossed but we are blessed with a relatively calm day at sea. There is time for finding our way around our new home on board, catching up on sleep and preparing for our Antarctic experiences. An important part of this preparation are the presentations from the on board naturalists. There is also the time to spend on the bridge looking for the seabirds and marine mammals that live here in the Southern Ocean, in many cases species that we will not see when we reach Antarctica.
Perhaps most notable among these are the albatrosses - magnificent ocean wanderers that treat the vast expanses of the Southern Ocean as their backyard. Today we were fortunate to see good numbers of four species of albatross. The distance traveled by these seabirds was amply demonstrated by the presence of several royal albatrosses, a species that only breeds in New Zealand. Other species breed more locally, for example in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, but still travel significant distances in search of their food which is typically squid, seized close to the surface. While they are superlative fliers, they are also waterproof and buoyant, have webbed feet and are able to settle on the water and rest for periods.
As we continue our journey south overnight, decreasing temperatures hint at what lies ahead. For now, we are content to have spent a fine day at sea in the company of some other ocean going travelers.
