The Drake Passage
Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula during the night, the National Geographic Explorer has begun the last leg of our three-week journey. What lies ahead is an area ruled by mysterious creatures steeped in legend and myth. Using the ship like a makeshift aerial playground, petrels and albatross draw envious eyes with their effortless, sinuous flight in these powerful winds. A sharp eye and a bit of luck afford a glimpse of the largest of creatures, the leviathans. Their blows dispersed by wind and their backs obscured by cresting waves, not much can be seen of a 70-foot fin whale. On days like this, the sea can play tricks on you. Was that a whale? Is that bird really that large?
The Drake Passage itself has earned a reputation as one of the most tumultuous stretches of ocean on Earth. Constricted by the Antarctic Peninsula and South America, the Southern Ocean is at its narrowest here. With no landmass to subdue its weather systems, and the shallow continental shelf to aide in increasing wave heights, the Drake Passage should be respected. Yet, with her stabilizers extended, a superbly experienced crew, and with a bit of good timing, our crossing has so far been one of relative comfort. The National Geographic Explorer has shone brightly on this trip, cementing her reputation as a highly capable expedition travel vessel. Be it ice in the Weddell Sea or the swells of Drake Passage, this vessel has been operated with great confidence and skill by her Captain and Officers. With one more day in The Drake to go, we hope that smooth sailing will continue. Even if it doesn’t, we are in good hands.
