Drake Passage
Our first impression this morning is one of disbelief! We are experiencing the “Drake Lake”; for most of us it is a relief as we were all expecting much worse from this infamous body of water. However there are few complaints to be heard.
There is hardly any wind and it feels warm on deck. As a result of the conditions there are fewer seabirds to be seen. However we catch our first glimpses of pintado petrels, southern fulmars, prions and the occasional giant petrel. We also spot a few of the little Wilson’s storm petrels flitting over the waters in search of food. However there are few albatrosses about, it is just too calm.
The ideal conditions mean that we are making rapid progress across the Drake. By the evening we have crossed the Antarctic Convergence, the biological boundary to Antarctica, as well as the political boundary at 60'S latitude. On this particular voyage these two seamarks coincide. The air temperatures have dropped dramatically, a sign that we are now into the Southern Ocean.
Throughout the day we are treated to a series of lectures that will greatly enrich the experience we are in store for.
By evening there are several albatrosses around the ship. Black-browed, Light mantled sooty and Gray-headed albatrosses enthrall us as we delight in watching these magnificent birds effortlessly fly over the southern waters which are their home.
