Not every trip to the Antarctic requires a baptism by storm. On the contrary, the vast majority of my 80 crossings of the Drake Passage, the narrowest stretch of the Southern Ocean (480 nautical miles), have been downright comfortable. On rare occasions, however, there is no time to wait out a passing storm and we have to dive right into the maelstrom. This was one of those crossings but, with it, came a long list of incredible sights, sounds, and memories very few human beings can say they have experienced. Nor could many vessels have handled the confused seas we rolled through today with such stability, offering an incredible platform on which to embrace the raw power that makes this part of the world unlike any other.
2/27/2022
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National Geographic Explorer
The Drake Passage
Almost home. Land is in sight as we complete our crossing of the Drake Passage and draw within view of Cape Horn. As sunrise begins to illuminate the clouds, we see the blinking light of the Cabo de Hornos lighthouse. Expedition leader Lucho tells us about the poignant albatross sculpture dedicated to lost mariners and reads us the associated poem in Spanish and English. We are sailing in sheltered waters now, and the sea has reached the balmy temperature of more than 7° C. The seabirds we have learned to recognize in the open ocean–albatrosses, petrels, and prions–are now joined by others, such as imperial shags from Patagonia. Fur seals are once again frolicking near the ship. With formalities complete, there is time for a last series of presentations from our expedition staff, including: a lively account of the world-defining voyage of Ferdinand Magellan by naturalist Madalena Patacho, intriguing ‘Behind the Scenes’ insights into the life of an undersea specialist from Brett Garner, and more about the famous Endurance expedition under the leadership of Sir Ernest Shackleton. After making time for some excellent afternoon Swedish pancakes, we sailed the remaining stretch along the Beagle Channel and came at last to port in Ushuaia. We gathered in the lounge for farewell cocktails with our captain. We celebrated the wonders we experienced over the last ten days, the good friends we traveled with and with whom we shared our discovery of the Antarctic, and the glorious land of Antarctica–the seascapes, history, and wildlife. Where will we travel next? Photo caption: An avian harbinger of the coming day. Photo by Steve Backus
