The Drake Passage

The first part of the trip passed through the Beagle Channel, which is a narrow and calm channel that separates Chile and Argentina in the extreme southern tip of South America. It empties into the Drake Passage.

The Drake Passage is known as one of the most turbulent ocean passages in the world. It stands between the South American continent and Antarctica. Its nickname is the Drake Shake. But on the rare occasion when it's calm, it's known as the Drake Lake. We were amazingly lucky to experience the Drake Lake.

For two days, the sea was calm and we had a fair amount of sun. Everyone here was relieved because we have all heard of the horror story of violent passages. Or they've experienced it. We met many people who've been to Antarctica once or twice before. 7 meter waves are not uncommon.

When the trip started we weren't sure what the order of events were. It really does depend on the weather and the Captain's got the final decision. This is a long cruise and we're hitting the Falklands and South Georgia in addition to Antarctica. Fortunately we're heading straight to Antarctica. It will take 2 days.

The crew is top notch. We spent the two days getting familiar with the ship, having safety briefings, attending lectures on wildlife, and getting to know fellow passengers. It looks like it's going to be fun.

More photos and videos are here.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2CAErkB37hnDdUF99

And this is the highlight of the trip: a Southern Right Whale sighting on January 10th. It's so rare for one of them to hang out next to a Zodiac, I'm posting it in every footprint.

https://findpenguins.com/0x7ax2pvwii8d/footprin…Read more