Even starting off as far south as Ushuaia, it’s a long way to Antarctica – almost 1000 km of open water. We got a peek at the chart below whilst touring the bridge of the Corinthian – they have computer charts nowadays, of course, but as geologists we still have a soft spot for the paper variety.
A chart showing our heading across the Drake Passage. Photo: Anne Jefferson, 2013.
The Drake Passage is not known as the calmest bodies of water on the planet – quite the contrary in fact. But we were fortunate: whilst there was still a noticeable swell, it was hardly the sort of whether that required us to use the straps on the beds in our cabins. But despite having no impediment to a bracing tour of the upper decks, the only thing to see other than grey ocean was the company of seabirds tracking our route – probably because we were the only thing of interest for them, too.
Storm Petrels above the stormy seas of the Drake. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2013
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