After the excitement of leaving a perfect sunny day in Ushuaia and sailing overnight, we woke up situated in the middle of the notorious Drake Passage. We were extremely fortunate as most of the rough weather had gone and we had a relatively quiet day crossing this passage.

The light winds outside resulted in foggy scenery so most of the day’s activities were based inside. For a sea day, we discovered there was still much to do. To begin expedition leader, Peter Wilson, introduced the expedition team. The guests were then briefed on Zodiac safety followed by decontamination of gear and equipment as a biosecurity precaution.

Outside, the Drake Passage was relatively smooth and in the afternoon the fog lifted and treated us to good visibility. While a few birds were spotted, including the black-browed albatross, the bird life was quiet probably due to the slight winds. Back inside National Geographic Explorer, the photographic team worked with guests preparing them to capture great images throughout their journey.

All in all, it was a quiet, leisurely day but the excitement amongst the group was growing with every minute. Tomorrow we will officially be on the White Continent.