Crossing the Drake Passage
We departed last night at around 6pm after a full day of traveling and exploring the area around Ushuaia. Before our departure we went on a tour that wound its way through the beautiful mountains near Ushuaia. We stopped for a lunch which included whole lamb roasted over an open fire in the typical local style.
Ushuaia faded slowly from sight off the stern of the Endeavour as we sailed easterly down the Beagle Channel towards the Southern Ocean and our ultimate destination: Antarctica. We completed the necessary safety drill and all had a chance to explore the ship. The seas were calm, but the wind freshened as we continued towards the entrance of the channel and a southerly turn past the infamous Cape Horn.
After a pleasant night of only moderate rolling seas we were woken by a good morning announcement from our Expedition Leader Matt Drennan. Matt’s voice we would all grow to recognize as the sound of necessary information but more importantly impending adventure.
Our day at sea was spent in a relaxed manner as we wandered about the ship familiarizing ourselves with its many decks and amenities. We were able to participate in 3 interesting and informative talks: one on Currents and Winds, one on Seabirds, and our final presentation of the day was given by our onboard scientist and founder Ron Naveen on the Oceanites project.
At approximately 5pm we officially entered the Antarctic convergence, as the temperature of the sea water dropped dramatically to only 3.1 degrees Celsius.
We finished the day with a lovely cocktail party hosted by our Captain Kruess, in which we were able to meet the able crew of the Endeavour. We retired to our cozy cabins after our first sit down dinner of surprisingly excellent gourmet fare.
We departed last night at around 6pm after a full day of traveling and exploring the area around Ushuaia. Before our departure we went on a tour that wound its way through the beautiful mountains near Ushuaia. We stopped for a lunch which included whole lamb roasted over an open fire in the typical local style.
Ushuaia faded slowly from sight off the stern of the Endeavour as we sailed easterly down the Beagle Channel towards the Southern Ocean and our ultimate destination: Antarctica. We completed the necessary safety drill and all had a chance to explore the ship. The seas were calm, but the wind freshened as we continued towards the entrance of the channel and a southerly turn past the infamous Cape Horn.
After a pleasant night of only moderate rolling seas we were woken by a good morning announcement from our Expedition Leader Matt Drennan. Matt’s voice we would all grow to recognize as the sound of necessary information but more importantly impending adventure.
Our day at sea was spent in a relaxed manner as we wandered about the ship familiarizing ourselves with its many decks and amenities. We were able to participate in 3 interesting and informative talks: one on Currents and Winds, one on Seabirds, and our final presentation of the day was given by our onboard scientist and founder Ron Naveen on the Oceanites project.
At approximately 5pm we officially entered the Antarctic convergence, as the temperature of the sea water dropped dramatically to only 3.1 degrees Celsius.
We finished the day with a lovely cocktail party hosted by our Captain Kruess, in which we were able to meet the able crew of the Endeavour. We retired to our cozy cabins after our first sit down dinner of surprisingly excellent gourmet fare.
