Antarctic travelogue

Drake passage to Antarctica

Day 3

• Position: Drake
• Hour: 08:00
• Latitude: 60°38’S
• Longitude: 65°18’W
• Distance: 369Nm
• Air temperature: 4°C
• Water temperature: 4°C

During the night Drake's turbulent flow calmed down as well as the wind eased off, for the happiness of all passengers :-) A four meters swell is persisting but nothing compared to yesterday's Drake dantesque situation. Although the sea-sickness pills tend to make me sleepy I keep on taking them. I don't want to risk being nauseous again! After a good energizing breakfast I get out on the top bridge.

During the night the vessel has passed the Antarctic convergence, also know as Antarctic polar front, a curve encircling Antarctica where cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet and mix with the warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic. So now I can write it down, I am in Antarctica!
But if I look outside I can say I'm still in dreadful Drake's passage as the swell keeps on mistreating the icebreaker. Albatrosses and Petrels seem to guide the vessel, flying in circle around us, hardly flapping their wings, efficiently taking advantage of updraughts.
Then swimming penguins have been spotted while reaching the surface for air, jumping or flying like dolphins.

Albatrosses and Petrels seem to guide the vessel, flying in circle around us, hardly flapping their wings

In the morning we had two mandatory briefings. The first one relating to safety on board zodiacs. The second one, imposed by IAATO, International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators , in order to sensitize tourists on how fragile Antarctic ecosystem is.
After lunch two other briefings are proposed, one of them relating to wildlife in Antarctica. Excitation is growing as we can spot the first Antarctic islands as the sky is clear and the sun bright.

I go to bed at the same time serene and excited as I know that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be in Antarctica peninsula.

[Continuation] First glimpse of Antarctica