Crossing Drake's Passage

Friday, January 15, 2016 - Day 7

We spent the night of day 7 the Albatross Hotel in Ushuaia across from the port. The weather files look manageable with 3-5 meter seas and wind 25-40 knots for Sunday through Wednesday.

Saturday, January 16, 2016 - Day 8

When we awoke on Day 8, we waited around in the lobby of Albatross meeting some of our shipmates until we boarded the Ocean Diamond at 3:30 pm and were greeted by crew and snacks, and the obligatory abandon ship drill.  We have life vests in our cabin.

By 6:30 we had cast off our lines and left the safe harbor heading down the Beagle Channel to Drake's Passage.

By 8:00, dinner time, we were still in the channel, but were gradually being introduced to ocean swell and stronger winds as we approached Drake's Passage.  We were issued our heavy duty parkas along with the other 179 other passengers.  I am sure these will keep us warm, but not sure how we are going to lug them around after we are finished with Antarctica.

Saturday night in to Sunday morning, we slept a little restlessly as we rocked and rolled through the night with the anticipated waves and winds.

Sunday, January 17, 2016 - Day 9

Dawn filtered through heavy overcast skies.  We are on deck 5 and from our sea splashed windows and water soaked decks, it's obvious that we are plowing into seas, sending bow wash our way.  Russ and I make it up to the bridge and have a look at the navigation equipment.  Ocean Diamond's speed overground is 11.7 knots.  Worrall Wind's best speed overground was around 7 knots.  Given the conditions outside we're making good time.  The plan is to cross the the Antarctic circle first and then work our way back north along the peninsula.

Monday, January 18, 2016 - Day 10

Conditions:   Cloudy

Wind: 15-20 knots

Waves 3 - 4 meters

Location:   61 33 S  (still 5 degrees north of the Antarctic circle)

                67 05 W

The seas are less boisterous this morning, perhaps 3-4 meters, rather than 5-6. A large boat creaks and groans just as our ketch did.  There are still a few white caps but the wind is not blowing the tops off.  We traveled through the Antarctic convergence zone last night and are paralleling the Antarctic Peninsula towards the Circle and Marguerite Bay where there both  Argentina and the UK have polar bases here.

By noon, the wind had subsided to 15 knots, and the seas between 1-2 meters. We spent some time on the bridge and spotted our first icebergs on the horizon. The expedition crew briefed us on how to safely board the Zodiacs

, and what we needed to do to prevent any foreign object, plants, food, and particles from transferring to the continent.

We were issued our polar parkas on Sunday. Today, we were issued our water proof boots, and all of our outer-wear gear was rigorously vacuumed by crew.  

Many of our shipmates had suffered from sea sickness during crossing Drake's passage so the captain's welcome cock tail was postponed until tonight when everyone could attend. After the party and during dinner, we started to pass by sea ice, bergie-bits, and huge ice shelves.  The ship is slowing down to safely navigate through the intensifying ice flow.

The captain anticipates that we will be crossing the Antarctic Circle about 6:30 tomorrow morning and that after lunch, we will take our first steps on Antarctica.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - Crossing the Antarctic Circle - Day 11

Pinch me!  I've dreamed so long of visiting Antarctica, it's hard to believe the time is now, and it's not a dream!  Wow.  

We started the day by having a champaign celebration when we crossed the Antarctic Circle. 66 33 South latitude, around 7:25 this morning.  There are many cruises to the Antarctic peninsula, but few cross the Antarctic Circle.

Crossing the Circle with Neptune's Blessings

Polar Friends Jeff, Betsy, and Penny.

So this was special for us.  This is the first attempt this year by the expedition team because the ice flow has been so thick it has not been possible.    While we were able to cross the circle, we were unable to get all the way to to Marguerite Bay.  The ice and ice bergs were too close for us to continue further with the hopes of escaping when we were done exploring. Apparently, this is the reason that some of the country's base stations have closed down because this is quite common.

Our captain stopped the shipped midway down Adelaide Island.  We donned our boots, parka, gloves, camera, and boarded dinghies that zipped through the water. And unlike the spray from the South Pacific, the spray from the bow of the Zodiac was freezing. The spray felt thick.  It was below freezing, and the water droplets immediately turned to ice on my camera lens, But, oh my, what glorious views of seals, penguins, and floating icebergs.

When we have a chance to post photos, you will see the crabeater seals, the Adelie penguins, and incredible icebergs with fabulous  hues of blues and greens.

Tomorrow we will still be below the circle in an a planned stopped at Hanusse Bay where the Polar Plunge will be an option.  Not sure about this. Having an ER doc aboard with heart paddles standing by is a deterrent.  It is almost 11:00 pm and it's snowing.  Ice crystals are forming on the windows.

All is Well With the Worrall Travel R's in Antarctica south of the Antarctic Circle.

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Ushuaia - End of the World, Day 7

January 15, 2016

Our AirBnB host picked us up this morning at 10:00 am and transported us to the Albatross Hotel in downtown Ushuaia.  We spent the day at the hotel, and walking around the town.  Tall snow capped  mountains circle 3/4 of the town,

and the Beagle Channel and bay the other 1/4 of the town.  The visibility is crystal clear for as far as the eye can see.

Town architecture is somewhat mixed and alpine. There are good parts of town that are fairly well kept and in good condition, mostly those that tourists see. And then there are the parts of town that are in poor repair and rather junky looking. The weather is mild now, but the winter weather down here takes its toll on the buildings, streets, and sidewalks.  Our AirBnB is neat in clean and tidy, but it is in the "junky" area of town where there are no garages, cars line the street and children play in the street, dogs run freely and bark all night.  We are located  a mile or so from the main street.

The main street is up aways from the water front street.  The buildings protect pedestrians from the biting wind that blows up the hill from the water.  Today it was not too bad as the sun was out and the wind relatively calm, but on bad days, one can only imagine how cold it could be.

Stores on the main street are tourist and sport oriented, selling parkas, fleeces, hats, mittens, and souveniers.  We came well prepared, but some folks we think must come down in their sandals and shorts and gear up once they are here.  The slogan here is Fin de Mond..end of the world.  Personally we think it should be the bottom of the world, not the end.

This evening, we gathered in the lobby to get our boarding instructions for tomorrow.  Looks like the Internet on the boat is slower than what we have in the hotel today, and hotel Internet is incredibly slow, so it looks as if I'll be sending text only blogs with no photos until we return to Daniel's AirBnB.

We've met some nice folks so far from Michigan, Seattle, and Melbourne, Australia.  The weather looks like it will be fine for the passage with 15-30 knots of wind, and waves from 3-4 meters.  On our small boat this would have been challenging but doable.  On a bigger boat, I think we shouldn't feel too much, but we'll see.  We booked a mid level, mid ship room, so I hope it feels pretty stable in rolling easterly wind and seas.

It's 11:00 pm and we are turning in for the night now that the night sky has fallen.

All is well the Worrall TravelRs at the Bottom of the World.