17-12-19: Drake Passage

2 days at sea take us across the Drake Passage from Cape Horn to Antarctica. The big question at the beginning was: Will it be Drake Lake or Drake Shake? Will it be a smooth crossing or a bumpy ride with waves as high as 6 meters? Day 1 on the passage was more of a Drake Shake. The ship was rocking up and down and Ruth had some problems. Our cabin is midship and that's a good thing. The movement is significantly reduced compared to the front or back. Day 2 was then Drake Lake. Very calm sea and the weather is also getting better.

There's not much to see on the passage. Water all around, nothing else. The albatrosses and petrels are interesting, they follow the ship the whole time.

The days at sea are made shorter with many interesting lectures and good food. The highlight was the sighting of a group of blue whales and fin whales. The blue whale is the largest creature on Earth, weighing up to 200 tons!

The ship is heading towards the South Shetlands. The plan is to land at Yankee Harbour the next day.