Antarctica - Day 2 - Drake Passage

Position at 2030 hours: Lat. 58° 32.6’S, Long. 63° 23.4’W Speed: 12.2 knots

Wind: 16 knots W Air temperature: 5° C Sea temperature: 3° C

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin – his control Stops with the shore.   —Lord Byron 


Woke early to the gentle rolling of the ship and the quiet hum of the engines. It was only 5.30 a.m. and already light.  Max, the only other hardy passenger at this early hour, was standing legs akimbo, and I joined him slowly to test my sea legs across pitching deck. We stood wedged against the rail to marvel at the vast ocean surrounding the ship. There was no sign of the land we had left the previous night, and we could feel the gentle roll of the Polar Pioneer as she made her way through the heaving, grey ocean. A watery sun glowed faintly through the thin cloud, and I imagined what it must feel like to be a lone sailor on this vast ocean.

We watched black-browed albatrosses and giant petrels soar over the waves, Cape petrels swoop under the bow of the ship and tiny Antarctic prions appear and disappear between the swells. Then a wandering albatross with a lot of white on its wings, the master of soaring, came into view. We felt very satisfied with our early morning sightings and returned to the sleeping passengers below. 

The day continued with time on the bridge bird-watching, and chatting between passengers and crew for some.  Others, such as myself, spent the day horizontal in our cabins, trying to fight off sea sickness in the large rolling swell that was attacking us from our stern quarter.  I managed to take myself to Captain’s drinks but was soon back to the couch.  Max coping so well that he occasionally supplied me with drinks and meals, climbing up and down stairs with hands full of cups and plates when I couldn't even stand.

Max on the Bridge - it became his favourite place - first there in the morning and not quite last to leave at night.