Monday 21 January 2013

Drake Passage



We woke up to an overcast and calm day. A day of swings and roundabouts. With minimal swell and wave heights below 2m, nobody felt seasick on board and everybody was able to attend to the diverse lecture programme set up by the expedition team. On the other hand, some photo enthusiasts were more than a bit disappointed as under these conditions, albatross and other seabirds rarely fly. These birds need more wind to soar around on the seas. So apart from a couple of Hourglass dolphins that visited the ship, very few wildlife was spotted today.





The day was also used for preparations for our landings in Antarctica. A big vacuuming party was held in the corridors of deck 2 and 3, where everybody carefully cleaned their jackets, trousers and bags. One of the biggest threats to Antarctica’s wildlife is introduction of foreign life forms, being it seeds from plants back home or microorganisms that are attached to soil particles. With this extra care, we make sure that we keep Antarctica as unspoilt as it is now.