Drake Passage

We’re about halfway back across the Drake Passage, after a rather rough night in which my cabin-mate and I were awoken by a sheath of papers flying off the bedside table. Things are a little calmer now, although we’re due to hit more storms later this evening. The dining room is notably emptier than it has been! I had a lovely hot shower after our last zodiac cruise yesterday, but now that we’ve entered rough waters, niceties like showering have a tendency to go out the window. Trying to shower when the ship’s lurching from side to side, with the water sloshing back and forth across the bathroom is too much hassle.

Keeping yourself occupied on at sea days is always a challenge. On the way south, there’s the advantage of anticipation, but on the return leg things feel somewhat flat. The expedition staff do a good job of providing distraction in the form of lectures, and this morning we heard about the process of setting up the Penguin Experience in San Diego, and what was involved in creating a penguin breeding program, as well as a factual presentation about the Antarctic Treaty. I find the lectures provide a good opportunity to get some knitting done, and in the gaps between I try and work on processing my photos, with mixed success. Funnily enough my OU study has not received the attention it deserves.

We’ll be taking a small detour on the way back to Ushuaia, to see Cape Horn, which should be interesting, although I’m not sure how much there really is to see. Hopefully we’ll sail through the Beagle Channel during daylight hours so that we can enjoy the last of the scenery, and perhaps spot a Magellanic penguin or two.