What it’s genuinely similar crossing the Drake Passage from Ushuaia to Antarctica.
The Drake Passage, the stretch of H2O betwixt the southernmost tip of South America as well as the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica has the notorious reputation of beingness the roughest seas inwards the world.
For centuries sailors would firm inwards trepidation through the stormy passage, pushing their ships as well as skills to the limit.
But is crossing the Drake Passage genuinely equally bad as it sounds inwards today’s climate?
Watch our vlog episode close crossing the Drake Passage with One Ocean Expeditions
Every year the thousands of tourists that create the passage from South America to Antarctica on expedition as well as cruise ships are rewarded with 1 of the most incredible adventures on this planet – a see to the ‘White Continent’.
For some people the thought of spending 2 days at sea inwards potentially petroleum conditions is plenty to deter them from making their journeying to Antarctica. Based on our ain personal experience, this fright is unwarranted.
We crossed from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula on a Russian question vessel inwards 2017, as well as experienced ‘Beaufort 9’ winds (on a scale that goes to 12). Despite the shaky passage nosotros felt completely safe, fifty-fifty if nosotros did acquire a niggling motion sickness.
Since nosotros take away maintain returned from Antarctica nosotros take away maintain been asked dozens of times, “What is it similar crossing the Drake’s Passage?” The brusk answer: Not equally bad equally y'all think.
Today the crossing is far less treacherous compared to the early on days of exploration, thank y'all to advanced ship structure as well as modern satellite as well as conditions monitoring technologies.
It is of import to call back that the fearful reputation that the Drake Passage has mainly stems from the unsafe crossings that sailors made inwards wooden ships, without the assist of GPS as well as conditions forecasts.
Yes, the seas tin live rough. And yes, some people acquire sea sick. But no, it is non scary or unsafe anymore.
History of the Drake Passage
The history of exploration inwards the Drake Passage goes dorsum nearly 500 years.
This stretch of sea is where the Southern Ocean surges through an 800km-wide gap betwixt the tip of South America as well as the Antarctic Peninsula, creating a sometimes turbulent environment.
The Drake Passage is also known equally the Mar de Hoces (Sea of Hoces) inwards Spanish. The English linguistic communication championship was named after the British explorer Francis Drake, whose ship was blown S of the Magellan Strait at the bottom of South America inwards 1578.
It wasn’t until 1616 that the commencement documented crossing of the Drake Passage was made, when the Dutch vessel Eendracht rounded what afterwards became known equally Cape Horn.
Since as well as thus the Drake Passage has leave of absence infamous with sailors equally habitation to some of the roughest seas inwards the world, as well as a badge of accolade to live worn for those that take away maintain crossed it.
As the narrowest passage connecting Antarctica with the balance of the footing (in this example South America), it is the primary road taken past times tourist expeditions to see the southern continent.
Crossing The Drake Passage With One Ocean Expeditions
We crossed the Drake Passage on the Akademik Ioffe, a Russian question vessel operated past times the polar percentage tour experts, One Ocean Expeditions.
This ship, along with its sister-ship the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, were built inwards 1989 as well as 1988 respectively inwards Republic of Finland as well as were constructed to live the most capable polar exploration vessels that take away maintain ever sailed the seas.
Armed with an internal water-ballasted stabilisation organisation as well as an ice-strengthened hull, nether the command of an experienced captain as well as crew with thousands of hours at sea, we knew that nosotros would live perfectly rubber on our journey.
This wasn’t a cruise ship that y'all mightiness discovery inwards the Mediterranean or the Caribbean Area – this was a vessel designed to conquer anything that the body of body of water could throw at it, spell conducting of import scientific research.
If were to position our trust inwards whatever ship for crossing the Drake Passage, this was the one.
Learn how to move to Antarctica responsibly inwards our ultimate guide.
Leaving Ushuaia
After a few days inwards Ushuaia nosotros were scheduled to start our Antarctic adventure on Feb 25th. We met the crew as well as boyfriend passengers inwards a fashionable hotel for check-in as well as thus headed to the port to embarkation.
We were taken to our rooms, had a detailed security briefing as well as shown how to purpose the life boats as well as life jackets (in the extremely rare circumstance that nosotros would genuinely demand them). All 67 passengers felt excited as well as fully-prepared for the journeying south.
As luck would take away maintain it a tempest had formed over the Drake Passage during the day, as well as the captain made the conclusion to delay our deviation inwards social club to avoid the worst of it. Already the comfort of the passengers was beingness position equally a priority.
We left port at 10pm, as well as when nosotros woke inwards the morning time nosotros were officially inwards the Drake Passage.
The Drake Shake
The Sun rose as well as the ship came to life. The seas were rolling nonetheless steady, as well as spirits were high with the passengers.
Over breakfast Boris Wise, our experienced expedition leader, warned that the seas ahead were looking rough, but that this ship as well as the captain had made far to a greater extent than intense crossings countless times. With Boris’s confident outlook all the passengers felt much to a greater extent than at ease.
Personally nosotros were excited to experience what is normally known equally the “Drake Shake“.
Most of the grouping had come upwardly fully prepared for the voyage, loaded upwardly with a huge amount of seasickness medication such equally Dramamine as well as Benadryl.
Every One Ocean Expeditions journeying has an experienced Dr. onboard. For us it was Dr Gabby, as well as she was constantly on paw to administer whatever stronger medication if needed, as well as monitor how everyone was feeling.
Just earlier tiffin Alesha as well as I started to experience a niggling sick, as well as Dr Gabby gave us some tablets to chop-chop relaxation the nausea, as well as thus some strong patches to live position behind the ear that would eliminate whatever seasickness for three days. They worked a treat, as well as inside an lx minutes nosotros were upwardly as well as running exactly about the ship again.
The winds picked upwardly as well as presently the Akademik Ioffe was swaying with the swell. The crew locked the doors to the exterior decks to create certain no 1 wandered exterior spell the seas were rising.
On the upper deck the captain as well as officers had opened the bridge, giving everyone access to spectacular views over the stormy seas as well as distant horizon. Now as well as and thus a moving ridge would intermission over the bow, creating a dramatic scene that exactly close everybody wanted to photograph.
This was also the exclusively house to acquire fresh air spell the tempest doors were unopen (unless y'all opened the porthole window inwards your room), thus the passengers happily congregated on the twain watching the helmsman expertly guide the ship through the waves.
While it did acquire progressively rougher throughout the twenty-four hours as well as night, past times as well as thus everybody onboard had taken their medication as well as most were feeling fine.
The Drake Shake rocked us equally nosotros motored towards Antarctica, but fifty-fifty with the Beaufort ix winds as well as rising swell, the mood on the ship was positive as well as excited.
We chatted to many of the guests on the ship who were initially worried close this crossing, as well as all of them admitted that it wasn’t equally bad equally they imagined (despite feeling sick for a brusk time).
Even the One Ocean Expeditions crew admitted the seas were rough, which genuinely made us all experience a lot braver for charging through the Drake Shake without a aid inwards the world.
What To Do During The Crossing
Two days at sea goes past times surprisingly quick onboard the Akademik Ioffe. Hearty as well as delicious meals are served throughout the day, as well as at that topographic point is ample fourth dimension to read upwardly on Antarctic history inwards the well-stocked library.
Those feeling active tin hitting the gym or sauna, or if you’d rather relax the lounge is ever opened upwardly with a choice of herbal teas as well as java to enjoy.
Some people but chilled inwards their rooms, but past times far the most pop affair to practise spell crossing the Drake Passage is to attend the presentations.
One Ocean Expeditions employs a publish of world-class specialists to greater heighten the onboard experience, such equally polar historians, ornithologists, whale experts as well as fifty-fifty a professional person photographer.
These experts give regular presentations to educate passengers on the environment, wild animals as well as history of Antarctica. Each session lasts betwixt thirty to lx minutes, as well as are extremely rewarding. We honestly felt our Antarctica expedition was greatly enriched past times these presentations.
In the evenings Happy Hour would commence, as well as most people headed to the lounge for an alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) imbibe to relaxation into dinner.
Arriving In Antarctica
This was the minute nosotros were all waiting for, as well as after 2 days of sailing nosotros arrived inwards the Antarctic Peninsula.
Once nosotros had charged through the tempest the captain regulated the ship’s speed to ensure nosotros would create it at sunrise. We laid our alarms for 4:30am as well as woke upwardly with the heaven starting to plough orange.
In the distance were the mountains of Antarctica, as well as huge icebergs floated past times inwards regal silence. As nosotros had immediately arrived inwards the archipelago the seas were completely calm, as well as everybody congregated on the decks to witness a scene nosotros volition never forget…
Motion sickness, unnecessary fears as well as petroleum seas volition ever live worth beating inwards social club to grab sight of your commencement Antarctic sunrise.
The Drake Lake
The commencement 2 days were genuinely the final fourth dimension nosotros would experience petroleum seas. The waters of the Antarctic Peninsula are completely protected, thus there’s no rocking get at all. Seasickness was exactly a distant memory.
On the voyage dorsum nosotros genuinely had what is known equally the “Drake Lake”. For the entire crossing, nosotros had no air current as well as calm seas. The call matched the surround perfectly.
Since nosotros take away maintain returned nosotros take away maintain discovered that the “Drake Lake” phenomena is genuinely to a greater extent than mutual than nosotros commencement thought. We take away maintain met a lot of people who take away maintain made their ain Antarctic expeditions as well as had calm conditions the entire time.
We’re glad nosotros got to come across a glimpse of what the Drake Passage tin do, but having no swell or air current on the agency dorsum was a wonderful gift.
Tips For Crossing The Drake Passage
The reputation of how petroleum the Drake Passage tin live plenty to scare potential travellers from making the crossing to Antarctica. We are hither to tell y'all non to worry, equally it’s non equally bad equally the reputation makes it out to be.
Still, at that topographic point are a few tips that nosotros would similar to give to assist your journeying across the Drake Passage leave of absence equally smoothly equally possible.
- Bring lots of seasickness medication with you. Even if you’ve had experience on long body of body of water crossings, at that topographic point is ever a gamble y'all tin experience the effects of motion sickness. Take preventative handling such equally Dramamine as well as Benadryl.
- Drink lots of water. It’s of import to rest hydrated, peculiarly if y'all are sick.
- Talk to the doctor. One Ocean Expeditions ever has a qualified as well as experienced Dr. onboard as well as they volition take away maintain stronger medication than y'all tin purchase over the counter inwards a pharmacy. Our Dr. fifty-fifty had injections to halt vomiting inwards severe cases, although this was non needed past times whatever of the guests.
- Lay down. Being horizontal is 1 of the best ways to salve the feelings of motion sickness.
- Eat food. Even though y'all experience sick eating tin genuinely help. If y'all can’t create it to breakfast, tiffin or dinner don’t worry – the crew create regular rounds of the cabins to create certain everyone is feeling ok, as well as if y'all can’t acquire upwardly they volition convey y'all nutrient (or crackers at the really to the lowest degree if that’s all y'all experience like).
- Attend equally many of the presentations equally possible. They volition assist go past times the fourth dimension as well as render a much amend experience for your expedition.
- Don’t live scared. If the seas are likewise wild the captain volition either postpone the journeying or accept a longer road to minimise rock. But if you’re with sailing One Ocean Expeditions as well as their fleet of Russian question vessels, y'all volition live inwards the safest hands possible.
Our journeying to Antarctica was done inwards partnership with One Ocean Expeditions. All thoughts, opinions as well as hours spent staring out at the Drake Passage are, equally always, our own.
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