Crossing the Drake Passage

Without a doubt, these have been the most excruciatingly painful four days of my life ...

But this means we’ve finally made it across the Drake Passage! It took us a little bit more than planned, but we finally made it. And what a journey it was. 

What started out as a pleasant and calm journey through the protected inland waters of Tierra del Fuego quickly changed as we rounded Cape Horn. From there, Poseidon showed his angry face, as if to say: if you’re going to brag about crossing the Drake Passage, you’re going to have to earn it. Six- to seven-metre swells and sustained winds blowing in excess of 85 knots (equivalent to a Category 2 Hurricane) is what we had to endure for the better part of four days. 

There were times when I honestly thought it would not end. One thing is for sure, violent rocking is a force to be reckoned with … And not just from side to side. Oftentimes it was in all directions. I think the closest comparison I can come up with is feeling like an ingredient tossed around in a chef’s pan. Then, there’s the constant bang of the waves smashing into the metal hull of our ship, and the eerie creaky sounds coming from our wooden bunk beds.

Some mentions of bravery are necessary. I’m convinced that our cameraman Semir Sejfovic is some kind of superman. Not only did he not suffer from any sea sickness which most, if not all of the group had – I felt the sea's roughness lit an inner fire, as he was always wanting to get a better shot. And he therefore deserves a gold medal, if there is such a thing. Our producer, John Joe Regan fared almost as well, but the last bit of stormy weather got to him too. I, on the other hand, let’s just say I should only get a ribbon for participating  as I rarely left my bed. 

Now that we’ve reached the South Shetland islands, we’ll be doing some stops to arrange logistics, dropping off equipment and supplies to the Turkish Antarctic Expedition’s Robert island camp team. This means it’s another couple of days till the magnificent views of the Antarctic Peninsula I’ve been dreaming about come into sight. 

We’ll be updating our blog as we go along. The next entry will hopefully be when we reach the white continent.