At Sea / Drake Passage
Early in the morning, we started our journey back to Ushuaia, leaving behind the White Continent that was our home for the last week. The Drake has been good to us, and the National Geographic Explorer moves swiftly in calm waters, with winds from the SW at a speed of 25 knots. Some cape petrels, southern giant petrels and albatrosses fly full of grace behind the ship, being our companions as we cross the area where the Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows eastward connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. This is the largest ocean current in the world, transporting more water than any other current…and it feels like that.
Well, after a week full of diverse activities, such as walking on shore between penguins and seals, hiking to snowy peaks, whale-watching and cruising in Zodiacs and kayaks amongst the ice, it is time for reflection. When we think about Antarctica it becomes clear in our minds that Antarctica is not only a place; it is also a feeling, a way of perceiving nature, a life philosophy. Only someone who has experienced the long sunsets, the endless skies, the vastness of the sea ice, the majesty of mountains peaks and hanging glaciers, the brightness of the ice, the sinuosity of channels and inlets, the tranquility of bays and coves, the delicate beauty of floating icebergs, and the rich diversity of marine fauna in Antarctica... is aware of the effect that this region offers the human soul. Experiencing Antarctica causes an inner change, a connection with ourselves that awakens an inner need that calls us to return to this land. Antarctica is like an eternal spirit that keeps enchanting us over and over again.
On a trip like this, we become affected in a special way when we have the luxury of enough time to contemplate and enjoy natural scenery. As our minds wander along unexplored paths, our thoughts become clearer, and we are able to deeply connect with ourselves and the surroundings. Time takes an unusual dimension in Antarctica, giving us the opportunity to explore those deep, fundamental feelings. The long traveling hours across Antarctica awaken the most adventurous and romantic side of one’s nature.
Getting now back to our activities during this day, we attended several presentations: Stefan Lundgren, sharing with us his reflections of his young days serving with the Indian National Antarctic Program; Richard Hauck, presenting stories and photographs of his work with NASA on board of the Space Shuttle; David Doubilet, showing incredible images of underwater photography from Antarctica to artificial reefs made of sunken vessels in the maritime US; and myself (Rodolfo Werner) giving a lecture on Antarctic krill, highlighting the challenges posed by the krill fishery and the sea ice reduction in the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea – as a consequence of global warming - to penguins and other krill predators.
Finally, as we cross the Drake on a calm day with blue skies, coming back from Antarctica, I smile thinking on what Captain Cook said while being in the South Georgia area, on January 27th, 1775 (and today is January 26th!): “I can be bold to say that no man will ever venture farther than I have done and the lands which may lie to the South will never be explored".
