Voyage to Antarctica: Antarctica Cruise 2007

The Voyage to Antarctica is Not an Easy One: Antarctica Cruise 2007
I’ll be compiling information on the voyage itself, including the infamous Drake Passage, in the next day. This answers a lot of questions people have asked me about the trip to Antarctica from Ushuaia, Argentina.

Topic to be posted Monday by Stephanie Cockerl, my resident blogger assistant.

Surviving the Drake Passage on the Way to Antarctica:

The  infamous Drake Passage is named after Sir Francis Drake. This is ironic since Sir Drake had the sense to go through the Strait of Magellan instead of the body of water that bears his name. Getting through the passage makes other forms of traveling seem like a walk in the park and is also known to be a badge of honor.

The passage is a waterway that is 600 miles wide. It separates South America from Antarctica and it also joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The trip starts at the southern tip of Argentina at Ushuaia, and lasts about 2 and 1/2 days. If you have images of a smooth ride on a cruise ship, then you are in for a rude awakening. Its been told that this journey is not for the faint of heart.

The truth about the Drake Passage, you never know what you are going to get.  Its like playing Russian Roulette.  You can have “Drake Lake”, a mild trip,  or “Drake Shake” weather, which is obviously the reverse.  If one has a relatively “calm” voyage going to Antarctica, they might pay the “Drake Tax” on the return trip.  The weather is known to be the roughest and toughest on Earth.  Besides the freezing temperatures, dryness and ice, there are also winds that kick up to 50 miles an hour.

The waves have been known to escalate over 30 ft. That means ships can seriously tip at wicked angles and the ship decks can be drenched in water.  One person commented that they received friction burns from their sheets as they were tossed in their beds at night.  People have experienced seasickness, broken limbs, frostbite, bruises and cuts.

Tips for getting through the Drake Passage (according to other bloggers - I’ll be adding my own two cents on this after surviving it all):

  1. Be well rested before boarding the ship;
  2. Be alert and awake during the safety orientation;
  3. Take seasickness patches along and place them behind the ear;
  4. Check your acupressure bracelet inventory;
  5. Have ginger ale and saltines on hand.
  6. Store your alcohol in a safe place….

Drake Passage Blogger Experiences:
Elliot Masie’s Blog
Sally About the Drake Passage
Climate Change Corp’s Drake Passage Experience

Books & DVDs I’ve bought on the subject of Antarctica, climate change and Argentina:

Antarctica Bloggers:
Antarctic Blog
Antarctica by David Ruth
Antarctica Blog: Life on The Great Southern Continent (and points in between)
John Bean’s Antarctica Blog
Josh in Antarctica
Scott of the Antarctic

Antarctica Video Bloggers:
75 Degrees South - old historic video on this blog entry - very cool to watch if you have some time
Anthony Antzarctica on YouTube - time relapse video of worker in Antarctica - time lapse of one year
Ryan Gustafson’s Polar Plunge
Storm in the Drake Passage by xeniacolours

Tune in this week on the following topics:

Cruising on Abercrombie & Kent’s Explorer II - Okay, so what Happened to the first one, “Explorer?”

Shetland Islands & Deception Island

What Type of Equipment Do I Need?

What Do I Need to Wear?

Am I Certifiably Nuts or What?