It turned out that waiting at Deception Island was a good move. At 0400 Europa weighed anchor and we left to cross the Bransfield Strait. The crew had told us it could be rough, even calling it a mini-Drake, so everyone was a little bit apprehensive. Instead Antarctica rewarded us … Continue reading
Yesterday, Wednesday, we visited Deception Island. The horseshoe of hills is a classic caldera of a still-active volcano. At some point a massive eruption has left the 500m high ring around a basin, flooded because of a break in the rim to the south east. The basin is about seven … Continue reading
Capes are places of legend. The heroic pose is cast in stone, in monuments to the first to round, the first to land. Lighthouses are built and rebuilt even as ships lie unsalvaged in the savage waters. Threatening, homely Portland Bill is recast as the Channel’s Horn, for it too … Continue reading
Helming a tall ship in 30 knots of wind is beyond extraordinary. My fingers and toes are freezing in the 0 degrees conditions, the wind nips at exposed skin and the grey sea shows us its teeth. My cheeks and gums ache from grinning. I pay close attention to the … Continue reading
My last blog, sent late Friday our time, said we had 5m swell and 30 knots. My sense were dulled by massive anti-seasickness drugs. The storm peaked at 65 knot winds (hurricane force) and 10m swell. The low bottomed out at 976 mb. All in all, Drakes Passage showing us … Continue reading
Today we went ashore. Yankee Bay is large, shallow stretch of water protected by a shingle spit of glacial moraine with a narrow entrance. Few boats come here. The spit is beloved of fur seals and is host to a rookery of gentoo penguins. Skuas swoop and strut, looking for … Continue reading
I have spent almost all the 30 hours since my last post in bed. Hats off to all those who have managed to stand their watches. I have (so far) resisted sickness but the lassitude and incompetence have been a bit much in 50 knots of wind and 5m seas. … Continue reading
We were extremely lucky that the weather held off long enough this morning for us to land on Cape Horn. It was both exhilarating and moving, especially the beautiful monument to mariners from all over the world. While we waited for the boat to take the pilots home the wind … Continue reading
Europa travels slowly between the hills and islands of the frayed western end of the channel between the Atlantic and Pacific. The pilot squints at his screen on the bridge, scrolling through references, checking every detail. His concentration doesn’t waver as crew step in to watch the radar show where … Continue reading
We came in to this tiny town on Isla Navarino this morning and had a fine walk in the woods. Moss and mistletoe clamber over the beech-like trees, the mud underneath is deep and clean and the sun shone mightily. It was not very Antarctican but beautiful. A bit like … Continue reading
