The Drake Lake
Trip Start
Jan 29, 2007
1
12
34
Trip End
May 30, 2007
Drake Passage, Antarctica
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Morning Temp: 6ºC
Winds: 13 Knots SE
Evening Temp: 3ºC
Winds: 19 Knots S
Monday
Morning Temp: 2ºC
Winds: 13 Knots ESE
Evening Temp: 3ºC
Winds: 24 Knots SW
Whilst swaying from side-to-side on my dining chair, tucking into my three course lunch on the boat, I´m surprised to hear the expedition staff saying that the crossing is quite calm and indeed more like the "Drake Lake" than the "Drake Shake".
The relative emptiness of the dining room tells another story though, a number of people are missing presumed sea-sick. Glad I took those pills.
The meals are pretty decent on board, buffet breakfast, 3 course lunch, afternoon tea and a 3 course dinner....and all pretty tasty too. The waitresses and cooks do a sterling job with it given the temperament of the open ocean.
The first couple of days of the crossing are relatively quiet, a few lectures, getting to know people on the boat. Already factions are forming. There are the "Whalers" led by Debbie, an irritating american lady who has been on a million expeditions and runs some herself in California (she took immense pleasure in enforming me that she´s seen 81 whales on this particular day of the Drake crossing...also at home in California she said she´d seen hundreds of blue whales....possibly every time she looked in the mirror!). She and her cronies spent most of the time on the bridge staring out of there 1500 dollar binoculars. I on the other hand felt sick when I did this, so I just went to meet people in the bar area.
Spending most of the time hanging out with the younger crowd. There´s Shen, Linda and Leonie from Oz, Hadas from Israel, Calvin from the UK, Evan from Ireland and my mum. All are good company and there´s some good banter (though the shear amount of swearing is making me uncomfortable in front of my mum...though she doesn´t seem bothered).
People are a bit wary about drinking booze given the occassional rough nature of the first couple of days, so it´s an early night for all for the first couple of nights. Sleeping on the top bunk whilst the ship is swaying (sometimes alot) takes a bit of getting used to.
Can´t wait to get to the peninsular and see and do stuff. Want to see a bit more than the occassional whale spit from a distance!!!! We´ll be making our first landing soon...
