Drake Passage, the waters where hundreds of ships have wrecked through the years, has created its own reputation to be the fiercest sea on Earth. Regardless of its fame, the Drake treated us quite nicely on our navigation back to Ushuaia. It is almost hard to believe the sailing conditions that we have experienced. These waters, which have allowed us to sail to Antarctica and back to Ushuaia under calm conditions, have shown its dark side innumerable times throughout the centuries.
At around 10:00, we could see Cape Horn while we sailed through Chilean waters. The view of the almost mythical tip of South America, combined with the dozens of albatross, was a timeless scene. This scene has not changed through the ages, and has announced the arrival to almost forbidden waters to thousands of sailors.
On the way we had another sighting of marine mammals. This was a group of sei whales; most likely the same individuals that we saw as we left Ushuaia at the beginning of the trip. The high concentration of krill of this area, results in a great abundance of seabirds and other types of marine life. We even got sporadic views of Magellanic penguins leaping above the water’s surface.
What a magnificent journey! As we look back, we realized that for most of us this has been a life-changing experience. Few humans have seen the most remote places in the world, particularly the White Continent that never had a native human population. Visiting Antarctica can be compared to exploring the deepest oceanic trenches, or the surface of the moon. We have been there, we have experienced it together and learned the value of preserving this special and inaccessible corner of our home; Earth.
