Northern Scotia Sea, Last Day of February
Our second day at sea heading west to the Falklands was another blustery adventure in the Southern Ocean. The sailor’s saying describes these southern latitudes as the “Roaring 40’s-Furious 50’s-Screaming 60’s.” The National Geographic Explorer was built for seas like these, so in relative comfort we sailed west accompanied by creatures who not only make their living off of the wind, but also seem to enjoy their ability to use it to their advantage.
I speak of the albatross. We have sighted a half dozen or so of the many species of these magnificent sea birds during our voyage. Albatross can travel thousands of miles in search of food for themselves and their chicks. They make their way around the Southern Ocean with relative ease, as long as the wind is blowing. When the air is still and the seas are calm, albatross can’t make their rounds and they sit idly waiting for the wind that many humans dread.
The albatross pictured is a black browed, named for the conspicuous mascara of dark feathers around the eye. This feature gives them a serious almost stern appearance as they gently glide past the ship. We visit the seas for a short time and curse the wind; they inhabit this environment and make the wind their servant.
