The transition from the calm Beagle Channel to the open ocean and the Drake Passage is enough to wake me up even through the Dramamine. The rocking of the ship and the crash of the waves keeps me awake for the next three hours I reckon and I doze off again around 03:00. I wake again at 06:00 and take another double-dose of Dramamine. I feel fine at this point and both Alexandria and I were lucky enough to make it through the night without getting sick. But, they tell us “it’s important to stay out in front of it.”

Our room has a monitor that displays the daily itinerary. Crossing the Drake Passage is supposed to take two days and most people spend that time sick. As such, the schedule is pretty light in these early days; mostly populated with briefings for the adventurous types. So, naturally, we still have plenty on with our briefings on kayaking and camping out on the continent.

With the ship locked down for The Drake Passage there is no way to see outside and see what’s happening. I hate that so I head outside to the observation deck as quick as I can. It…

is surprisingly calm out. From this vantage point the sea looks quite calm, not at all like some of the images from Instagram with waves cresting the bow.

It’s sunny and warm enough that I still don’t need a coat. The perfect day to sit through hours of briefings and lectures…

Today we have an “Intro to Antarctica” lecture, another on The Albatross, that being the only animal we have seen so far. We also have our prep for kayaking and campaign.

Our intro lecture was very interesting. I did not realize that the Antarctic Ocean was not recognized as an independent ocean until…

the 1990’s. Nor that the beginning of that ocean has such a shifting and loose definition along the Polar Convergence. Anything above 60° latitude is considered to be part of Antarctica. Our objective on this expedition is 66° latitude, The Antarctic Circle. Only one attempt to travel this far south is made each year, at the height of Antarctic summer.

Our kayaking and camping briefings are standard fare. Of those present, only 16 are allowed to kayak and 30 to camp. These briefings bring the usual shuffle of people realizing they are in over their heads and others who are “sure they booked it!”

Camping in particular is a Spartan affair. They provide you a sleeping bag (only rated to 0°F), a shovel, and send you out to dig your own trench to huddle into with your sleeping bag.

During tea time, we make the most important discovery to date: the ship bar has Lagavulin for only 8USD! Sadly, with no chance of resupply, this too must be rationed.

More good news comes our way at the day-end briefing; owing to the good weather we are on pace to complete our crossing and make landfall a full half-day early. If all goes well we will make our first kayaking excursion tomorrow afternoon.

Dinner tonight is a more typical seated and plated, four-course affair. We eat quickly and bed down early after our sleepless night the night before.