The Calm before the Storm

Part 14 in my Journey to Antarctica. If you enjoy the stories and photos, please comment and let me know!

Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia.

The sea was calm. The glaciers: quiet. We glided into the Drygalski Fjord, and could not have asked for better conditions. A blue sky with enough clouds to provide a picturesque texture. A water so blue, it seemed like it must have fairy magic imbued within its essence. It was a wonderful send-off from South Georgia Island.

South Georgia Island.

But that's just the beginning: It wouldn't be a story of an antarctic expedition without a bit of hardship. Leaving South Georgia, we encountered weather. What kind of weather? The kind that makes me extremely grateful that we live in a modern era of non sailing ships.

The wind picked up, and our ship was in a gale. The waves rose to 3 meters, then 5, and over the next couple days, our vessel was battered by 7 to 9 meter waves. Walking down the hallway required crab like reflexes (moving side to side as you make progress forward). Many of the happy faces that dotted the common areas retired to their rooms to hibernate through the troubled times.

I reveled in it. Our ship laughed at the sea as it attempted to deter us from our chosen path south. The skipper, brave and sure, guided us through the tempest, and although we were slowed, our path held true.

Giant Petral near Elephant Island.

And then, as if it had all been a bad dream, the oceans calmed and the skies cleared. Seabirds that had all but disappeared during our journey across the Drake Passage began to reappear. Elephant Island lay before us. It's as if the sea had wanted to experience a touch of Shackleton's incredible journey. We had a taste, and it was bittersweet.

Elephant Island.

Now, the forbidden continent awaits...