Drake Passage from Antarctica

Leaving the Gerlache Strait in the shelter of the South Shetland Islands, we tackled the Drake Passage from Antarctica and were introduced to the “Drake Shake” with seas crashing up over the bow of National Geographic Explorer. Despite this we slept quite well in our heaving cabin and woke to a more moderate sea and were again able to take up our stations on the aft deck searching for pelagic birds, fingers crossed for a Wandering or Royal Albatross. There were plenty of the usual Cape Petrels, Giant Petrels and Black-browed Albatross and, just when we had almost given up hope, the huge form of a Wandering Albatross appeared in the distance behind the ship, obviously so much larger than the lesser Albatrosses we had been seeing. He followed us for a little while, wheeling up and then gliding down just above the waves, never approaching very close, but close enough to appreciate his size and fabulous control in the wind, and for some reasonable images.