From the Bridge

We entered the Southern Ocean a few hours ago. AKA the Convergence Zone. The Drake Passage is the Drake Lake today. Sometimes, I'm told, it is the Drake Shake. When that happens, you pay your Drake Tax. I'm wearing my accupressure wristbands to avoid seasickness, even though the roll is gentle. Like the man waving the stick to keep the elephants away, it's working!

411 The Drake Lake!

Since there is nothing to look at today but water, water, everywhere, our leader has planned events to keep us busy. Morning, a trip to the Bridge. Then, lectures.

Penguins: The brush-tailed - Life and Death Part II, by Dr Manuel Marin

The Antarctic Frigid Zone - Why is it so?, by Alan Parker

Heroic Hearts: Amundsen and Scott, by Ian Shaw

412 View of blue

And of course, our Pre-landing briefing at 6 PM.

The Happy Hour drink today is Planter's Punch, and the phrase of the day is "Are you cold? Er du kald? Ist Dir kalt? Tienes frio?"

I want to hear Alan Parker's lecture today. Alan has made 56 trips to Antarctica, been awarded a Polar Medal for his contributions to science in Antarctica, and even has a mountain named for him! Parker's Peak. A native of Australia, he has lived on Macquarrie Island for a 12-month stint, and worked at Davis Station for fifteen. Who better to listen to for learning more about Antarctica?

But about the water now: according to my handout, the Antarctic Convergence is where the warmer waters of the north meet the colder, denser, less saline waters of the south. Colder water sinks, of course, causing an up-welling that brings nutrients to the surface. This point, which is ever-changing, is the biological limit of the Antarctic ecosystem. There is no way to know when you cross it except by thermometer. But, I am assured by the second-in-command on the Bridge, we have passed it now. Our Captain is busy shaking hands, greeting visitors, smiling at us all.

413 Thanks, Captain

More facts. The Convergence Zone, this Polar Front, is a function of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The waters of Antarctica circle the continent in the world's biggest ocean current at an estimated rate of 150 million cubic meters per second! That's equivalent to FOUR GULF STREAMS or ONE THOUSAND AMAZON RIVERS! As this dense water begins to move north, it has tremendous impact on global weather systems. Carried into the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, it has a cooling effect on tropical and temperate waters, very important to the oceans' balance.

I'm impressed! "Exactly where is it considered the point where the Atlantic and Pacific meet?" I asked. A shrug. "I don't know," was the reply, "perhaps at Cape Horn?"

This is humorous to me. I picture the ship pointed south from Cabos de Hornos, riding a fine dotted line with Atlantic left, Pacific right, then, blip, another hop into Southern Ocean waters. But, from the Bridge, it looks the same.

414 Perusing the cruising

PS in trying to set the MAP PIN I'm finding that TravelPod does not have a map sufficient to Antarctica. It's SOUTH, y'all. AND, I can't set a location halfway between Chile and Antarctica.

415 Watertight

416 Buttons to push

417 Buttons and charts

418 See the ship there?

419 A map of Chile!

420 I should know this

421 Hoist and Lower

422 Is this a gyroscope?

423 Penguin and friend

424 Donning instructions for Uniscape 15H

425 Thanks for stopping in

426 That lovely Southern Ocean

427 Sit outside and read

428 A summer day on the Southern Ocean

429 Another eye catcher

430 Dinner, too

431 After dinner sky and sea, Southern Ocean style

432 A little typing time

433 Seems a little darker

434 People are talking! Gasp!

435 A better view

436 We wait and wait

437 And then another

438 What you need to know

439 Tried every angle

440 What a way to end a summer's day