Settling In and the Sneaky Drake: The Bransfield Strait

This narrow passage, situated between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, is notorious for its rough seas and unpredictable weather. Somehow, this straits noteriety has remained in the shadows of its big brother, the Drake Passage. However, the Bransfield should not be shrugged off. Many travelers opt for a "Fly-Cruise" to Antarctica to try to avoid the turbulent waters of the Drake, but no matter if you fly or sail from South America, all who visit the Antarctic Peninsula will cross the Bransfield. 

To understand why this straight can be so adventurous there are a few dynamics at play. The Bransfield Strait is a relatively narrow stretch of water, approximately 60 miles wide at its broadest point. The geography of the area plays a crucial role in the creation of challenging sea conditions. As powerful ocean currents converge through this confined passage, they interact with the  underwater topography, resulting in turbulent and unpredictable seas (like a giant river rapid!). The steep underwater slopes contribute to the rapid changes in water depth, intensifying the swirling currents and creating a dynamic and challenging navigational environment. As with the Drake, the Bransfield strait can be perfectly calm or give travelers a bit of a shake. Our voyage departed Ushuaia on the evening of February 19th, cruising the calm waters of the Beagle Channel towards open ocean. The next day and a half we cruised across the Drake Passage at a consistent 15-16knots, record speed according to our Expedition Leader. 

Many folks opted to sleep through the Drake, regardless of the calm waters, while adjusting to the motion of the open ocean. Those who were awake spent the free time getting to know fellow passengers and spotting albatros, petrel and marine life from the decks of the ship. A brave or ambitious passenger or two would visit the ship gym for a little work out, while everyone else gatehred in the ship club lounge to get to know each other over an expertly mixed cocktail of the day. The Drake Lake passed rather uneventfully, peppered with informational sessions and briefings for all of the excursions that would be held in the days to come. Our first indicators that we were exiting the Drake appeared out of our windows on the morning of the 21st, Icebergs off in the distance, towering structures welcoming us to the other side. We arrived to the South Shetland Islands mid-day on the 21st, excited at the potential for an unexpected "bonus" excursion, but the radar was indicating the weather was rapidly changing. Despite being out of the Drake, we were about to face a new challenge, a rolling and rowdy Bransfield Strait.

One of the defining features of the Bransfield Strait is the Antarctic Convergence, a phenomenon where the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Antarctic circumpolar current meet the warmer waters from the north. This collision of water masses leads to a sharp temperature gradient and can cause sudden and dramatic shifts in weather patterns. The resulting turbulence in the strait is exacerbated by the fierce katabatic winds that rush down from the Antarctic continent, creating a perfect storm of challenging conditions for voyagers such as ourselves. The icy snow and wind that blew in abruptly swept away our chance to deploy zodiacs and visit a chinstrap penguin colony on Halfmoon Island. Instead, all passengers on board settled in for a rocky rolling next few hours in the Strait while the storm passed. A very early introduction to the flexibility required on an expedition voyage to Antarctica.