ANTARCTICA is separated from the rest of the world by the circumpolar current of the Southern Ocean. This is the strongest ocean current in the world circulating cold water from the depths of the ocean to the surfare. So effective is its cooling effect, this current is responsible for the world being a much colder place than it was before the other continents broke away. Antarctica was once covered in lush forest and its temperate climate allowed land animals to freely migrate between its adjoining continents. If it were not for the strong currents stirring up nutrients from the sea floor, Antarctica would be nothing more than an ice wasteland separated from the rest of the world. The stirred up nutrients attracts algae which attracts vast quantities of krill, which turns Antarctica into a heavily populated wildlife sanctuary.
This journey heads away from the Antarctic Peninsula arriving in the South Shetland Islands. From there we head out into the Drake Passage quickly to evade an approaching storm. We cross the Antarctic Convergence Zone back into warmer weathers eventually arriving into the Beagle Channel, where we slowly sail along to return to our port destination of Ushuaia. |
