We stand on the bridge of the Antarpply’s Ushuaia ship, utterly captivated by this incredible display of nature’s power. Before we even have a chance to steady ourselves, the next wave is upon us, and we’re rising once again.
Fortunately, the officers and crew remain completely unfazed, describing the conditions as a mere "five out of 10". To me, however, it feels every bit as exhilarating as my first crossing of the Drake Passage over 12 years ago. (This was my sixth Drake Passage crossing.)
Of course, not everyone shares our excitement. Many passengers are in their cabins, battling seasickness - something I’m grateful to say I don’t experience.
We are nearing the end of an incredible three-week expedition cruise, which has been blessed with exceptional conditions. Our outbound journey featured a rare "Drake Lake", when the seas are dead calm rather than rough, while throughout the Antarctic Peninsula, we enjoyed excellent landing conditions, including two days of clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine – true "brochure picture days."
We saw whales almost every day and were also incredibly fortunate to set foot on Elephant Island, an experience conditions grant to only a handful of visitors each season. In South Georgia, more favourable conditions allowed us to land at two of the largest king penguin colonies, St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain, where we attempted to count nearly a million penguins!
Even our time in the Falklands was memorable, with a beautiful day in Port Stanley – though our second day there was cut short to ensure we had enough time to navigate the rough seas now before us, in order to make our port slot back in Ushuaia.
After the cruise, I was recounting this experience to a friend, who seemed puzzled and asked, “Why didn’t you just fly over the Drake Passage?” Caught a little off guard, I replied that skipping the Drake would mean missing half the adventure - but he didn’t seem convinced. He had a point.
For those who don’t want to spend up to four days traversing these notorious waters, there are flight options. Operators such as Silversea’s Air-Bridge, Antarctica 21, Quark Expeditions, and AE Expeditions offer fly-cruise programmes that allow travellers to bypass the Drake altogether. So why doesn’t everyone take the easy option and go straight to the action?
For me, the question isn’t about whether flying is the right choice – it’s about time. The more time you spend on an Antarctic expedition cruise, the more immersed you become in the whole experience – Drake Passage included.
I had just completed 21 nights at sea – one of the longer itineraries available in the market. By this point, my fellow passengers felt like a close-knit community. Our expedition team had become good friends. We had laughed together, stood in awe together, and shared countless unforgettable moments. The thought of disembarking and returning to reality felt almost daunting. This level of connection and immersion only comes with time. The more of it you have, the richer your experience will be.
Beyond that, time offers flexibility. It allows the ship to explore less-visited areas, extend landings when conditions are ideal, adjust plans for the best possible experience, and even take some calculated risks - such as attempting a landing at Elephant Island, where success is never guaranteed.
When selling expedition cruises to Antarctica, there are, of course, practical considerations – budget and availability being two major ones. But if someone is fulfilling a lifelong dream with a once-in-a-lifetime trip, don’t sell them short by recommending an itinerary that won’t provide full immersion in one of the world’s most incredible destinations.
Encourage them to go for as long as possible, even if it means choosing a more basic ship to stay within budget. I promise they will thank you for it!
On our final night aboard, as we sailed through the much calmer waters of the Beagle Channel, I asked my fellow passengers whether they would have preferred to skip the last 10 hours of seven-metre seas. They were in unanimous agreement that they wouldn’t have missed it for the world – it was all part of the experience!
That said, if the Drake Passage is a complete dealbreaker for your clients, or if time is limited, the fly-cruise programmes do offer a fantastic alternative.
