May 30, 2000, pm

Land Ho!

Photo taken around 4 pm with the sun setting behind the islands off the southern tip of Chile.

Image shows a very rare sight. The Drake Passage this morning was smooth and calm.

5:15 pm, Tuesday 5/30
Beautiful sunny day and the sun didn't set at 3 pm either.
Current location: 55 05 S, 64 52 W.

After a spectacular day crossing the last of the Drake Passage, that had the crew shaking their heads at how smooth the crossing was, we are in sight of Tierra del Fuego. Early explorers named Tierra del Fuego, the land of fire, for the numerous fires the native population kept burning on land and in their wooden canoes to ward off the damp and cold.

Early tomorrow morning we will enter the Straits of Magellan and dock sometime late tomorrow in Punta Arenas, completing a very successful research expedition to the Weddell Sea.

Cheers,

Dave

tewksbda@nbp.polar.org

<<May 29 pm * May 31 am >>