Antarctic Dreams

Understanding the Gem at the Bottom of the World.

- Tom Zydler

ANTARCTICA, the legendary continent beyond the southern tip of a crowded world, still beckons and thrills. This white land has never been inhabited, and while researchers return every summer, few stay through the winter. For the small-boat adventurer, the season lasts about three months—December, January, and February. Getting there can be a challenge. Between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula stretch 600 miles of Drake Passage, swept frequently by extreme weather systems spinning unimpeded around the globe between longitude 50 south and longitude 60 south.

Forewarned, we watched weather trends in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America and the supply port for yachts, as well as cruise ships, bound for Antarctica. The harbor had already been closed to shipping twice due to high winds when at last we escaped southward to Puerto Williams, a Chilean Navy base. Our voyage approved by the navy, we bounced out into the steep chop of a westerly gale in Beagle Channel.

The anchorage in Bahia Lientur on Isla Wollaston looked really good that evening. Then, just before midnight, the rachas (williwaws)—the sudden gusts of wind coming down from the mountains—changed direction and Whale Song, our 94-foot expedition yacht, began a slow slide downwind. Our monster windlass sounded unusually short of breath pulling up the chain. As we moved to a new spot, our spotlight showed that we had gained another anchor—a large rusty Admiralty anchor was locked in a tight embrace with ours. Since Whale Song carries two anchors, both on 800 feet of chain, we dropped the port anchor. In the morning light I used a heavy line looped from the bow over this antique, slacked our chain and our anchor slipped free. Winching up the loop brought our treasure high under the bow where it looked even larger covered with all kinds of algae, sea lettuce, mystery seaweeds, starfish, and myriad crabs.