Preparations behind the scenes for the new journey

A fresh thin snow layer blankets the surrounding mountains of the southernmost city of the world, the sun peers through the clouds now and then while the wind blows hard for most of the day. Rain and squalls sweep fast over us, gusts make harder the jobs to do on deck and aloft to ready the ship for her first Antarctic trip of the season.

For the first two days of this changeover time after her last voyage sailing south here from Piriapolis, she has been alongside the busy port. Today, for the embarkation of her new complement of Voyage Crew, Europa lies at anchor.

Ahead of us sure will have the typical weather and seas that make the Drake one of the most famed oceanic passages. Most interesting historical episodes took place on those waters, characterised by their demanding sailing, fascinating wildlife and moody character. Beyond them, the remoteness of Antarctica soon will became evident, with its rocky and icy coasts, home for flora and fauna highly adapted to this forbidding environment.

But before departure, time and effort are needed to prepare the ship and the voyage. Maintenance projects are always ongoing on a ship like her. Often, some sails need attention too, a rip here, an open seam there, after a good, hard sailing. Jobs for hand stitching or to put in use the sailmaking sawing machine. Europa needs to load provisions, water and fuel bunkers. A full clean of her cabins, public spaces and a good deck scrub too. Days also for a few changes of the Permanent crew and now a warm welcome to the new group of Antarctic travellers.

EUROPA stands out as a distinctive ship amongst the many larger tourist-expedition motor vessels that crowd the harbour on those special dates of Christmas and New Year's. Some are moored alongside, others like her, lay at anchor.

And this afternoon, both her zodiacs work their way back and forth the harbour for our embarkation, luckily enjoying calmer weather than the previous days.

We are all now ready to face the often rough seas of the Drake Passage and visit Antarctica. But we are not leaving yet,  

For heaving anchor, we will wait until tomorrow morning.  

Tonight the ship will remain at the Ushuaia bay, this way we have the time for the first talks, introductions, familiarisations and a quiet sleep. Tomorrow we will make our way alongside the scenic Beagle Channel in daylight and the upcoming rolling, heeling and pitching sailing in the open seas later on. Europa’s destination, Antarctica. Her hull touched the water for first time over 100 years, time more than enough for many adventures as a lightship, long shipyard periods to become what she is nowadays and countless sailing deeds across the world’s oceans, but nevertheless it is just about half the amount of time since the first people who ventured far south found these lands of the last continent to be discovered. A period during which sailors, sealers, whalers and adventurers have greatly increased the knowledge of the area, together with the quick evolution on the technology we use and the levels of safety on which the Antarctic fleet operates nowadays. A trip that can now be done in comfortable and fast ships, while others choose the ways of our old Tall Ship, with more hardships and a different navigation through heavy seas and icy waters, making it for sure a memorable expedition.

The general agenda for the whole voyage is already laid out, but the ship lives more of the winds, swells, currents, sea and ice conditions than on the plans and schedules. Adapting to the weather and sea conditions is a must for this sort of trip.