Sailing To Antarctica

by Helene Smith Ferranti

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Summary

In June 1985, Helene Ferranti and Charles Crothers set sail from Maine on what would become a six-year voyage, travels that would include two Atlantic crossings, ports of call in Europe, and a circumnavigation of South America. Sailing to Antarctica is an account of just one five-month segment of this journey. Written from the perspective of a traveler as well as that of a sailor, much of the story occurs in Argentina, and reflects an interest not only in the flora and fauna encountered, but also in the historical and cultural background of the region, enriching what is much more than simply a nautical adventure. Beginning in Buenos Aires, where Helene's son came aboard, the way south consisted of several stopovers, including one on the virtually uninhabited Isla de los Estados where they received an unexpectedly warm welcome by Argentine marines who took them mountain climbing. The first leg ends in Ushuaia, "the city at the end of the world," which became the staging area for Antarctica. Friendships made in Buenos Aires resulted in two young Argentinos joining as crew. Antarctica. Not always a destination, the risks of such an undertaking - in particular, the dangers of the notorious Drake Passage - were daunting but the rewards obvious and in the end, persuasive. Through their own gumption, good seamanship, and good luck, these sailors were able to experience Antarctica on their own terms, a rare privilege.

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