Today has been a sea day. Last night we exited the Beagle Channel and began the Drake Passage trek and what a trek it is! I mean the waves were ..."rough" last night. They're huge and I'm currently typing on deck three and I have seen waves that seemed to peak over the window I'm at and it's just been like this for most of the day.
But, like a true Floridian.... I did not get seasick. (Phew!) I was worried. My dad took me and my family on a cruise when I was a kid and I remember being nauseous the first day. It went away afterwards, but you know, there have been other close calls.
In Greece, definitely had some green around the gill moments.
In Australia, coming back from the Great Barrier reef in like 20ft waves....I was feeling it. Never got totally sick, but that one was the closest because not only was I already queasy, others *were* getting totally seasick and I was, let's say, feeling sympathetic.
Like those times, the waves were pretty large and constant so. I think I had a right to worry. And be a little conservative with my alcohol and food consumption. But, perhaps I worried for nothing. I’m lucky- I’m not one to get motion sick. In general. Planes, trains, automobiles….VR, boats, roller coasters….yeah, I’m usually not even worried about it you know? I haven’t taken anything today and I might be one of the only ones on the boat (not crew obviously- you don’t work on a boat without getting used to this.) who didn’t take/use anything to help with the nausea. I wouldn’t even say I’m nauseous. There was a 30 second window where I felt something, but I’m not the woman who stayed in her cabin in bed all day, or the ones who are using the patches and ginger gum and those wrist bands. Seriously, there’s so many tricks now for motion sickness. I didn’t even know! I pretty much thought it was Dramamine or suck it up. I’m glad that’s not the case anymore. I do wish there was something to kick-start the sea walk we all have to develop. Last night, after I wrapped, I said I was going to bed, but I was like, “UGH, no, I better shower now….” and I definitely hit the shower wall *several* times. Yes, even with the bar to support me. Hey, at least I didn’t fall. And I only knocked over my soap stuff like, twice. The night was just the steady rocking, which honestly, was very nice. Felt like I was being rocked to sleep. And our cabin is a good temperature, so I slept super well. I mean, I still woke up around 2am ish cause several things rolled off our shelves in the room and I poked my head out onto the balcony to see outside. It was dark, and cold, but I could see the stars very clearly. I’m confident I could see the Milky Way, but I didn’t stay out super long. I’m going to try later this week. I was going to try tonight, but now it’s cloudy and I don’t think it’s going to clear up before the sun starts to rise again.
But the sleep was good, I still woke up several times- I can only imagine it’s because I heard….something? Or maybe my dreams ended. I’ve been remembering more of them lately and waking up after them so who knows. I keep wondering if I’m actually on night shift still but…it could be jet lag. Still. It's fine, having my terrible sleep schedule will just help me with the super early eclipse. Which, today was full of security and safety briefings and a sort of overlook over the next few days. Seriously, we had like, 3 mandatory meetings, then another suggested meeting. I swear it felt like the day was meeting, food, meeting, food, meeting food… there was some downtime in between the meeting and food, but they would be like, 20-30 minutes. So honestly, I took a nap. I’m *trying* to get some catch up sleep, because I was nodding off in the meetings! And the lecture! I do want to pay attention, but I think the rocking of the boat is just so relaxing. And the boat is a good temperature. Maybe the food is so rich. After the second nap and like, the 3rd time I felt tired, I made the decision that I wasn’t going to let myself nap that much anymore. I think I just have to push through the sleepiness. And, don’t get me wrong, it’s 10:20 and I. am. Tired. Again. I mean if I call it quits now at least it’s more reasonable. There’s a gym upstairs, maybe that’s what I’ll do. Get some blood flowing! But also, today is our only day….that’s not true, we have another one on the way back obviously, but tomorrow we’ll make it to the Shetland Islands in the afternoon. We’re actually hoping to make a landing at a place callllleeeeddd……
Penguin Island!!
I’m sure it’s named for its large Sea Lion population.
It's our first expedition (fingers crossed) so maybe that’ll cure the sleepy bug.
During the meetings, we got our Expedition Parka! And our Expedition boots!
And then we vacuumed our outer clothes because they are *serious* about bringing in outside flora/fauna….as in, DON’T.
We vacuumed our clothes in case there are any sort of grass seeds, or pollen or anything that might mess with Antarctica’s biome.
One of the last refuges on earth that is still pretty much untouched and unmarred by human intervention?
Yeah, I understand the caution.
Everything is of course, contingent on good weather.
Or even where the animals are. If they’re swarming a landing site, we uh, we don’t go there.
The tour guides/expeditions teams (which by the way, are experts in Geology, Marine Wildlife, weather, etc) say there’s back-up plans for everything so I think that no matter what, we’ll probably figure something amazing out. (Well, they will.)
The expedition team by the way, is separate from the professors/lecturers on the cruise.
We had a lecture today called “Fat and Water” and it was about studying whales in Antarctica. It reminded me of the same research methods that are used for Belugas, but with the added information gained by being in Antarctica and being remote, and having less people bother the whales.
It was great stuff.
Tomorrow we’ve got two lectures, one for the Solar Eclipse and….my mind blanks.
It’s been a surprisingly busy, but not too much to talk about day?
Meetings, food, naps, prep for tomorrow.
I’m excited!
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