Life at Sea

When we departed from Ushuaia at 6pm local time yesterday, we were still in the Beagle Channel. In fact, it took 6 hours before we arrived at the Drake Passage. It is this body of water where east meets west: the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans collide, often creating notoriously choppy seas.

So with that in mind, one of the most popular topics onboard so far has revolved around seasickness. Many are pro-medication for prevention of seasickness, of which I am a badge (or in the case a patch) wearing member. There are also the folks who would rather not take medication unless they need it. And finally there are the people who would like to expereince it (Ronaldo). My choice is #1. I've been seasick before, and I would much rather skip the entire fiasco entirely. So I stuck my patch behind my ear, and so far the only symptom I think I am experienced is dry mouth. Dry mouth I can handle, vomitting, nausea I can not.

Today and tomorrow will be spent solely at sea. It takes two full days of sailing before we will see land again. So what do we do to pass the time? Aside from meals, there are numerous lectures teaching about different aspects of Antartica. For example, today's lectures were about the birds we will see, a historical lecture of the first people, a geology presentation, and the foodweb of the region. Each lecture is taught by extremely knowledgeable staff members who have a passion for their area(s) of expertise. But if education isn't your cup of tea, then you can start a card game, read a book, go to the deck and watch the birds float upon the winds, or simply sleep. Whatever you end up doing, be prepared to be patient for the next two days. Otherwise, it will be the longest 48 hours you've ever waited.

Since we've been in the Drake since midnight, the Orlvoa has been swaying in the rolling waves. Personally, it hasn't been unpleasant. It does make walking a concentrated effort and showering "entertaining". Even something like brushing your teeth takes some getting used to. I found that if I planted my feet shoulder width apart in the direction of the motion, I can counter balance quite effectively. The questions I'm currently wondering are how long it takes to get sea legs, and if I'll be walking differently once I set foot on solid ground. Guess I'll find out in a couple days.

After breakfast this morning, I walked outside on deck, and stood silently for a while, watching the birds follow the ship. There are black and white cape petrols, skimming along the water's edge, cutting in and out of the crashing waves. There are magestic wandering albatrosses, gliding on the breeze, whose wing spans can grow to be 12 feet wide. There was something relaxing, hypnotic about the entire scene. Of course, I haven't seen the big, burley seas yet. Life probably won't be so enjoyable then.