Dec 23rd: Day one on board.
Slept well but knew fairly quickly in the morning that all was not how it should be.
Laying down was fine, but any attempt to sit up or stand up was met with nausea. I had dosed myself pretty good with meds and was sporting my Relief Band, but alas it was no match for the violent ocean we were on.
The boat was lurching and swaying pretty mightily. White caps surrounded us. Every now and then a jarring and loud bang like an explosion shook the boat.
By midday reports of flooding on the 5th floor were emerging. Apparently a series of 3 rogue waves had battered the boat, hitting the Bridge (deck 8) full on and forcing water into ventilation shafts around deck 6. Deck 5 got that water in the hallway before it sloshed into a half dozen or so rooms too.
Passenger JT Drew shot this video in the hallway of the 5th floor.
Passenger Christine Beadle shot this video from the Bridge.
Then it filtered through the floor to deck 4. Passengers were relocated. Electricity was out sporadically around the boat... including our room on the 7th floor most of the day.
It is important to note that no-one felt unsafe, no-one was injured and the caliber of people aboard could be gauged in the response which was mainly taking it in stride, calling it "part of the adventure" and not complaining at all. We heard "post trip" that a discussion was had regarding whether or not to return the ship to Ushuaia following the water infiltration. As the ship was found to have sustained no damage, we continued on. (To this day, I feel incredibly grateful for this!!! You'll see why in the following posts.)
I was still being sick during all this and Mark was doing his best to keep water, Sprite, saltines etc in me. And he attended my very first photography group meeting for me, taking notes and reporting back to my beside with the briefing.
In the late afternoon I took my pasty self to the Nautilus Lounge for the captains introduction and daily briefing. Almost everything else had been postponed due to rough seas and so many folks feeling it. In fact, they did inform us that the weather forecast had been slightly off and not very specific to our location, so the storm we experienced had been a tad underestimated.
Fun international crew on board though. Canadians, Welsh, English, Australian, NZ'ers, Americans, Russian, Ukrainian, Philippine, and South Africans.
Our Captain is a spry, older Ukrainian gentleman. He hails from the Soviet Union era and currently has a brother fighting for Russia and a son on the front lines holding back the Russian forces in Ukraine. His complicated life doesn't stop his keen wit and we all gave a nervous laugh when he mentioned his submarine training came in handy today!
Our photography group met again and everyone was super sweet to me... considering I didn't know anyone yet and couldn't stomach the back deck diesel fumes and view through a lens to photograph the albatross that were flying across the boat!
Dinner was a no-show for me. Just the thought of food - or should I say the smell and look of it - sent me scurrying back to my room for a date with my sick-bag also known by the name; Spuckbeutel. Our room attendant, Jo, was quick to restock these and also to crank up the heat in our room because it was indeed hard to hold body temperature during this time.
I took a wonderful hot shower in our wee bathroom and fell asleep with my towel still wrapped around wet hair!
Dec 24: Day two on board.
The next day it appeared my sea-legs had kicked in. Well, the Drake was certainly more cooperative too, so that helped. Today was a good day for new introductions and some seabird photography - which I'll admit right here and now is way more challenging than it looks. The boat moves, the waves move, the birds are speedy! I did my best to trace them through 300mm of lens but it's also ok to say most of my pictures were not worth sharing and I'm here to experience, improve and eventually present more technically competent as well as interesting photos. Standby!
T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the vessel,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a petrel.
The stockings were hung by the bar with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there,
The explorers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of icebergs danced in their heads.
and Jonathon in his gill jacket and us in our beanies
We all settled down for a long summer's evening.
When out on the aft deck there arose such a clutter,
I sprang from me bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains and heard a loud splash.
The sun on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to objects below.
When what to my wondering eye should reveal
But a Zodiac being towed by eight tiny seals.
With a Zodiac driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than orcas his seals they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.
Now DASHER! Now DANCER! Now PRANCER and VIXEN!
On COMET, on CUPID, on DONER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the spa! To the back of the deck,
No dash away! Dash away! Dash away like heck!
As snowflakes blow in and wild seas fly,
They jump over an iceberg and head for the sky.
Then up to the bridge the seals they flew,
With the Zodiac full of booze and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard a loud din,
The prancing and pawing of each little fin.
As St Nick knew all the guests had behaved,
Down the Deck 5 vent St Nicholas came with a wave!
He was dressed all in Gortex from his head to his toes
And his clothes were all tarnished with snow and guano.
A bundle of booze he had flung on his back
And he looked like Shackleton just opening his pack.
His eyes – how they twinkled, his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and little round belly,
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled up the bar, before turning with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod up the vent he rose.
He sprang to his Zodiac, to his team gave a bark
And away they all flew, off into the dark.
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
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