So the Drake Passage has not calmed down. Overnight, we could hear items crashing to the floor in other cabins. I got up in the middle of the night to put all our items on the floor because the ship was bucking so violently that it felt like we might get thrown out of bed. I had to cling to the bed or walls just to get to the bathroom and back.
Despite the nauseous feeling that the waves were creating, we had some chores to complete today. First, we had to vacuum our outer clothing that we will wear during Antarctica landings. This prevents any introduction of seeds, pathogens or animal hairs that could expose the local animals and birds to disease.
Next we had to get fitted for expedition rubber boots that have been cleaned and decontaminated. These are the only boots allowed to touch the ground here. We got our "animal" patch that velcros to our jacket sleeve. We're Humpback whales, and that grouping is used to let us know when to line up to board our zodiac boats when we get to leave the ship.
We also attended a lecture today. The ship presents many lectures throughout the days and on a wide variety of topics from the geology of this continent to how to identify the different types of penguins.Read more