Ever Closer

The weather forecast that the sea would be calmer overnight was inaccurate. I slept little, as the waves tossed me in the bed, and the noise of crashing objects awakened me in those few moments that I did doze off. Anything that was not tied down on the boat ended up on the floor. It didn't matter if it was on the dresser, the desk, or the bathroom shelf. The boutique on the boat didn't open until tonight, as they had to return everything to the shelves. The ocean was definitely getting worse, not better. Kim's stomach has been more upset today, but she's trying to be a good sport. We have befriended some Brasilian women, one of whom took refuge in her room the entire day, due to the state of her stomach.

Unfortunately for the seasick, there was a mandatory meeting this afternoon, where we were specifically instructed not to litter, remove things, or disturb the wildlife on land; Antarctica is the largest protected area in the world. As I looked around the lounge, I felt bad for the unwell. One woman was standing at the bar, with her head resting on the counter. She didn't lift her head, until she put her hands to her mouth and ran out of the room. The lounge resembled an infirmary, with many heads bowed low, barf bags hanging out of pockets, and blank stares looking to the horizon. Luckily, we will be approaching the Shetland Islands around midnight and will enjoy the calm of the sheltered water for the next several days.

We are beginning to see icebergs infrequently. They are deceiving. The enormous white burgs, shimmering against the dark blue ocean, hide the majority of their mass below the waterline. We haven't been close enough to be able to see the portion below the water, but we look forward to the possibility, as we get closer to the continent.

Today we received our boots for landings, our life jackets for the zodiac rides, and instructions for all around safety. Alex provided us our itinerary for tomorrow and by 11am, I should have my feet planted firmly on the seventh continent.Read more