January 2nd, 2011
Another update to how living on a ship feels like your house is rocking and moving all the time. It also rumbles and vibrates do to the engines and propeller, so it feels like you have a train running right next to your house all day and night.
Our room is especially loud because we are staying in a steel container in the hold, which is right above the propeller shaft. The science crew that is staying on the ship gets to stay in dorm like rooms that have a bathroom and bunkbeds. Since we are getting off the ship at Palmer Station they put a steel container with 5 beds, some lockers and an air conditioner down in the hold, which is really the belly of the ship. It feels like we are walking into an engine room as we go down the stairs, where we open our little door and step into our container.
Today was rather uneventful as everyone settled into life on the ship. A lot of people picked up a cold on the flights down so we are all battling getting and being sick during these first few days. Waves were small (3-5 feet) and the wind was blowing about 10 knots all day, so everyone was feeling pretty good. The ship rides really smoothly, which is a good surprise.
After lunch, we had an abandon ship drill, where everyone has to muster (gather) in the lounge to do a head count and then go up on deck to get into the lifeboats. It is hard to take it seriously, but I cannot imagine the feeling of really having to go through it. I guess that is a good thing, though.
Afterward, people continued working on setting up any last things, past work that has been waiting to get done, or just watching movies and playing games. The day was sunny, but I went out tonight to see if I could get a glimpse of the Southern Cross since it would be the last night we had any darkness.
It was completely foggy, which always makes me wonder how anyone ever crossed these oceans without the modern technology we have.
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