Back on the ship, things were lively and we had plenty to keep us busy all morning. I got myself settled and helped with various tasks throughout the morning. Around 11:45am they removed our gangplank and we began to push off. It was a very exciting time for everyone and most of the scientists congregated out on the bow to enjoy the views as we pulled away. Especially in the science contingent, we have a fair number of cruise newbies (like myself), so each step is exciting for us.
While I totally understand the importance of drills and getting them done right away, I also know that if you want to make a new ocean-going scientist start to feel queasy, make them gather in a small room, put on a full-body wetsuit and stand around in a warm room for 15 minutes. Needless to say I was feeling less than great after this experience. Our seas are calm but that just makes me worry about what I will be feeling once we get to rough water!
After all that I got to head back to bed around 7pm, fitting in a couple hours of sleep before my official shift started. At 11:30pm we set out nets over the side of the ship to filter and collect organisms in the seawater. We only do this during night-time hours, so I look forward to learning about what all we find in the water. Needless to say, I have been quite a zombie wandering around during my shift. I lied out under the stars for awhile which was gorgeous and then snuck a quick nap in the lounge room. Starting to feel a little more normal and hopefully I get my sea-legs soon. I’m hoping to avoid taking any of the medication and just survive with ginger but that may not get me through the adjustment period. Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for keeping up with my blog. If you have any questions please leave them below and Ill answer them in future posts! |