A dry ship...

Feb 17, 2009

Thanks to everybody for the emails after the call for messages by Thijs! And apologies for not mailing everybody back. Apparently a number of emails got lost, so I hope you are not disappointed. I was anxious for some news. There are many nice people on board , but since we work very hard and since there is no bar or other place to hang out, the interaction between people is rather limited. While running back and forth, we have to pay attention whether there are any changes in the cruise plan and what effect it has on our plans. The communications with the cruise leader were not without problems, but after all we got everything done. Our DynaLiFe team is just super and the team spirit among ourselves has been very good, with of course some serious complaining now and then. But since yesterday we have left all stress behind us and we are left with finishing up last things, and sailing back to Punta Arenas.

And then now the answer to what everybody is wondering about: How is it to be on a cruise on a dry ship? And how dry is dry? The latter is pretty dry. Since the cruise takes 8 weeks and it not acceptable to be hauling boxes of wine around, the amount of alcohol per person is rather limited. Among Americans the subject is not discussed since it can cause problems for the crew. They are required to report any people that they know are drinking alcohol on board. Is is generally accepted to drink a night cap in your cabin before going to bed. Less accepted, but much more enjoyable, is a cabin party: Up to 9 people are stuffed into your cabin and you empty two bottles of hard liquor together (we have done this three times so far). Problems that arise are inherent loud noises (apparently I giggle very loud???) and the alcohol smell that hangs around the corridor. The first problem we solved by inviting the neighbors (two Brits) to our parties. They are very cool and also had a limited alcohol supply themselves. To avoid the second problem we combined the liquor stocks of us (6 people) with that of the Brits (4 people) and my room mate and held a final party in the container at the aft deck, where the autosub of the Brits has been parked. Most of the sub gear had been packed away, so there was plenty of space. The container also has a window, but the Brits were prepared and had closed the curtain the entire week to avoid raising any suspicion. Timing was important as well, because we needed to have completed most of our work (yesterday afternoon at noon), but still be in the ice, because it dampens the waves that cause sea sickness. We had collected a big bag of Antarctic snow beforehand to mix with the gin and there were even three limes left! These were the ingredients for a great party! We finished the liquor to the last drop and everybody was totally happy. Then we finished the left over snow with a snowball fight, we straddled the autosub and when we stumbled outside we almost knocked over Amy, one of the marine techs who is on watch at night. She looked at us sternly this morning, but it was not a problem, because we cannot do it again, since it has all been finished. Two weeks to go…

Penguins

Days go by, while the icebergs flow past. I don’t know if this is correct English, but it grasps our feelings pretty well. Days and experiments are becoming more and more alike. While I write this, an enormous iceberg glides past the porthole. But the weather is pretty grey, so I don’t even bother to take a picture. How spoiled can you get after 5 weeks? Fortunately, the view from the bridge is still pretty impressive and when the sun comes out everyone is out photographing icebergs, like a bunch of tourists. A couple of days ago, we sailed around an enormous iceberg and everyone was out on the bow taking pictures. We had been on station for quite a while, so the ships engines had to warm up for about half an hour, so we might as well tour around the berg… Yeah right, this had never happened before after being on station, luckily Stan could smile about it as well! When someone like Vladimir, our icepilot who has been sailing on Russian nuclear icebreakers, comes out to take pictures of the ice formations, you know it’s pretty special!




And the penguins remain fantastic! Three days ago we were set free on the ice for the afternoon, while some were installing a mooring in the ice. Time for the emperor penguins and the scientists to check each other out! Three emperors came right for me and came within 3 meters, looking a bit like big chicken, waving their heads back and forth. Incredible! Now we are sailing through big icefloes, where small Adelie penguins are looking at us quite astonished. Hellooo! What kind of big orange thing are you? Should we be scared? It’s impossible not to be moved by the Adelies! When Scotts South Pole expedition was sailing to Antarctica in 1910, those cool Brits, full of style and character, were singing to the Adelies from the back deck. Ninety nine years later they have to do with the musical clicking of our cameras.

Anna
(Far left in the picture wearing her 'Amsterdam' hat)