The days of sea travel are starting to blend together,
probably because I’ve spent most of my time either in sleep or in a nauseated
stupor. My poor stomach’s calmed down today, which means I can eat a little,
but I’m still having trouble spending more than half an hour on my feet. I’ve
been trying to spend as much time as I can on deck, as the boat is starting to
feel a little claustrophobic.
Today was a little more
eventful than the previous few days. Apparently a few icebergs were spotted
last night and this morning. We are chugging alongside the Antarctic peninsula
now, making our way steadily closer to the Antarctic circle at 66°33' South.
In the afternoon there was a mandatory briefing on
IAATO and zodiac cruises. IAATO stands for the International Association of
Antarctic Tour Operators, an organisation that promotes safe and
environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica. One of their main concerns is
that no new organisms are introduced to the continent, and nothing is allowed
to be removed either. In preparation for our landings tomorrow all the
passengers had to run a vaccum over their outer clothing, and wipe their boots
and backpacks in a special solution.
I’m feeling better as I actually snapped a few photos
today. I managed a some portraits of passengers out on deck, and spent a bit of
time in the bridge, shooting the captain plotting the ship’s course.
Unsurprisingly, I haven’t spent much time with Jason. But we start the landings
tomorrow so I’ll make sure to stick tight to him.
The winds picked up after dinner, so did the rocking.
Another bumpy night.
