As I awoke from my broken sleep this morning, it wasn’t either the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake” it was the “Drake 'Monsta' Shake” (sounds like a cocktail made from an energy drink). The motion was so bad I couldn’t even get out of bed. My sea legs haven’t sprouted yet; this isn’t a journey to Tokelau! I can’t tell you how many times I had to get up last night to secure a pen, battery, can of Coke, bottle of wine, or tea thermal from rolling around inside a cabinet or drawer. I skipped breakfast this morning and used the horrible motion as an opportunity for a lie-in. You feel bad about skipping a meal on an expedition like this because it’s not every day you experience this sort of luxury. Finally I crawled out of bed at 12:30 when they made the announcement for lunch. As much as I don’t like wearing shoes, they’re strict about people wearing shoes on the ship, and socks and thongs/flip-flops aren’t shoes. I tried to sit down for lunch but the ship was rocking so bad I felt I was going to get sick only minutes into biting into my penne pasta and beef stir-fry. Onboard service is so impeccable; they’ll deliver your meal to your room if you’re feeling sick, so that’s what they did. It was a combination of sleep, eat, sleep, have a bite, sleep, get up for a photo, and sleep some more. Motion today was so bad, the lift as well as all decks were closed, and it progressively got worse throughout the day. Ocean spray was blasting my window hard with 40 knot wind, so today wouldn’t be a good day to stand outside for a photo.
It’s somewhat ironic that the suites are on the higher decks where the motion is worst. The owner’s suite, the most expensive cabin on the ship, experiences the worst motion. The announcement for dinner came at 5:30 PM and I felt it was time to muster some courage and get some food in me. I didn’t pay more than $6,000 to lie in bed all day. I tried a new strategy, and that was to sit at a table in the middle of the dining room. Ida and Ryan are two of the Poseidon team members, and they advised me to join them at a particular table, pointing out it’s the best one (as in the least motion). When you’re suffering from motion sickness, you have the feeling of not wanting to eat but eating actually helps alleviate it. Last night it was a dinner buffet, but for the rest of the journey it will be from a menu. Lunch however, will continue to be a buffet. As my starter I opted for garden salad to go with cream of chicken soup. For my main I opted for pork medallions with tomato and mozzarella with a side of macaire potato and gravy.
It was all served with extreme professionalism and elegance. Elie advised me last week to “love the shit out of this journey” and I sure am to the core. My whole life I’ve scraped by, getting creative and making magic happen out of very little money or material possessions, but being pampered on the way to Antarctica is the sweet cherry (though not the end-all be-all) of my travels. For dessert I had a sacher torte with a side of chocolate ice cream and a glass of sauvignon blanc. A powerful wave came in suddenly and I nearly wore my glass of wine, but quick hands saved it. Due to the powerful currents, we’ve been slow going, and won’t be reaching Antarctica anytime tomorrow. From my window, I had a magical Drake Passage sunset.
After dinner my sea legs sprouted enough that I sat in the bar and had a few coffees and listened to music. I’m going easy on alcohol not just due to motion but all alcoholic drinks onboard cost extra. The barman pointed out he heard that I’ve been to all seven continents now, but not yet! I will not celebrate or say “mission accomplished” until my feet are on Antarctica and I have a photo to certify it. For now, we all (108 passengers and 80+ crew) must brave the Drake "Monsta" Shake for another day.
Antarctica, Antarctica, we are inching closer. My ultimate dream is within reach.
