When you are living and working on a boat, two things stand out—you are stuck on the boat, and that boats can move in multiple directions at the same time!
As far as being stuck on a boat goes, the Norseman II is an excellent choice! It is comfortable and well maintained, and is designed with scientific research in mind. Very importantly, the food is delicious. Cook Marlin Casey and his assistant Darrin Hallman make four generous meals a day, and many of us will have trouble fitting into our clothes by the end of the cruise. Most importantly, the people are all great to be with. When you are on a boat for a month, it’s always good to get along with your shipmates.
About the boat moving in multiple directions, there are six different ways in which a boat can move. Three of these are up-and-down (heave), side-to-side (sway), and front-to-back (surge). Can you name and describe the other three ways a boat can move? This basically means that everything needs to be secured at all times so that there are no random flying objects everywhere. Until you get your “sea legs,” you walk like you just got off a merry-go-round. As a result of the constant motion, some people get seasick, which is the terrible feeling of constantly wanting to vomit.
I actually got seasick last week after a couple hours of surveying in rough seas. I ran down to the head (bathroom), threw up, laid down for a while, then got up to drink water and eat saltine crackers. After that, I was ready to go again! Things like the medication Dramamine, ginger, saltines, and simply keeping busy can all help one overcome seasickness.
We are having some really rough weather right now and can’t work, so we are hiding in the lee of the coast near Wainwright (gold star on the map). To pass time, we are catching up on sleep, writing emails and doing other work, reading, watching movies, playing cards, and snacking.
Did you know that some people get landsick after spending a long time out at sea?
