After departing the continental Antarctic and returning to Ushuaia in Patagonia, it took us about two hours to set the pattern for the next two days – horrible seas.
Last night, the boat was bobbing like a cork on open Ocean and I have to admit, I was scared. I was on the verge of being nauseous but I took a pill to ensure all good things would not spill, and in fact, the issue was not sea-sickness for me anyway, it was just fear.
I stayed up until about 2 am watching the boat go up – go down. Just horrible. Of course its still light outside so I could see everything and was thankful the Captain could too. The seas were nothing like I had seen although I hardly call myself an expert.
Woke up today with the same. More of the same-same. Huge seas and boat just pointing up and down. Occasionally hit sideways by some heavy water. And to boot, grey skies. Been grey for days now.
Paula was out for the count last night and she took the pill and never moved. This morning, dose number two and she has not left the bed. I feel about 50 percent bad.
The seas I’m told are 8 – 9 meters or 24 – 27 feet high. No surprise, I can see it. The nosedive that the 375-foot boat takes is dramatic and jaw dropping. And if that’s not enough, the Captain said that the winds were hollering at over 75 mph or Category 1 hurricane winds. Anyway you cut it, these seas are large and the boat knows the truth.
Last night I kept telling myself that the expedition boat were on was built for this – after all – it can break through ice, right? As many times as I tell myself that, I still feel the same – nervous.
I keep thinking that if we were to be taken out by a rogue wave, which is entirely possible because every 20 waves is a huge one that just beats up the boat – how could anyone get to help us? Were in the middle of fucking nowhere – bottom of the earth. Not exactly central command for the life safety patrol of the US Coast Guard!
So I have one more day of this until we see land. Can’t wait to kiss land.