January 17, 2000
Day 87 Drake Passage: through a cyclone
It was a very rough night. Not very many people are at breakfast, or if they came in and sat down, didn't stay very long.
Later we were told we had come through a cyclone with winds 30meters/second and 10meter high waves. Patrick stayed mostly in the bunk to avoid being really really sick, he would feel dizzy, so it is best that he stays horizontal. Rachel brought something for him to eat. The lounge has 24 hour hot water and tea, coffee and soup mixes.
There were even fewer people at lunch and even fewer at dinner. Some have band aids on foreheads or arms in slings. The seas are rough. People vied for seats closest to the exit. Throughout the day there are lectures on geology (plate tectonics and how Antartica came to be), we see whales, and seals, and birds.
In the morning at nine, Rachel is on the bridge watching the waves.
The helmsman has been manually navigating and the Captain sitting on a stool in front of the window. Then the Captain stood at the window with his arms outstretched on the sill searching the sea with his eyes. At one point the bow of the ship dipped down into the ocean and a huge wave splashed the windows of the bridge. Others on the bridge were hooping and hollering like we are on a roller coaster. Someone next to me commented to me about "the look on your face."
Rachel asked the person next to her, "Does he look worried? He looks worried to me." Referring to the Captain.
When Rachel goes into the women's restroom, there is a sink that has been ripped away from the wall, probably during one of the rough dips of the ship. Later in the day we are told that about 9-9:30 the Captain had turned the ship towards Cape Horn that is 60 miles away to gain some shelter from the storm. For 2 hours we didn't really go anywhere but just maintained our position.
So far Patrick does not have sea sickness by staying horizontal. We go to bed with the ship still swinging back and forth.
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