Monday Latitude - 63.23 S Longitude - 61.37 W Temperature: 4 degrees C
**Tuesday ** Latitude - 64.45 S Longitude - 9.01W Temperature: -1.8 degrees C Wind chill: -21.5 degrees C
Well, I guess it was premature to say we were past the roughest part of the trip. For the last two days we have been steaming ahead towards the ice. We didn't make a stop after all after the whale drop. The Oden is traveling ahead at about 12-16 knots, depending on the current. This speed is producing some wave action that makes the Drake PassageStrait, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans between Tierra del Fuego and the South Shetland Islands. Located about 100 mi (160 km) north of the Antarctic Peninsula, it is 600 mi (1,000 km) wide. seem tame. Sometimes the waves hit the ship in a way that produces a real jolt, similar to going over a speed bump really fast! Last night a giant wave hit the starboard side of the ship. I was sitting near the window and saw this enormous wall of water lurch over the side, producing a dizzying roll on the ship. That was the beginning of a very trying night of movement (even by crew standards)! It got so bad, it was difficult to read or work on the computer, so all you could do was try to relax. Sleeping through the night was also difficult for most. Yes, I felt the first queasiness of the trip-but it only lasted a couple of hours for me J The ship remains on lockdown-no one is allowed outside, so we have been working inside on project reports, logistics planning, catching up on emails, and trying to nap to make up for lost sleep. We are told the wave action should improve tonight...We'll see.
In case you're wondering why it's taking so long to get to the ice consider this: Dave Hutchins said "Imagine driving across the US at 12 miles per hour!" The maps do not do justice to the distance we are traveling. Time to close my eyes for awhile!
Lollie
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