Pilot Whales!

Halfway!

It seems crazy that I've already been out at sea for three and a half weeks! Time is really flying by, probably because I'm always busy and getting lots of sleep. Apart from nights with lots of stern slaps (i.e. when a big wave hits the back of the ship and shakes it up and down), I sleep a good 8 or 9 hours a night. Though we're getting into rougher weather as we near the roaring 40s, and already some people have been feeling sea sick with the increased roll, pitch, and heave of the ship with the wind and waves. Luckily, I haven't gotten sea sick at all. I did get sick, which was strange since it was over a week in and no one else on board was sick, but luckily I was able to sleep for 24 hours and get back to work the following day.

Every day is more or less the same: dredging, surveying, data processing, or dealing with the rocks. Sawing rocks is getting interesting- you really have to saw with the motion of the ship. Another thing interesting to do with the rocking of the ship is working out. I do some yoga and stretching before I go to bed and the whole balancing aspect of yoga can be a challenge. Also, when doing crunches or push ups, half of the time they're really easy and the other half it feels like gravity just increased a lot.

I'm still enjoying almost everything about being at sea. Everyone seems to be getting along great. And I will never get tired of watching the ocean. Depending on the weather, the ocean is a different blue everyday. I have yet to see a whale or dolphin, but there are lots of seabirds around. I'll end with a picture of the sun setting over the ocean.