Some people have expressed some curiosity about what I do, so I thought I would describe my last week and its ups and downs..
I'm not a blogger who posts everyday..sometimes I forget, sometimes I'm far too busy, sometimes I just don't have anything to say..but I do like to blog at least 2 times a week, and I like to read a lot of other blogs daily, scribbling down those all important book recommendations! But this past week has been a big challenge! As I've mentioned before, I work at sea, 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week (depending on the weather), so on a good day there's not a lot of "me" time. I don't usually get seasick, so even in the bad weather I'm using tippy tapping on my keyboard quite happily, but this job has been something else! I've spent the last week desperately trying to keep meals down. I say meals in the loosest term, as I'm on a very small ship (compared to the usual things I sail on!) with 5 crew plus my colleague and I, and as the crew are Danish/Estonian/Filipino, they don't really cater for vegetarians! So I started on a diet of lettuce and potatoes, which didn't last long in this weather, I've not been at my best! It doesn't help when my colleagues on the main vessel are radio-ing about the fabulous lunch and ten hours uninterrupted sleep they just had! Plus I've still had to do my 12 hour shifts after very little sleep, staring at two laptop screens, trying not to be sick, and pretending to be excited about listening for whales and dolphins. Hence the lack of posts!
It all started so well...our first day sailing from Bergen, watching the QE2 sail past (wow!), glorious sunshine...we approach out survey site, only to encounter 3 pods of orcas playing and breaching near the ship, over 1500 Atlantic white-sided dolphins swimming all around the ship (by which time we had the hydrophone in the water which is a lot of dolphin chatter!) and perhaps most excitingly (for a marine mammal nerd like myself !), Sowerby's beaked whales! What a treat! And that was it...ten days later, and we haven't heard or seen a thing. And the weather has been rubbish. And the tin can we are stuck on (see below!) doesn't have a stability tank, so you have no idea how much she rolls. I really don't know how those guys on Deadliest Catch do it!
Wow, after that woe is me post...yes, I did get to see orcas, white-sideys and Sowerby's, so I can't complain, and probably would have done it again..another species to cross off my list! And the weather is now glorious, we should finish the survey tomorrow and I can either go home, or transfer to the main vessel for the next job...either way, I still get t'internet! Fabulous. (I hear they have ice cream on the other ship!).
Cue gratuitous orca photo ;)
I'd been having a lovely time on my holidays, walking, canoeing and exploring the history around my home until last weekend, when sadly my grandfather passed away. He's had two very difficult years of illness after losing my grandmother, and although I will miss him terribly, I am truly glad that he will not be suffering any more. I've spent the past few days blubbing on and off, partly due to losing him, and partly due to the book I've been reading that has really touched a nerve..The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. Very much about loss and finding joy in life, this really hit a sore spot with me, but in a good way. Watch this space for a review.
