Rockin' and Rollin'

So much for the calm seas we had for our first 3 weeks out. The ocean
turned a little rough as we reached the northern coast of Portugal and the
weather has been cloudy and rainy ever since. Nothing too bad. Just
enough to make life interesting. You try to secure everything, but
something always escapes and rolls across the deck.

The Empire State VI is a top-heavy ship. It is designed as a cargo ship
with holds that are supposed to be full. In its current incarnation, they
are not. And so we roll side to side. Some of the cadets and crew are
seasick, but Most are OK. I'm doing all right so far.

Sleeping is fun when the rolling begins. A gentle roll is rather
relaxing, like being rocked in a cradle. But there comes a point when
things start to get uncomfortable. You try to sprawl out as flat as
possible to keep from rolling between the wall and bed rail. The scheme
doesn't always work so you grip the mattress to hold on. Without fail,
when a big swell hits, something will go crashing across the room waking
you out of whatever stage of sleep you are in.

Meals can be a chore. The tables are bolted to the floor with a rubber
mat on top and lips that can be raised to keep the food from winding up in
your lap. The chairs are another story. They are not fixed. Today when
a swell hit, I found myself 3 feet away from my bowl of cream of wheat
before I could get my next spoonful.

Ship showering is always a treat, even in calm water. The stainless steel
stall is smaller than a NYC phonebooth (anybody remember those?) and wraps
around you 3/4 of the way with a curtain at the entrance. To conserve
water, there is a shutoff valve that you are supposed to use to shut off
after wetting up. Then you soap up and turn the valve on again to rinse
off. When the ship is rolling, you are banging off the cold walls with
every roll. Thank God there are hand grips inside to hold on to. And
when you dry off, dressing is no treat either. Try putting pants on when
the floor beneath you is moving back and forth.

The Library this morning was covered with books...on the floor. Even
though we have special shelving and bungie cords across each shelf to
retain the books, it doesn't always work. Picking them up and re-shelving
are all part of the job.

All in all, this is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.