Date: Sat, 12 Jun 1999 15:05:30 -0400
Subject: first web page!
Pictures: Magellan, Lifeboat

Dear Karen, I now know how to use the computer here on the ship... I'm also learning how to use the digital camera, and have taken a few pictures before we left Punta arenas: I still have to learn how to unload them before I can send them to you! I think e-mails will be sent twice daily, 8am and 6pm, so I hope this will get to you in tonight's mailing. But let me start back at the beginning:

I left Santa Barbara on Tuesday morning, after a frantic last day of school, packing and saying goodbyes... Since Ray had left already, I was really happy to have a travelling companion, Michael, who is an ice and snow person. We travelled to Los Angeles and from there to Miami, where we boarded a plane for Santiago de Chile at 11pm. The next morning, we saw the sun rise over the Andes and it was a spectacular sight, as the vast expanse of snow-covered mountains turned pink then blinding white in the sun. However, we were not able to land in Santiago as planned, because heavy fog was blanketing the bowl where the city is located, and visibility was too poor. So, instead, after being held in a circular pattern above the airport for a while, we had to go to Argentina, and land at a place called Mendoza to refuel and wait for the weather to clear. By the time we touched ground in Santiago, it was after 11am, and we had missed our connecting flight for Punta Arenas. Bummer, because it would add another eight or so hours to our already pretty long journey, but looking at the positive side of things, it allowed us to go spend the afternoon exploring Santiago. We saw the cathedral, the main square (plaza), a neat area full of little stalls selling crafts and jewelry (a lot of lapis lazuli) and we climbed a hill to an old fort, from which the panoramic view of the city was tremendous, except for the heavy smog on the horizon. Santiago seems to be overpopulated, extremely busy and very polluted! As we made our way back to the airport, our minibus took small backroads rather than the main highway, and that provided us with a brief but fascinating glimpse of another aspect of the area: small houses which sometimes became little more than shacks, dirt roads and horse-drawn vehicles... a sense that within a few miles of each other co-exist wealth and poverty, modern and old-fashioned life styles.

By 7:30pm, we were on our last plane of the day, which brought us to Punta Arenas shortly after midnight. There, we suddenly discovered icy roads and freezing weather, as we were driven to town and dropped (pretty exhausted and delirious by then!) to "King George Hotel".

Thursday morning, after a short but welcome night of rest, we headed toward the pier, just a couple of blocks away, and found the Nathaniel B. Palmer anchored at the end of it, past several other big ships and several little fishing boats. Most of the participants in the program were arriving at about the same time as we were, as well as several tons of scientific equipment, crates, boxes, instruments, computers, etc... All of these were on board, and it looked like the modern version of immigrants of the past arriving at Ellis Island with all their belongings! The main task of the day was going to be organizing, sorting out and finding where everything belonged: at first it looked like a fitting job for Hercules, similar to cleaning the stables of Augeas! But miraculously, little by little the various labs got organized and straightened up. After putting things where they belonged, one important job was to secure them all, either with ropes, cords, bungee cords or bolts and screws, so that even in rough seas, nothing would slide, fall, crash or break. The other requirement was for us to go to the warehouse and take possession of the "extreme condition" clothes that were issued to all participants on the cruise: thermal underwear, heavy wool sockes, special boots (with air layers to keep feet warm), quilted pants, vests and coats, down jackets, parkas with fur lined hoods... not the height of fashion, but I'm sure we'll make good use of them when the time comes! In Punta Arenas, the weather was clear and sunny, though close to freezing, and apparently represents what is considered a very mild winter. We ended the day with a "last supper" at a local restaurant, with an excellent fish and shellfish soup.

And we followed the tradition of going to the center of town where there is a monument to Magellan and rubbing the big toe of one of his travelling companions to ensure a smooth passage across the Drake... We'll see tonight, when we reach the open sea, if our ritual was efficient or not. Right now (Saturday 2pm) we are still protected by land and the waters are very calm, causing only a very mild rocking of the ship.

Friday morning was spent in last minute preparations, both on the ship and a few errands in town, and by 3:20pm, the ship pushed off the pier and headed out. Everyone was on the deck, grinning from ear to ear, delighted and excited that we were finally under way after all the hectic last days. Punta Arenas is on the Straights of Magellan, and we started through them towards the north-east, which, if you look at a map, does not seem the most logical route toward the Antartic peninsula. I'll have to ask the captain or one of the mates why. About two in the morning, we left the Straights and turned south, following the eastern coast of Terra Del Fuego. There was enough of a change of motion of the boat to briefly wake me up, but then I went right back to sleep until morning. We are still following the coast(though far enough from it that we cannot see it from the ship) and we'll reach the point of the continent in about one and a half hour. The weather which was clear and sunny this morning, has turned grey and overcast: it may be the last time we've seen the sun in six weeks! Same for the stars: last night, we went on the deck and looked at brand new constellations (for me): the southern cross was right above our heads, bright and distinct: it was one of those "WOW" moments!...

There are many more things to tell, since, being new at this kind of experience, this hemisphere, this climate, etc... I go from discovery to discovery and question to question. This morning, I was up on the bridge, where the pilot (captain or mate) directs the ship's operations, and I was given a tour and explanation of all the instruments used to navigate: it was really interesting. By the way, the crew, whether it is the captain (Joe), the mates (Paul, Tom and one other, whom I haven't yet met) all the way to the cook (who has to feed about 60 people for the next six weeks without a store to run to if they forgot something!) are extremely nice, helpful and eager to connect with all of us, which is really pleasant: we are invited to come visit them ,talk to them and ask questions, of which I have plenty! In another message, I will describe the ship more in details, for that too is very interesting. But for today, I'll end up with what was probably the most memorable experience so far: yesterday we had a safety meeting, to which we all went with our "gumby suits" as they are affectionately nicknamed: they are one-piece suits, including feet, gloves and hood, made of a heavy rubberized material, with what looks like inflatable angel wings on the back... But once you are in them (a struggle and feat in itself, though practiced sailors can do it in about thirty seconds), you look more like a cross between a duck and the Pillsbury dough boy than an angel!!! They are by far the most uncomfortable garment I've ever worn.

Once we had all turned into these bright orange aliens, we had to file into the life boat: that is an oblong plastic-like bubble, totally closed, which can contain 76 people (and supplies for three days) in case we had to abandon ship: you are strapped on to benches all around and in the middle, so that if it is tossed upside down in the waves, you don't fly around... well, I'm not especially claustrophobic, but I hope this will be my one and only contact with this situation... not pleasant by any stretch of the imagination!

Well, I'll sign off for today: hopefully next time I send a message, I will be able to send some of the pictures I've started taking with the digital camera, but I still have to figure out how to download them...tomorrow maybe. Until then, goodbye from the Southern hemisphere! Domi

PS We're heading for Palmer station as our first stop, and should arrive there some time on the 15th (Tuesday).