12th December 2am!!!

Wow where did yesterday go? I managed to finish my days gash!! Having been well and truely bossed around by the boss!!! lost count of how much i've polished, cleaned(even the fire extinguishers), hoovered, washed up....... and my punishment for being a smoker was making me clean the coffin(smoking room) ceiling:(

The captain had altered the ships course to take us to bouvet island!!! top bloke! We came fairly close at about 07:30 yesterday but weather and visibility was very poor, so just caught a glimpse of the outline.

The seas have been pretty relentless (think Deadliest Catch!) with some very big swells!!!extremely rough yesterday...a few grey faces around that keep disappearing, Rich not eaten for a couple of days, managed to keep an apple down for about half an hour...

I started nodding off watching a film yesterday afternoon, went for a lie down and woke up at 01:45am this morning then realised we'd crossed another timeline so back an hour she goes...;)

So by 01:00 i had been down for a cup of tea.... yes a cup of tea!! cant seem to stomach coffee... I now have total respect for anyone suffering morning sickness :) Been out on deck for a while to get a few photos, getting colder by the day. Some nice sized bergs appearing all around us this morning.

We have a sweepstake on board for the date and time of arrival at Halley, only 2 entries so far, 24 and 26 dec, and that is from 2 people who have been on the Shack a few times before... I can't decide what to put as although we have travelled over half way already we will slow down now we are hitting the ice. Should be interesting...

The sunrise with the icebergs is something else... and the wildlife is getting better and better! I missed the penguins this morning but managed to get the first picture of a seal!

We have cabin inspections today so better get tidied up i suppose, dont fancy the wrath of the boss!! 

10th December

Wow! I must have turned over a new leaf!!! Been up and showered since 5 :O

It's my turn on gash duty today!!  and the seas are very rough!!!! galley, food prep and general cleaning duties all day should be interesting!!

Breakfast shift is out of the way!!!

I've hoovered the 3 lounges polished every wood surface(and theres flippin loads of the grainy stuff) polished every window, door and glass panel.

Just finished the washing up from breakfast and the kitchen lunch prep.

Now for a nice cup of tea and brave the outside deck for a while!!!

We should be reaching the ice on Monday which means the sea will be calmer. Check out here to see how close to the ice we are!

9th December

Only just been allowed  at 11pm to use the internet and comms as captain and crew have needed full access all day.

Well today has been a marathon movie day! 5 films in total!!

Had a break this morning with the first iceberg sighting!!! that was very unexpected for where we are, wouldn't normally see them for a good few days yet..

Captain (John Harper) was on the bridge so took us off course for a close up look!!!

We're hitting some pretty big swells at the moment so will need to get some sleep! whoever said life is like a rollercoaster must have spent some time on the Shack!!! (what the Ernest Shackleton is fondly known as) cos they're not wrong!!!!!!

It's going to take a few days on land(ice) to get back to normality(whatever that is)

Found my sea legs!

Back to GMT tonight, another timeline crossed! only 3 more to go!

We can definitely feel the difference in temperature now we are further south, the sea is a lot choppier but so far so good on the weather and storm front.

Everyone now seems to have found their sea legs (albeit a little wobbly in some cases) cant believe the duty free prices onboard!! mega cheap!

Internet is a bit hit and miss so I will update when I can!

Wildlife

We are hoping that we get to see Bouvet Island! officiallly classed as the remotest place on the earth!! now theres an interesting fact for you!!

We are 1 hour ahead at the minute. I think we hit GMT just south of Bouvet Island

As far as birdlife I've spotted Wandering Albatross (the old man of the sea), one of which was enormous, some greyheads and a couple of white chinned petrels ( which I am told are from the same family as the Albatross). Of course it does  help having a biologist on board who has spent a year or two on bird island.

We are expecting it to be a bit stormy tonight which is a shame as everyone is pretty good today, mostly over the sickness.

We have another emergency boat drill at 16:15 this one for an injured person so should be interesting ( we've nominated Rich to be on the stretcher :))

IT have now sorted the internet lan to our room so will be a lot easier to keep in touch!

Seasick!!!!!

I am on the ships computer at the minute but I should be able to get laptop and some pics sorted later. Last couple of days have been rough!! The ship's been like a ghost town. I was fine until we  (me and dean) paid a visit to the bridge on sunday afternoon, there for about 30 minutes and within 5 minutes of leaving up came lunch!!!!!!!! Slept through tea and decided to start taking sea sickness tablets, woke at about 6am yesterday, went down for a coffee and that was up by the time i made it up 1 flight of stairs!!! no need..

Was ok the rest of yesterday had roast pork and all the trimmings for tea (albeit a small plate:)) sunset at about 20:30 was superb and sunrise at 04:30 this morning was just as spectacular with a relative mill pond sea!! ;)

I spotted the first hump back whales before, 3 small ones!!!!!! too far for photos but apparently rare for where we are!!!

We are only 1 hour ahead now, crossed a timeline last night!!

Gotta go now and get some fresh air :) 

Off we go!

Wow! Had a great night in Cape Town and spent my first night on the ship. Not everyones luggage arrived this morning so one guy had to go on a shopping spree!!!
We set sail about 11am and the sea is rough already. I have been told it will get much worse. It's not affected me so far and I have just eaten my lunch. Some of the others are lying on their bunks.
It has really sunk in now what my expedition entails and just hope I can manage to get through without missing my family too much.
Don't be suprised if I am not in touch for a few days! We have been warned it is best not to use computers until we have found our sea legs!!

Check out here for a webcam view from the Conning tower on board the ship.

British Antarctic Survey for information about the team's work.