Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/21/2008 - 11:47
Forums
Kuril Islands Biocomplexity 08

HI,

 You've got such great photos and explanations about all of the research.  It sounds exhausting.  I, however, am curious about life on the ship.  I've see the galley and the buffet line, but- what are your sleeping arrangement like?  Is there a full sized bathroom?  Any place to recreate?  I know I am not alone in wondering.  Perhaps you could just do a journal entry that gives us a 'personal tour'. 

Have a great time.

Mary Anne Pella-Donnelly

2007 PolarTREC

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 16:23

KBP Team

Mary Anne -
I will definitely post a more detailed description of life on the ship-thanks for the suggestion!
For now, I'll just give you the short answer, which is "there's not much room!" I share a 6' X 7' X 9' cabin, without a window or a sink, with Dr. Kaoru Tezuka, who is the Japanese archaeologist on the trip with us this year. That's smaller than many closets, so we have to be pretty efficient in our use of space. Luckily for me, Kaoru is at the Ekarma camp for another week, so I've been able to spread out (inefficiently!) and organize my field gear, notes, and camping equipment. There is a pretty large open space on the upper deck that is decent for doing exercise circuits (sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups). But the deck is pretty grimy, so you get pretty dirty. It's also not particularly ideal when the boat is pitching. There is also a pretty constant haze of cigarette and diesel smoke in and around the ship, so I try to not to breath too much...
Probably the biggest challenges are a) feeding everyone (~50 people) when we are all on the boat and b) finding space to dry clothes and camping equipment during the transition time between camps (sometimes less than 24 hours turn-around time), especially when everyone is on board.
--Dr. E.