Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 06:56
Forums
Ocean Dynamics Beaufort Sea

Hi Gerty,

I'm interested to see photos from your first formal lunch — you mentioned you had to take dresses on board. Please tell us all about this custom.

Also, I would love to hear more about what the living arrangements are. Are the bathrooms tiny? How do you shave your legs on a ship that might... move? These are silly questions, maybe, but ones that I am wondering about...

What is the most difficult task assigned to you thus far?

Samiha

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 18:29

Gerty Ward

Hello Samiha,
Good quesitons
On Sundays the Captain hosts a formal lunch, starting with wine and appetizers and goes on through several courses.  It is a priviledge to be invited to dine at his table.  Over the course of our 5 week cruise, he invites various members of the science team to join him.  The dress for this occasion is formal and I am ready should the invitation be extended.
Sunday is not just any day in the kitchen, however.  This past Sunday they served prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, two types of potatoes, two vegetables and gravey.  The prime rib was perfectly cooked.  You may purchase wine for this meal from the ship store; however, I was busy learning about CTDs when the store was open, so I missed it. 
 My bathroom is prefectly sized for one person.  I share my room with Kristina Brown, and we shower at different times so it works very well.  Yes, shaving is a problem with a moving ship, as is any thing requiring precision.  When we are in open sea, the ship's motion is very gentle, however, and you become accustomed fairly quickly. We have not yet broken any serious ice-- when we do things may change.....
 
The science and ship crew have been extremely welcoming, offering to help if ever I need it.  Most difficult has been where to start!  The science is very cool- and is on a scale hard to imagine.  The ship is like a contained, self-suffcicent village. So I will do my best to cover everything.
 
All the best,
Gerty