Countdown continues - Days 19, 18, 17 Feb 1, 2, 3

Day 19 - Feb 1

It was a late galley rnorning and I didn’t go on the early whale watching boat because last time it was cold and foggy and we didn’t get very close. It was very cool but I thought sleeping in sounded good since I’d been on two boats the day previous. Mistake.

Daisey and Ian went and the morning was perfectly clear and beautiful and they touched and kissed whales. So jealous. The boats also came across the nursery/play date we had seen the day before AND we even had a Mama and calf come very close to the SeaBird in the morning. I had my arms full of produce and was walking down toward the bow to see them waving their flukes and rolling in the water. It’s always cool.

Also missed bow riding dolphins in the bioluminescence. It was the day of missing things I suppose.

However I was taking a nap - galley duty will do that to you- and heard squeaking which meant dolphins and I did get to go see them. This also doesn’t stop being cool and the fact that I can know they’re there because I can hear them in my bed makes me smile.

Day 18 - Feb 2

At lunchtime Captain Kay had a crew meeting to tell us that the weather was going to be, “Well there’s no pretty way to say it, it’s going to be shitty and then it’s going to get worse.” I love Captain Kay.

And he was right.

It was the worst that I have experienced it on this boat, and on positioning trips we’ve had it pretty bad. Of course, it may have felt worse than those times for the fact that on positioning we don’t have guests and I can go lay down. This time I was in the galley, working. Oh. My. Goodness. I could not wait for it to be over and I am not sure how we got through it. My fellow stews laughed when I came through the double doors of the galley, pale and not ready to talk to anyone. They were proud of me for making it and I wasn’t so far gone that I couldn’t appreciate their laughter at my state.

Hardly anyone came to dinner, guests were freaking out in the companionways because that is of course very helpful, some slept in the dining room, those of us in the focsle were reassigned to rooms not on the bow of the boat. Sleep wasn’t really sleep and getting up this morning we found the boat in an interesting state to say the least. Actually things weren’t nearly as bad as they could have been because our trusty deck force did an excellent job of buttoning things done and securing near everything. When I came up at 5:30 am to start galley work there were guests in the dining room asleep, tops of settees were off and bags of coffee lay on the floor, tables had toppled over. There were a few things on the galley floor but not much. Then I opened up the back reefer and out came the tuna fish, a cheesecake and some garlic. The cheesecake was, thank goodness, salvageable but the tuna got into the cracks of the galley mat so my first line of work had nothing to do with what I should have been getting done. What a crazy morning! I was in good spirits though, and so were most. The boat was no longer moving and Captain said we were staying put for 24 hours. Hallelujah!

Day 17 - Feb 3

Was reminded inadvertently by my bro today to take time and be still with God. So I got off of face book, off of Baptop and took a minute out on the fantail. It’s been cold, not chilly but cold, most of today but there was a nook of sunshine that felt yummy on my face and I was able to sit and be quiet. The water here is beautiful turquoise blue, it’s one of the first beaches that we came to in Baja. As I sat and reminded myself that I didn’t have to DO anything, didn’t have to speak anything, that it was good to be still and know He is God the rest of that psalm came to my mind and was interesting in light of last night. It’s one of my favourite psalms.

God is our refuge and strength

An ever present help in times of trouble

Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way

Though the mountains crumble into the heart of the sea

Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God

The holy place where the most high dwells. God is with her, she will not fall

God will help her at break of day.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Day 20, January 31

Okay so I think my countdown number were slightly off so we’re recalibrating today with

Day 20, January 31. I’m disappointed that I don’t have the other days written here because I was enjoying the consistency but ah well. I’ve been tired at bedtime and up early so it is what it is.

Jan 28 I woke up early to go out and see whales again. It wasn’t nearly as wonderful as the night before with Kathy (ohmigoodness. ) but we still did see them. Afterward I worked all day in the galley.

Jan 29- turn day. Yucky. Worked 15 hours straight. Yucky. But learned from Captain that the amazing trip we had had was indeed spectacular and the best we can hope to see out here. And the grey whales aren’t usually as active and friendly, the weather isn’t usually as good as it was this week in Mag bay. We were very fortunate and it’s good to know.

Jan 30- Galley day. I’m the galley stew this week and working in the galley wasn’t as bad as I’d been dreading. Dishes galore and the wonderful end of day smell of stagnant dishwater. Ended the day with some good quiet time on the lido deck. While praying I thought of my resentful angry attitude yesterday with my fellow stews because they get their work done so much faster than me. I confessed this and prayed for forgiveness and then felt prompted to think of something in each of the stewards that I was grateful for. It was very good.

Bringing us to today…

Jan 31, Day 20, Day off.

Woke early to go watch the sunrise on the bow but it was SOOO windy and cold that I went back to bed. For three hours. Wow. Felt pretty rested when I did get up though.

Captain put together a crew boat for us for whale watching and I went out on both. I am so determined to actually touch one of these beautiful creatures. Second round we saw five mama and calf pairs at the same time and one fluked right by our boat. It makes me so happy to see them. They are amazing.

I want to write about the whales- grey whales- well soon.

Thirty day Countdown - Day 22 January 27

http://www.expeditions.com/DER_Details113.asp?DailyReport=151673&SearchSource=Results&Month=&Year=&Ship=&Destination=&Keyword=

The red arm is me. Enough said for now. This day was like Christmas.

Thirty Day Countdown- Day 23 January 26

This morning Jordan got us outside to see a beautiful pink sunrise carried by altocumulus clouds that I'm not sure I can spell. I stood on the fantail with several people that I work with and like quite a bit, all of us taking a break from getting ready for the day, ready for guest breakfast, ready for whatever and watching the golden, pink, blue on the water and in the clouds. It was a good moment, and peaceful, and well shared. And then there were dolphins.

Thirty day countdown - Day 24, January 25

Last night- yes I’m going back to yesterday because this is just too cool- I was watching a movie in the crew lounge with some friends/fellow crew. The phone rang, I thought it was on the movie but it was our ship phone which meant someone from another part of the ship was calling. Clayton picked up the receiver and when he placed it back down again he had a message from the bridge- ‘Dolphins on the bow’. Now we generally get happy about dolphins on the bow in the daytime, but at night? We ran up the stairs. As I ran down the outside 200 companionway the daily routineness of the boat that I’ve lived on for the past five and a half months dissolved and the whole moment took on a romantic quality, even the familiar walkway. Daisey must have felt this too because later she said “I’m in love, I’m just in love! Not with anything, just in love!” It no longer felt like the boat but a ship, and had that excitement that the people who vacation here must feel.

I was amazed at how quietly we ran. I was already taking this in, feeling myself run past guest cabins soundlessly and then I realized that Daisey too was running behind me. I hadn’t noticed because of her equally silent pace. As we reached the bow I touched the railing and felt fine salt that had blown in and built up. I knew that if I could see it it would be sparkling. But we couldn’t see much making our way to the bow, it was very dark. We did make our way, Daisey clutching my arm because we couldn’t see anything. Finding the bow we leaned over the railing into the dark water.

Dolphns leapt ahead of our boat, visible because of Baja’s magical bioluminescence, their bodies outlined glowingly. Sometimes you’d see a jet of light come in from the side and join in. We could see them jump out of the water, hear them take in oxygen. The night was dark, moonless as she had disappeared sometime ago, only the stars were bright. And many.

I don’t even know who was on the bow experiencing this with us. Leah was there on my right, Daisey on my left, all of us leaning on the bow, our heads poking over. I just know there were lots of giggles and exclamations at the wonder of it. I know it was lovely. And it was lovely afterwards to look up and see the stars. Daisey and I stayed after the dolphins and the other humans had gone. She told me that when she was a deckhand she was doing a bridge watch at night in Baja and she spotted something. It looked like a sailboat, one they were about to run into. They couldn’t figure out where it had come from, it wasn’t on the radar, and they were a little nervous. And then they realized that it was a bioluminescent whale, moving around in the water.

I went to bed thinking about the dolphins, about what we saw, about the idyllic feel of the moment. I woke up thinking about it too.

~ ~ ~

This morning before guest breakfast Leah leaped through the dining room doors excited and happy, and ran through the back to the fantail. I wondered what on earth was going on to get this reaction and went up to the lido after asking Tom and realizing we were seeing whales. I didn’t see them while I was out and went back down to setup. Leah came back into the dining room and freaked out looking out the window. There were humpbacks and they were breaching. And when I say breaching I mean dancing, and leaping, and spinning out of the water. It was incredible. I haven’t seen them do this yet, we just changed our Baja route and apparently we’ll see it often now. Raz told me that last year they were having apps on deck and saw a hundred breaches. I have a bookmark that a past crew member bought me in Alaska of humpbacks dancing and this was it. I didn’t know I would see it. My goodness.

It reminded me of Psalms that talk about all the earth rejoicing, all the earth, the sea and everything in it praising the Lord. I learned today while cleaning rooms that all the humpbacks in the ocean, in different parts, far apart, sing the same song and that from when they leave the breeding areas like Baja and go to the feeding places like Alaska, when they return to the breeding areas the song has changed, gone on, but they’re all still singing the change. How does this happen? they ask. Because our God is so good, so mysterious and wonderful. That’s how.

Day 25- January 24

I felt so much better today after all the rest I got yesterday! Hurrah for the cold being on the way out the door. Plus I decided to have another go at no sugar (harder than ever in my life on this boat surrounded by very yummy desserts) and healthy eating to try and say adieu to some boat weight before my contract is over. I woke up with time to spare before work which was nice.

Was supposed to book my travel today but got stalled. That’s okay though because I do know now that I AM going to Florida! I’ve become a winter wimp and don’t know that I’m ready for what Mom says is 5 degree weather. Hmmm. No. I have family there that I would like to see and I’m very excited to get to go.

Post contract Baby tour USA looks like

La Paz to LA- nothing to do with babies, I just want to check out the city because I’ve been curious for a long time. Hoping to see John Kirby’s studio and check out a couple of other actor specific things.

LA to St.Louis - to meet my nephew, Abel! Kaelen’s beautiful baby boy. I haven’t seen Kae since the wedding over a year ago and I’m so glad that I’ll get to stay with her for about a week.

St. Louis to Florida - where hopefully my cousin hasn’t already set off for New Zealand because I want to meet her beautiful baby girl.

And eventually home to see my darling twin cousins and niece Cora.

*note-niece and nephew terms here are aunthood by friendship. Though they feel like sisters*

And of course to see their respective parents and my own. There’s a little boy on board right now, his name is Luka and he’s adorable. He makes me think of my brothers - though they aren’t that little anymore- and of my cousin Tyler.

~ ~ ~

Today we were at Los Islotes in the morning. Los Islotes is like a large aquatic puppy kennel. Perhaps I have written about this before. It’s the home and mating ground of a LOT of noisy, fighting, playful, funny, smelly sea lions. Also pelicans, blue and brown footed boobys, yellow footed gulls and jellyfishlike stinging pink rainbow things. When we get to Los Islotes you can hear it and smell it. The sea lions bark and bark, at each other and for no reason in particular too I’m sure. They lay on the rocks, some lazily actually sleeping. Some of these are lovely to see. Some of them are blonde and look truly golden. Some lay with their babies on top of them and they are just adorable. Then there are the noisy fighting ones- mostly males with large ugly shelves for foreheads. They are pretty funny to see. Then there are the babies. A few weeks ago I took a zodiac tour around the island with our naturalist William and some guests. A baby sea lion came up to our boat playfully. He was so close I could have kissed him. I wanted to.

The highlight of Los Islotes is swimming with the sea lions. I have only done this once, on New years eve, which was a fabulous day that I’ve yet to write about. It was a very neat experience. They brush by you, swimming so gracefully. I’ve heard of them becoming curious, of them nipping at flippers, and skin, but I didn’t have any come that close. They did swim in close proximity though and I squealed quite often. In delight, wonder and amusement, not fear. It was really cool but once you take off that snorkel mask and get a whiff of the rocks you’re ready to get back in the snorkel boat. J And you try not to think too much about WHAT you’re swimming in. Particularly because this is where we joke about the ‘Christmas Miracle’ of snow covered rocks that are actually Pelican poo. Lots and lots of pelican poo.

Even watching the sea lions from the Sea Bird is fun though. They are so curious and funny.

　

Day 26 - January 23

Day off. Hallelujah, I need it. I went to bed fairly early last night so as to sleep this bug off. I had some weird dreams, which has been a staple lately but was also partly due to the five minutes of Underworld that I promised Daisey and Ian I would sit through. It was actually more like three and a half but I had their blessing for sitting through the intro. I woke up earlier than I would have liked because of drills. We have weekly drills for abandon ship and fire. It’s a tad distressing when this winds up on your day off, but that’s just boat life. I’d been a bit bitter about it but really if I hadn’t had to wake up for drills I also wouldn’t have woken up to see…

Blue WhaleS! Note the plural here. On this beautiful, sunshiney, still water morning we saw not one, not two but THREE blue whales at the same time! Magnificent. Now you can’t see them in the sense of a children’s book layout where the whole animal is visible before you, but rather bits of their large bodies as they come up out of the water. Just knowing that you’re seeing the most enormous creature that lives is amazing. Seeing three at once, hearing them blow, watching their gigantic footprints as they go back under the water…it’s wonderful. A couple of weeks ago we were asking about why it’s the largest creature that ever lived, wondering about dinosaurs that we had thought must certainly have been larger. Over the intercom this week I heard one of our naturalists, Carlos, explain that it is the largest animal in mass- as some of the bigness of dino’s was due to long necks or other such thin lengthy appendages

Three at once. Just amazing.