After a fairly late breakfast, we have the morning to ourselves to check out the ship and the weather and whatever birds we can see flying around.
It's all very exciting for those of us who don't suffer from sea sickness.
In the afternoon, expedition leader Rodney Russ gives us a lecture on the expedition and what we can expect.
Later on, we get a great lecture on birds from Samuel Blanc, ornithologist and staff member. Already, I can detect the odd bird I have spotted outside during the day.
After a sumptuous dinner, I visit the bridge for the first time.
The sea is much calmer tonight.
Monday, January 11
Yay, the weather has improved. There is actually a bit of sunshine today.
In the morning, Rodney tells us about Macquarie Island which will be our first stop.
A little later, a call comes over the intercom that there has been a whale sighting. By the time we've scrambled outside and to the top, the whales have been and gone. The same happens a moment later with some dolphins. They just happened to travel in the opposite direction.
The sea is not very calm and it is quite windy and cold, especially for those of us who ran outside in just a T-shirt, which is normal indoor clothing since it is always very warm.
In the afternoon, Samuel talks about the various penguins we can expect to see during our excursion to Macquarie Island. Can't wait!
This is followed by a documentary called 'Boiling Penguins', presented by historian Huw Lewis-Jones. It not only sounds horrible, but it is sadly the horrible true history of the island. These people just about slaughtered all the elephant seals and rendered them down to sell the oil and then started on the penguins with the same process.
Huw tells the story of Frank Hurley, the photographer who came here with Mawson and how he was really the driving force behind the end of that terrible business.
The sea is getting rougher again this evening.
Tuesday, January 12
Interesting start of the day. The ship is rolling madly but I still manage to have a shower. Unfortunately, the water turns cold and I have to finish with a cold rinse.
Sitting on the bench under the porthole to get dressed, I have to get up and move at some point. Just as I'm trying to grope my way through the cabin, a freak wave hits the ship and I go flying right across the cabin, hurting a wrist and a couple of fingers, getting the rib cage bruised on the edge of the bunk and landing on my knees.
Moments later, the announcement comes over the intercom that the sea is too rough for anybody to go out on deck as there is now also salty sea spray making the deck very slippery. Why am I not surprised?
This is what I filmed with my phone through the porthole.
This morning is quarantine lecture by Rodney and consequently, the bar is temporarily turned into a quarantine station where we have to vacuum every bit of clothing as well as backpacks, anything we intend to take with us tomorrow. The staff check every item, too.
In the afternoon, Rodney explains the use of the Zodiacs, the rubber dinghies with the outboard motors that will be used to ferry us from ship to shore and back....for those readers who don't know what Zodiacs are.
The sea is not much calmer this evening, but at least there is some sunshine again.
I'm all excited about tomorrow.
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