Day three at sea and it started rough. We sailed into a low pressure area and the winds were high and the swells rocked the ship. I woke up feeling like I was being rocked in a cradle, unfortunately not in progression but by some irate parent who was mad at me for crying through the night. The rough seas started last night but escalated through the night. I felt it around bedtime and the best way to prevent rolling along with the ship is to sleep with your back to the bulkhead. You will only feel half the roll then.
We are approximately 765 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. You can follow me on NOAA’s shiptracker, whose link is listed below. We should arrive at our first station around 05:00. Our location is approximately 8.5 North and 155.2 West. We are going to be at eight north most of Saturday.
Today was another day of small issues that are knick knocking more than anything else. The radiometers, which measure the intensity of the sun, were not working right. The short range would vary too much while the long range decided to go on strike. The instrument used to measure sea surface temperature would lock up its data output once in a while and then the usual computer set ups. Part of the radiometer problem was the stacked crates on the aft con deck that would create a shadow every time the ship rolled. When they reduced one level of crates, it started to work but the other radiometer is still a problem. As for the sea surface temperature, no spare interface box so it will be reset all the time. I still have not completed several of the projects assigned.
It was very windy and the hat blew off several times when walking around the weatherdecks. Luckily it did not go towards the open sea so I still have it. When using handrails on windy days like this it is common to get a palm full of salt. Exercising on a treadmill during these conditions does not require using elevation to make resistance. The ship does that for you but would recommend holding on to the handrails of the treadmill. Chest press does not require additional weights to what you already have because when the ship goes into a swell, the gravity will do that for you.
I am lucky not to have so many items fly off the shelf both in my stateroom and the shop. While I sit here and type, an occasional swell would force me to hold on to my desk until we recover. Aside from the warm weather, wearing shorts and T-shirt, today felt like I was sailing off the Pacific Northwest at this time of the year.
Less than two weeks now and I will be in Samoa.
Goodnight from the Pacific.
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