Storm in the South Pacific
Storm in the South Pacific
Although many of us had experienced storms on the Nespelen before, we were not prepared for what was to face us in the latitudes known as the "roaring forties, the furious fifties and the shrieking sixties." Many who had never been seasick before did so now. I remember going to the galley to fry an egg and having it go across the griddle like a comet with a tail.The storm was really just huge swells, but they dwarfed the ship.
It was tricky getting across the catwalk when the waves were breaking. You had to time things just right and run very fast. I got soaked a number of times because I got both things wrong.
With the ship rolling like this, it was hard to sleep in your bunk. I had to wedge a blanket on either side of me to keep from falling onto the floor. It was also eerie to feel your flesh rolling across your bones because of the ship's motion.
I don't remember how long the storm lasted, but I do remember how happy we were to see this rainbow. Admiral Dufek was so distressed by the stress that we had all been under that he sent us a message to congratulate us on surviving...
