Glitz and Glam on the Veendam

My mind and body were so excited this morning that I woke up before my alarm, a peachy 6:00am.  The sun was shining and we were scheduled to go aboard Holland's Veendam cruise ship to interact with the public and wish some of our researchers a good trip back to Punta Arenas.  First of all, leaving for these excursions is always really fun.  Everyone dons their float coats for the boat over and it turns out to be an unusual combination of people in what are fondly referred to as these "taxi" rides.  We normally only go out in the boats for our sampling and an occasional joy ride, so it is somehow really great to have the support staff thrown into the mix.  Put simply, it's because everyone just laughs and has fun with each other with even more gusto than our normal interactions at meals, in the hallways, etc.  This day was no different.  We all hopped into two boats and I laughed and smiled all the way to the ship.  I think there is also an element of pride that everyone feels as they go out to share their experiences here.  It is the perfect combination of official business and goofy fun.
      Second, this was a big big ship and at 7:30am, passengers were lining each of the ten or so decks to document our approach.  One immediate highlight was briefly seeing the bridge - holy moly it was huge.  Lots of radar screens, maps, fancy chairs, and a beautiful panaramic view of the landscape that must strike people as the oddest and most uncomfortable place to call home.  Next we dispersed to explore the ship's many luxuries, which included a spa salon, slot machines, art galleries, and much more.  Alice and I saw the pool and upper sports decks, where signs informed us that twelve laps around was equal to one mile.  Now that would be a scenic workout.  We saw all of the amenities but were mostly interested in the view because we were taking a little cruise over to the Bismark Straight.
       We lucked out for the weather and it couldn't have been more beautiful.  The wildlife also gave us quite a show and everything just seemed so alive.  You might imagine Antarctica to be cold and deadened, but once again, it is the summer and there are animals that just love the cold.  Alice and I were looking out from one of the side decks and saw whales, which was great as it was.  But, as soon as I saw the second one, I thought, wait a minute.... They were orcas!!  The dorsal fins were much larger than the minke whales we'd seen and we could make out their white patches.  They were also faster and more energetic than the minkes.  This was just so exciting because neither of us had ever seen them in the wild, or anywhere but the television screen, and they don't swim near enough to the station that we would have seen them otherwise.  It was a whole pod and it was great.  We also saw numerous humpacks and dozens of feeding penguin colonies out on the water.
      After our station and lab managers gave their normal speeches, we were all brought up on the stage for introductions and a Q & A.  The audience was mainly curious about climate change, the ozone hole, and about life on the station.  After having said I originally hailed from L.A., a couple from Burbank stopped me to chat for a while after the presentations were finished.  Aside from the misconception that we are underfed and undershowered, talking with the passengers was very enjoyable.  I met a British couple who were saddened by the apparent apathy toward climate change on the ship and annoyed that their host had misinterpreted their question for us.  They shared some of the same overwhelming "wow" sentiments that I have had and it was great to connect with them on a personal level rather than being a more distant "scientist" in their mind.  All in all, they were all so happy and curious about having us on the ship for a few hours and were suprised when we had to leave.  Once again, they all lined the decks to see us off. 

       This kind of reception somewhat puts my role here in perspective, not necessarily in terms of importance but more for its rarity.  Participating in these "outreach" events, the new buzzword in science, has been really fun and enlightening for me and is encouraging me to keep considering education as a potential component of my career goals.  Our boating coordinator arrived to pick us up, sunglasses goofily askew, and we climbed back down the wooden ladder into our zodiak for a laughter-filled ride back home.  A great way to spend a Saturday morning.  Now I'm off to one of the islands for an overnight camping adventure... I'll let you know how it goes!