We had 6 m high waves in the Drake Passage all day, so there was nothing to do, but stay in the safety of the bed. I didn’t even bother risking my life in the shower that morning.

Rewind Anxiety also hit me hard today. If you ever traveled somewhere that was really hard to get to, you know what I mean. Once you’re there, the rewind anxiety starts. It’s essentially, the dread of having to suffer through getting back home from a very remote place. All the steps, in boats, planes, trains, cars, and busses, just seem too much to bear. Thinking about the exhaustion of being up all night and the jetlag when you get home just make it worse.

The only way to beat Rewind Anxiety is to sing loud and proud “Let it go! Let it go!” After listening to the Frozen song again with this trip in mind, I realized how perfect it would be as the theme song to an Antarctic adventure!

I haven’t mentioned much about the actual ship we were on. For the ship nerds, here are some stats on the Ocean Victory:

And, due to the Zero Speed Stabilizers (Rolls Royce Aquarius 100 SAR [stabilization at rest]), we weren’t thrown off the ship or into walls too badly. Just a little.

A note about physical readiness for a cruise like this: you should be fit enough to climb stairs five times a day because the elevators are rarely safe to use, due to the motion. Being able to squat, balance yourself on one leg and have a strong core is a must. There is no age restriction when registering, but they do ask you to sign a declaration of good health. I will mention that the two men that fell that first day were both not very fit looking. Personally, I prepared for the cruise by doing loads of squats and arm band workouts. It was necessary, in my opinion, especially if you’re older and less elastic.

This post is part of a 10-post series of my adventures on the White Continent.

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