Day 18 – Sea, Sea, Sea

Sept 15th

Geography Lesson
We are passing through a population center of Fin whales, the second largest species that can grow up to 75 feet. We will also be passing over an area with submerged, inactive volcanic mountains and be crossing the mid-Atlantic Ridge, part of the world’s longest mountain chain. It stretches 65,000 km. The ridge line even breaks through the ocean surface in a few places forming islands, such as Iceland. Later today we are going to pass 350 miles south of St. Helena, a desolate island that was the exile home of Napoleon (1815-1821)! How cool right? It’s like we are sight seeing at sea.

Rest of the day
Classes ended at noon, so I spent some time at the gym and the library. Most of the day was spent hanging around the ship before yoga on deck seven. I had never done it on a rocking ship before, so it was pretty difficult. Then I had designated “snack time” with Sara and Britney. (The Hawaiian pizzas on this ship are killer.) After dinner, students gathered in the Union to watch documentary called Finding Face about acid attacks on women in Cambodia. Somehow I got all these people excited to see it, so I was preying it wouldn’t dissuade any of us from going later this semester. Afterwards we headed to open mic night to hear TG read a poem about being fatherless, Bobby scream a poem about AIDS and Tite sing the most beautiful songs ever. I’m officially dating his voice… and I told him that the first time I met him. Tomorrow is our day off, which will be so nice because everyone is exhausted from loosing an hour of sleep each night. Tonight is a full moon, so we may also sleep out on the deck! We’ll have to see where the evening takes us….

Highs and Lows
My “high” was balancing downward facing dog on a moving ship. My “low” was finding out that the surprise picture they took of me walking on the ship on day one (the one I joked that I looked like I have down syndrome?) is ACTUALLY on the semester at sea website!