Today while I was sitting out on deck, I stated talking to one of the OBS engineers. We were talking about really what a desolate place the middle of the Pacific is. Except for the occasional flying-fish, there is nothing out here. Then he started telling me about the whaling boat the Essex that was sunk by a sperm whale. The story of the Essex is apparently the inspiration for Moby-Dick. The sailors that escaped survived for three months at sea, but only because they drew lots for who would be sacrificed so that the rest of the crew could eat them. Then they drew lots for who had to shoot the guy. They also resorted to drinking their own urine. It is strange to think that being at sea, surrounded by water, and one would think fish, there was no other way to survive. And they barely made it. It is really like a giant salty desert out here. I never looked at the Pacific Ocean in that way. I always pictured is abundantly full and bursting at the seams with life. Its not. Not at the surface anyways. 
Tonight we will cross the international date line which sits on the 180ยบ line of longitude in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and is the imaginary line that separates two consecutive calendar days. At 2:00 am on Thursday, October 21st, we will turn the clock ahead by 23 hours, so it will become 1:00 am on Friday, October 22nd. I will never get to experience Thursday October 21st, 2010. Lets all take a moment of silence.
Hope you all get to enjoy it!
Thanks for sending me the link to your blog! I've really enjoyed reading it and seeing the pictures (I <3 hawaii). Keep the updates coming!
ReplyDeleteP.S. The vastness of the Pacific has always scared me. Dave wants to buy a catamaran some day and sail the world, but I have no idea how he could convince me to cross the Pacific in one :)