Pisco Sours and Sleep Deprivation in Punta Arenas

After three flights and some 20 hours of travel, and many more hours of no sleep, I've landed in Punta Arenas, Chile, with several others affiliated with the U.S. Antarctica Program. It's a breezy town with colonial buildings and the ocean within a stone's throw of anywhere. We flew over a snow-capped volcano and glistening glaciers in Patagonia on route here from Santiago. They took my breath away.

After all the buildup and hype, I had to taste a pisco sour, the local drink, and I can say I'm underwhelmed. Heretical to say around here, no doubt. Tomorrow we'll be outfitted with the "ECW" gear--for extreme cold weather and have a tour of the Laurence M. Gould vessel (see photo, courtesy of Chris Neill, our PI from Marine Biological Lab).

Then we'll sleep in it tomorrow night at the dock and then setting out for the Drake Passage. I'm thrilled, and admittedly trepidacious as I'm so prone to seasickness. We'll have no Net access but will have intermittent email access on the boat but I'll post (if I'm not too nauseous) from the ship via my husband and IT manager, Tom. Wish me luck!

Comments

[Don Hopey]

Hey Susan,
Great news about the trip. And good luck.
Stay warm!
Don

[Mark]

Good luck Suz. Remember, look at the horizon, not the churning sea in front of you. We'll be toasting you at Thanksgiving ... if we make it, everyone at chez Fitzmo is sick. Marsh too, apparently. xoxo, mark

[Holly Beggs]

Hope you continued to be wowed, as I will be through your blog.

[Julia]

Have a great trip, Susan. Do you have medication with you? I am Miss Universe of Seasickness and discovered only a couple of years ago that a constant dosis of dramamine, taken early enough actually really helps - it even let me enjoy a weeklong diving trip on a boat, which would otherwise have been pure torture... I'm sure they have it on your ship, give it a try...

[Alex Witze]

From one tender stomach to another: Drugs are the answer. Ginger or those stupid little acupressure bracelets will get you nowhere. Good luck and safe travels!