I’m about done with you, Pacific Ocean

I have been at sea for 10 days with one more day to go until we arrive in Yokohama, Japan, and I am very ready to get to Japan. This has been one long crossing and I’m excited to see dry land again.

You may be wondering how I've been spending the last 10 days on the ship. Well, the answer is staying indoors. You may have heard about the big waves seen off the coasts of Hawaii and California. These big waves were produced by a monster storm as it crossed the Pacific Ocean. The ship was set to sail directly through the storm but the Captain changed our course to avoid the worst of it. Although we missed the worst of the storm which included 40 foot swells, we did catch the backside of the storm and have had rocky seas for the past few days. The swells have been as high as 14 feet and waves have crashed up to the 5th deck as the ship rocks and rolls. High winds and heavy rains have prevented us from being out on the decks and I’m starting to feel a bit stir crazy.

No go on getting out onto the decks. Boo, Pacific Ocean.

The Semester at Sea ship, called the M.V. Explorer, was once the fastest ship of its size. The ship is small and speedy and I understand the reason for its purchase because it has to carry 700 students all around the world in just a few months time. However, after 10 days of rocking our way across the Pacific I am voting for slow and steady rather than small and speedy.

View of the M.V. Explorer from the Port of Hilo.

I can deal with the rocking but the sounds are what really get me. The ship creaks as its rocked back and forth. A huge “boom” sounds throughout the ship when the ship drops down off a wave and crashes into the next. The sounds of crashing silverware and dishes as well as the opening and slamming shut of drawers are heard when walking through the halls.

We've been told that the Pacific will be the worst of the rockiness and I’m glad! I’m not sure I could take four whole months of this! I have to keep telling myself: one more day until land, one more day!

View of the waves yesterday from the window in my room.