It’s day 4 of the ADEON cruise and we’re on our way to the second test site. It’s my first time on a research cruise so I’m continuously leaning new things such as how a CTD cast is conducted, how the landers are deployed and set up, what kind of things are caught in net trawls and more. Yet, among all this learning, nothing has been as surprising as having to re-learn how to pour a cup of tea. You see, transferring to life on the sea comes with a few adjustments. Living on a floating vessel means the ground is always shifting with the waves and what was once unmoving on land is now continuously trying to throw you off balance, especially in bad weather. What used to be some of the easiest tasks, like walking in a straight line, getting dressed or enjoying a hot cup of tea, now has a new level of complexity. You quickly learn not to fill your mug to the brim because it makes walking down the hall, or even sitting without getting burnt by hot tea impossible. You also quickly learn to never put your mug down too long, because when you least expect it, the boat will rock and knock the mug off the table. So, if you decide to drink tea, you are entirely devoted to it until the mug is empty and you can put it safely away. All of this to say, if you ever travel on a ship, invest in a travel mug!
By: Emmanuelle Cook, Graduate student at Dalhousie University.
