Torngat Mountains Expedition 2023: Day 13
All is Swell!
We woke up early this morning to a much more-than-usual rocking ship. We had a feeling it might be the day when we officially get to test our sealegs. We were not disappointed.
After our morning briefing, we snuggled in for a screening of – Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast. Watching this documentary prompted us to think about our connection to Canada, to each other, the ship, and its history which we are now a part of! It also prompted us to think about what we will be doing with our SOI experience and how best to share it. One way we are marking our experience is by co-creating a mural in the ship’s hangar to commemorate a new chapter, and to join the many murals from previous expeditions.
Following the screening, a curious science group got busy in the science lab making slides with the specimens collected previously during the plankton tow. Other groups experienced the true inner workings of the ship with an engine room tour, led by Chief Engineer Dave, including how the ship’s drinking water is made, and where we get our power. Our Expedition Talent Show is scheduled for tomorrow night, so many students used some time for rehearsing!
No expedition would be complete without some swell and rough seas. For us, it was a big rolling sea from a storm that happened in Greenland. We experienced swells 6 meters and higher rocking the ship back and forth. Everyone aboard now understands the true meaning of being at sea, and for some, the true meaning of seasickness! Our cabins were unceremoniously ‘redecorated’ with a few of the larger swells!
Mid-afternoon, our Captain announced that there was a huge iceberg ahead and he slowed the ship down for us to enjoy the view. It was one of the largest icebergs we’ve seen during the expedition and our closest encounter with one.
After dinner, we played some games then we were treated to a live musical performance by SOI Team Members Jim and Sam. We capped off our ‘sea day’ with a double-feature movie night.
As we prepare for our final expedition day tomorrow, our group of now seasoned, young adventurers are enthusiastic about what happens next and are planning on how to continue to connect with each other post-expedition and pursue new ideas, projects, initiatives, and careers.