During the Drake Passage crossing I intended to take a wide angle photo from the stern of the boat that would capture the boat rising and breaking the swells in the heavy seas.  That picture would have been awesome.  Two things prevented me from getting that shot for you.  The first was the technical issue of getting salt spray on my camera and the difficulty of low light in the overcast skies.  The second was that it was wicked scarey and cold.  So it was difficult for me to get the shot while I was curled up in the fetal position crying like a little girl (well, in fairness to me I was not quite that bad).

A pretty calm moment:

So here is an even more horrible story that I may have alluded to along the way.

On the second day of the crossing, one of the crew blocked up the only toilet on the boat.  The captain punished us with an alternative to bathrooms, which he refers to as “the outside toilet”.  The concept is that you lash yourself to a suitable fixture on the boat then lean or squat over the stern deck platform (about 6 inches above the sea) and enjoy the fresh 0 degrees C air as you do your business.  To demonstrate that this is perfectly possible, he availed himself of the facility on the night watch and stepped down on the stern platform.  The rest he recounted to his first mate in a quiet and solemn tone and she subsequently passed on to us with a bit of a lighter take. 

Being that a number 2 was required, he pulled down his pants to the knees and then stepped back to the edge and squatted.  During the actual physical motions, so to speak, the only rogue wave of the night washed the entire platform.  One can only imagine the shock to the system as such a wave washes over you at 2:00AM.  Nevertheless, he ensured that we all had the opportunity before the toilet could be repaired.  Of course at a early point, the crew revolted and insisted that a bucket be provided in the head and then carried out to the stern for disposal.  This is a bit demeaning, but preferable to the Southern Ocean b’day concept recommended by management.  Initially the process of carrying out a bucket of stuff out to the deck was a bit embarrassing.  After a day or two, we comfortably passed the bucket to the person on watch for handling.  No digestive secrets on this boat.   Still, for 9 people that soon got old.  After about a week, we found a calm harbor where Grant was able to redo the entire plumbing system.  He was our hero for a few hours! 

Search for the culprit that blocked the toilet in the first place continues.