more weather and bartering

We eased out of Mutton Cove and cruised past Okmok en route to the Isle of four mountains (Cleveland Volcano and friends). We expect, as usual, bad weather and large waves. What we find instead is sunshine and whales. I spent time 'till about noon hanging out in the sun in one place or another. At first, I was laying up on deck, just behind the wheelhouse on the starboard side. Later, I was chilling aft With Cyrus. Lots of whales have been making their presence known, though very few come close to the ship. I shot some video of orcas, though I think several different species have been nearby. Crazy.

Right now, I think the whales are still around, but there's no hanging out on deck. The boat is being tossed about pretty fairly. Early in the day, each person on board joined one of two camps.

Camp#1: "Oh sh**. We're going into some huge water. Gimme drugs!". In this camp, which included Josh, there was haggling of this-type of dramamine/bodine/patches. Patches were applied, drugs were popped in anticipation of a rough day.

Camp#2: "Hah! I've survived this far. Forget drugs!" Well, one by one camp#2 succumbed. First Anthony gave in, then, a short time later, I caved... and finally a somewhat greenish Cyrus took his bodine.

I'm surprised at how quickly the days seem to pass. I mostly spend my time watching movies. I was trying to edit a movie for Kamchatka, but that $&#@# movie maker program keeps crashing. I've also been entertaining myself with moves... let's see... so far I've seen: Slap Shot, Swing Shift, The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly, American Wedding, Scratch, The Bourne Supremacy, The Italian Job, and From Russia with Love. Maybe there's been more, but I don't remember.

I keep trying to start working on my school stuff, but I can't seem to string two coherent thoughts together. I'm still a bit worried about having left my abstract to Steve. I know he can pull it off, but he was (and ALWAYS was) really busy. plech.

Waves are up to the point where now and then you hear the skipper cut the engine. Whenever I hear that noise (er... lack thereof), I just hang on.