Currently. Southbound.

Sunset in Kotzebue Sound....at about 1am....

Currently...

Ice Free.  We've been out of the ice for a few days....I've just been avoiding telling you all....so that I could keep posting photos of the ice!  Sneaky?  Nah...

Headed South.  This is exciting because it means we're moving in the right direction to get home.

Excited to see my house.  I made a tactical error this time around - I visited family before looking for work.  I'm going to try to never do that again and instead visit friends and family after being at work.  I feel like I've been away from home forever.  

Worried I'll run out of podcasts.  I'm listening to a lot of podcasts I have 'squirreled away' (i.e. downloaded ahead of time and saved for sea) and I don't know if I have enough to see me through the trip!  For a podcast addict, this is a borderline emergency.  I've actually started 'rationing' them.

Trying to listen to an audio book.  Does anyone else immediately tune them out?  I'm really giving it my best effort...especially since I'm rationing podcasts.  About two minutes in though, I realize I haven't been paying attention.  Thoughts?

Reading a good book.  I'm not gonna drop the name yet.  Is that weak?  I want to give it some blog justice...I'll keep it close to my chest for a bit more.  In the meantime, go find yourselves a good book!  It's almost fall!

Trying my best to 'up' my blogging game.  I'm sure you noticed I fell off the band wagon for a bit.  I have many things to say about this.  I'm thinking about how to move the blog forward.  We'll talk more about this later I'm sure.  Bottom line...I missed you guys!  

What are you currently up to?

Mettle Maker :: Face It

I spend so much time in my head that I make the 'facing it' so much more difficult then it needs to be.  

I couldn't agree with Mr. Conrad more. Sometimes you just gotta Face It.  

Soulful Sunday :: Fire and Ice

Fire And Ice

Some say the world will end in fire, 
Some say in ice. 
From what I've tasted of desire 
I hold with those who favor fire. 
But if it had to perish twice, 
I think I know enough of hate 
To say that for destruction ice 
Is also great 
And would suffice.

By Robert Frost

Tug Life // Seasick

Confession:  I threw up for the first two days I was at sea on this lovely ole tug. 

Thinking about how much more a tugboat feels sea conditions didn't even remotely factor into my decision making process when I took the job. 

To be clear, I'd take the job again...I'd just be a little more prepared to feel every single ripple. 

The first clue I was no longer on a ship hit me when we were tied up to the dock. I'd lay in my bunk and feel the boat rocking. I'd be standing in the wheelhouse and I'd have to catch my footing for a second. At the dock. In a sheltered harbor. With a breakwater. 

Getting underway we headed into about a four foot swell. 

To say the vessel pitched would be a mild understatement. We felt every single wave. 

My body REVOLTED. 

During my first watch I had to run to the head and toss my cookies twice. My relief showed up on the bridge and as I was giving my turnover I had to blurt, 'oh my god I'm gonna be sick'....and RUN off the bridge to make it to the head. 

This kept up for two solid days until I felt like I could barely move (and my shipmates looked at me with pity and / or disgust)...and then I started to feel better really slowly. 

I'm now at the 45 day mark. Most days I'm golden but sometimes, if we hit the swell just right I'm wishing I could be somewhere else.  

We've also had phenomenal weather so I'm a little worried that my cookie tossing days aren't over. 

Note to self:  tugs move A LOT. Pack Dramamine and ginger chews. 

Nautie Books :: The Dirty Life

via 

The Dirty Life: A Memoir On Farming, Food and Love

This book drew me right in.  

A couple years ago I watched the movie Food, Inc. It graphically imaged what I already knew about food...that we can no longer trust where it comes from. Shortly after seeing the movie I picked up the book The Omnivore's Dillema (which I highly recommend).  Right on the tail of suddenly feeling incredibly paranoid about where my food was coming from I hopped on a container ship. Reading the cargo manifest one day I realized we were shipping 'organic soybeans' in one of the refrigerated containers from China to California. I was horrified. I mean, seriously, the rain in China is probably toxic!! 

This book warned my heart - I knw. So cliche.  I felt so proud of these two young farmers. Like, take that you impossibly organic soybeans being repackaged and rebranded being bought up by the masses at Trader Joes!!!  Boom!  Essex Farm makes their own compost!  Take that!

Plus, there's a love story and recipes. I mean seriously. A farm. A man who cooks. A woman who drives a team of horses. Maple syrup.  

I'm currently at sea and I have to say there's something about reading about dirt in the middle of the ocean.  

Kristin Kimball couldn't have done a better job telling this story.  

Here's a great article about the book if you'd like to read more before picking it up! 

What's on your nightstand these days? 

 Remember way back when we had a book club?  I miss those days...I just don't miss them enough to commit to a book a month. How's that for honest?  That being said, I love a good book!  I also love when a friend recommends a good book. Let's do that sometimes! 

Tugboat Dislikes

I got to thinking today that's it's only fair I share my dislikes. It seems like a good idea to keep things real and share the downsides to tugboat life (as far as a transition from a ship goes).  

Here goes.  

I share a bathroom. This isn't the biggest deal ever. But, guess who forgot to pack shower shoes?  This girl. The ick factor is high.  

Space is at a premium. My room is about the size of a cleaning gear locker on a ship...okay fine...that's an exaggeration but, my room is small and so is everyone else's.  

You're never alone. Because the boat is small (hence space being at a premium) it's very had to find some time to yourself.  

Exercise feels nigh impossible. On a ship you can really stretch your legs. Sheesh, a walk to the bow alone is a decent leg stretcher. Here, not so much.  

It's wet. We take A LOT of spray and water on the stern. This really drives the above dislike because not only is walking at a shortage - you'll get soaked - plus, it can be unsafe.  

We feel the weather. (Hence it being so wet.). This could be a post of its own and probably will be however; we Rock and Roll. It can make things really challenging.  

All in all, the likes and dislikes remain properly balanced and life remains good.