Page 59 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

CHAPTER 16 - North to Alaska

After sailing under the
Golden Gate Bridge, we were
served supper on a metal tray
and found a place to sit on a
bench on the sides of a long
table that ran from bow to
stern. As the ship left the bay,
it encountered strong ocean
ground swells that suddenly
tipped the table up on one
end and down on the other.
Those who unfortunately sat
on the lower end found
themselves under a cascade
of food and trays that had
spilled onto them. That night,
we were rocked to sleep in
one of a series of stacked
bunks below deck. The next
morning, I was greeted by a
misty view of Seattle. The
ship only stopped for a short
time. We were soon headed
for the Gulf of Alaska.
On the open sea, the large ocean swells were spectacular. I watched how the bow of the
ship sliced into the deep blue Pacific waters, creating a light blue outward moving
wake. At night, I watched the glow of bright yellowish green particles of phosphorus in
the water. By day, the blue sky was decorated with white cumulus clouds, some of
them towering enough to create a curtain of white snow pellets that fell into the ocean.
The ocean waves rocked the ship incessantly from side to side for two days. Some of us
fought seasickness, hanging onto the rail, and a few heaved their meals overboard. I
found that I could reduce the motion sickness by looking at each large wave
approaching the ship, and by pulling and pushing on the rail I felt like I was rocking the

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