Westport Pelagic

This year I finally got to go on my first pelagic!! My chemistry professor and I went together. We stayed in Westport in an RV, and left for our pelagic early in the morning! We took our seasickness pills right before we left and brought our carefully packed bags with treats, and maps, and books, etc. The trip out of the harbor was fantastic, but it quickly became apparent that it was going to be rough and COLD! We had decked ourselves out in the best of gortex outerwear and OR gloves, and so we managed to stay warm-enough. We headed out to the continental shelf (about 45 miles offshore) at a breakneck speed, spotting an Layasan Albatross, and several shearwaters and fulmar on the way out. The first four hours we continued at this speed and I felt great. About lunchtime, I realized that I needed to use the restroom and so I made my way from the front of the boat (best view!!) to the restroom in the back. As soon as I closed the door, things went from OK to NOT!! The boat was pitching all over the place, and I had a teeny window to look out of that the horizon line would enter and exit frequently. I began to feel the tell-tale signs of motion sickness - but more pronounced than I had ever imagined!! I barely made it out of the bathroom to the rail before I lost my breakfast. From that point on, I stayed in the front of the boat (much to the dismay of the UNsick) and just leaned over the rail to empty my stomach about every hour or so (at which point they would all scatter....wind), and then sit back down.

The only time I really thought I was going to die was when we found a fishing boat and stopped - dead in the water for about 15 minutes. The longest fifteen minutes of my life. I literally thought I was going to pass out - I wanted it to be OVER! I couldn't even look at the obliging auklets off of the side because I was so distraught. Oh, well, a glimpse counts!!

After we got going again, things settled down, and I ended up adding about 15 new birds to my life list. The skipper mentioned when we got in that it was probably the worst conditions for sea sickness that we could of encountered (frequent, high, swells). It was an experience of a lifetime though, and I will do it again - but this time with the advice of the skipper - take the pills for an entire week before the trip...and then they might make a difference!!

We enjoyed Westport and managed to have a nice dinner without being sick that evening. The last picture is of Ranier on the way over.