The checklist for this expedition is not your simple to-do list. All the cruise participants have received a booklet of everything we need to know, including a checklist of what to bring and prepare for. I know that many of the scientists who will be onboard have been on expeditions like this before, but I also know that many (including me) have not. It’s a big document, but here’s just a few of the many things I found interesting…
Clothes (outdoor) – parka, over a jacket, over a base layer, windproof snowpants , steel-toe non-skid winter boots (to work near heavy equipment and to be out on the ice)
Clothes (indoor) – wool socks, flip-flops for the shower, swimsuit for the sauna onboard (“an excellent means of recreation after staying a watch on the deck, or after working out at an ice-station”)
Medications – for headaches, colds, sinuses, sunburn, and of course for motion sickness (a little nervous that it’s labeled “very important”)
Language – laundry is available, “with instructions in English nearby” (remember this is a Russian vessel), an interpreter is onboard to help (but we should “learn a few Russian words” to speak to the crew)
Sunscreen, flip-flops, motion sickness, multi-lingual environment… and this is for the Arctic, not Miami!
Are those really steel-toed, non-skid winter boots? They are so cute!
Ok, you caught me, these boots are not steel-toe, but they meet all the other qualifications for soles, water proofing, and temperature rating. I was going to buy steel-toe boots, but I double-checked with the team, and as long as I’m not directly operating the heavy equipment, I’m good with these. (And they ARE so cute!)