I have
not used soap in 6 days. In any other community, eluding a proper shower would
liken us to untouchables of an old caste system or modern-day hippies letting
nature’s smells take over. The main reason we can’t use soap during this port
stop is that we’re not allowed to let any chemicals into the waters of the
protected atoll. Any shampoo, conditioner, or body wash entering the delicate
marine system would affect the ecosystem balance and potentially have a
negative impact on the living organisms and nutrient flow. We also have to
limit our allotted shower time because we can’t turn on the water-makers in
this protected zone, so we won’t be able to produce freshwater until we’re back
out at sea. As students of biology, earth sciences, and conservation, we
completely understand this and obviously prioritize the health of the lagoon
and reefs of Palmyra. However, under the scorching heat and penetrating
humidity, we’ve all been yearning for a nice shower. Raised in a tropical
island myself, I’m accustomed to taking several showers a day in this climate
(my dad takes at least 6). Now the ship’s crew has transitioned from 60-second
Navy showers to zero showers down below deck. Nonetheless, there’s a silver
lining - we are able to take deck showers in our bathing suits on the forward
deck, generously with saltwater and conservatively with freshwater. Though we
can’t use soap, these showers are a real treat! I save this amazingly refreshing
experience for the time right before I climb into my bunk to sleep, and
treasure every drop of freshwater.
Since
I’ve been surveying coral reefs and running underwater transects for my project
on coral disease ecology throughout most of my time in Palmyra, I was in the
water more often than not anyway, so I didn’t start missing real showers until
about the beginning of day 5. Plus all the minerals and nutrients in the ocean
must surely provide a cleansing experience, right? The overall solution for most
students has simply been to spend more and more time in the ocean – not a bad
trade-off, especially when it means diving into the pristine, clean and clear
waters of Palmyra.
Before
this trip I never would have thought I could survive for a week without soap.
But it turns out it’s actually quite doable – especially if everybody smells
the same. At some point in the trip our baseline for decent smells has
collectively shifted, it’s all relative anyway. There’s all sorts of smells –
food odors, trash smells, people – things pile up on the ship and we can’t just
toss garbage overboard. Parents, relax, we do an excellent job of cleaning the
boat everyday and these smells and contained. It’s just interesting to think
about how nearly everything is still on
board… somewhere. Mildew has slowly been creeping up on us and is now trying to take over. We
also couldn’t do laundry within a 12 mile radius of
Palmyra – but we’re underway now and soon enough we’ll be able to do both
laundry AND take real showers! We’re even going to get to pump out the poop
today after our first station stop. It’s going to be a great day.
Though
this whole situation might sound gross and grimy to anyone reading this blog
from land, it’s totally fine out here at sea. In a way, the smells have brought
us all closer, we’re all experiencing them together, battling them, and doing
what needs to get done on the ship as we go. Superficial things like showers
begin to seem meaningless when compared to the depth of our friendships, the
significance of our scientific research, and the commitment to successfully
sailing the Robert C. Seamans.
-Nicole Rodriguez
2 comments:
Thanks for illustrating an interesting aspect to limited bathing options. Too bad you can't post odors on a blog!
This brings such vivid memories about the less-than-glamorous side of anchoring at Palmyra. But of course, and this comes through in your post, it is worth every minute. Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
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