Keeping fit on a rolling ship - by Kay M.

"Activity was the key to survival on any closely packed ship, but particularly in these wild and inhospitable places, where it must have been only too easy to lose any sense of purpose"

Michael Palin

Many of us like to stay active at sea to keep healthy and in good spirits. The Thompson has a gym with a treadmill, an elliptical, a bike, and an assortment of free weights and yoga mats. I am an avid runner back on land, so I've mostly been using the treadmill. But, this isn't always easy on a moving ship!

Our first few days at sea, we had rough weather. I wasn't sea sick, but running was certainly not an option. I walked to try to get used to the rolling of the ship. Once I gained my "sea legs" and the weather calmed down, I started running.

For the first week, I had to hold on to the sides to keep my balance. The treadmill is facing the port side of the ship, so when we roll, it's basically like running a few seconds uphill, and then a few seconds downhill. Now that I've gotten used to the motion, I can run without holding on, although I still run much slower than on land. 

Upward facing dog performed by our lovely yoga teacher Jess on the back deck (ph. by Isa)

Another way we have been staying active is group yoga. One of the scientists, Jess, is a lovely yoga instructor. When it was warm, we did yoga on the back deck with the sights and sounds of the ocean. Now we have to find space inside and it's not quite as scenic. 

And sometimes we break out into dance while taking water samples. It keeps the mood light, and gets us a little bit of activity. Plus, it's always fun to find out who loves Kesha.

Kay, Loicka and Chelsi (ph. by Isa)