Perceptions may differ, but our 8 days pre-cruise quarantine passed by very fast. While I could get used to finding nice and freshly prepared food behind my hotel door and getting dirty dishes done but just placing them outside my room, I am also happy this isolation phase finally comes to an end. I noticed that fresh air and having space to walk around are things that we too easily take for granted. Eventually there was this exciting Saturday that we were all eagerly awaiting. At almost punctual 2 pm (delighting my German heart), a guy knocks on my hotel door, and I quickly pull on the provided face mask and shield and grab my luggage to follow him. On the way to the elevator, I already get crazy about the few tenths of meters I can walk in straight direction but the reaction of the man in front of me is rather reserved (but how could he understand this secret joy?).
A bus full of scientist is waiting next to the hotels side exit, and Swedish summer is still hitting hard, which is something I almost forgot about in my air-conditioned, little nutshell. I am stumbling over my own feet into the bus, mumbling something like sorry, I forgot how to walk and introducing my name to the colleagues, who I mostly know from plenty of Zoom calls during the last year. The 45-min bus drive to Helsingborg is otherwise straight forward. Everyone is in a good mood, chit-chatting, happy and excited to reach our destination, the icebreaker Oden, very soon. Folks sitting behind me apparently already know each other and start first science discussions. Suddenly the sea comes into sight and behind the next bend, small Oden appears on the horizon. Murmur goes through the crowd and people pull out their smartphones. Yeah, it’s kind of unbelievable that this ship will be our home for the upcoming two months. Of course, I share everyones excitement.
After passing the beaches of Helsingborg, we finally leave the bus at the harbor side. Two small boats with friendly crew members are waiting for us already. 5-6 participants including luggage quickly get allocated to the boats, and we start our ride to the vessel. Say goodbye to the mainland for the next 2 months is running through my head. On Oden we get some time to find our cabins, which I share with 3 other colleagues. The cabin is divided into two parts, each half with a bunk bed, and a floor of the size of two yoga mats. Luckily, we have plenty of closet space for all the winter clothes, toilet articles and snacks we have packed. The bathroom is small but functional and, most importantly for the cold days ahead, there is hot water in the shower. But we have not much time to think about the cabin interior because the Oden safety drill starts immediately. We assemble next to the helicopter deck and get introduced to all kinds of safety equipment. In pairs we pull on floating suits that we would have to wear in case of an abandon ship maneuver. Hopefully we will never need to use these suits in reality I can read from the minds of my colleagues. We then enter one of the rescue boats made for 43 persons. Despite being thankful that the situation is not like on Titanic and there is space for every man and mouse on board, I can tell you: even with 15 people this boat is already so crowded that I can barely imagine having 3x the number of persons in it. After the safety drill, we enjoy our first Oden dinner, which is incredible delicious, especially the rhubarb crumble as dessert makes it a pleasure. The day ends with a small Welcome presentation and a get-together in the bar.
For some reasons I wake up at 5 am just to see an incredible sunrise through my cabins bulls eye. Later today, day 2 on Oden officially starts with a big breakfast with plenty of choice (different warm and cold options and many fresh fruits) and what every scientist needs to function; plenty of coffee. Our main task for today is to find our equipment in the different onboard laboratories and make sure that it is securely placed and fixed. On the way to the Arctic, we might have to expect wave heights of 2-3 m and since Oden is mainly an icebreaker, it is rather shaky in the open sea. Much of our scientific equipment is expensive, and we dont want to risk a broken microscope because of a rough sea. Also, the helicopter launches for a test flight in the afternoon. At around 6 pm, we depart to leave the safety of the western Baltic Sea heading North - the journey begins.
Written by Janina Rahlff
