Ocean_Dreaming_Mermaid

Jenny's Journal
2005-03-20 08:04:06 (UTC)

Whale watching cruise disaster

I signed up for this volunteering position for the San
Diego Natural History Museum. I was to go out on cruises
and lecture about the whales, collect data and so on.
Well, I missed the first cruise. I arrived on time but
thought I was running late so I was frantic.

I parked right up front near the Lord Hornblower ship.
It has been so long since I was in downtown I had
forgotten about the parking meters. I didn't have
enough change on me (just $20 bills) so I ran to the
nearest ticket counter, waited in a line, then got
change and rushed back to the car to pay the meter up
to the 3 hour limit ($5).

I got to the Lord Hornblower ship and they told
me it was the other Hornblower ship a few ships down.
Turns out there are three Hornblower ships in that
port.

I made it to that ship before the rest of the museum's
group had arrived. I cought my breath and joked with
one of the crew about a Gilligan's Island 3 hour tour
when he told me it was a 4 hour trip.

He said the parking enforcement would tow me in a hot
minute, so I had to repark somewhere with a half day
option. The group had arrived about then.

I asked if they knew where there was 4 hour or half
day parking. Someone in the group said they thought
that the lot across the street by the information
building had longer parking. I only had twenties so I
waved it around up in the air and asked the group if
anyone had change for a twenty (didn't expect it would
cost more than about $10 for a half day). The man who
had told me about the lot across the street said they
took credit cards, but I don't use those. Someone gave
me change for the twenty and I made a run for it.

I knew I would be cutting it close, but also that if I
didn't repark I would return to find my car towed
away. I ran to the car and left the full 3 hour
meter to find the 4 hour parking across the street. It
was 15 minute parking, 2 hour parking, and 3 hour
parking only.

I darted about like a jack rabbit- dodging pedestrians
and other cars, from one lot to another looking for
half day parking. I circled the block and then
another. I found a lot that had outrageous fees ($25
for half day), and shoved my money into the slot to
pay for the spot then ran as fast as I could towards
the dock only to see the ship pulling out before I
could get to it.

I stood there for a few moments not knowing what to
do, until I realized there was nothing I could do
except just go home and lose the $30 I had just spent
for what, maybe 10 minutes of parking time. I was so
mad and so disappointed I felt sick.

I hadn't wanted to get up so early on my first day off
in a week. I had scheduled full 7 hour cleaning days
of heavy duty work every day that week and was really
feeling the toll of it that morning. But I did it
anyways.

To add insult, it was also a huge waste of gas (which
isn't cheap at $2.49 a gallon in downtown)! I swear,
somewhere across the globe a butterfly flaps it's
wings and our gas prices sky rocket!

***I have highlighted the gross parts so you
can skip over 'em if ya want :) ***

I wasn't the only one to miss the cruise, so a second
"make - up" cruise was scheduled. I was determined not
to go through all of that again, so I secured $5 half
day parking in time to make it on the ship before
anyone else arrived! I had done my homework and knew
where to park by then.

As I made my way to the ship I was so excited to be
going! It made the morning seen worth it. The small
group of left overs from the museum came aboard and I
made my way to the galley to see about something hot
to eat. The wind was picking up and I was getting
chilly. All they had was really greasy food and those
frightening chemically preserved sandwiches that are a
day from expiration, if that. So I figured I'd go
without. I didn't want to make myself sea sick by
eating gross, greasy food on a cruise.

The ship began to pull out and I forgot about the cold
and hunger. I got one photo off of the skyline from
the water before I began to feel a strange sensation
come over me. I was getting sea sick anyways! I
thought it would pass once we got out of the harbor,
but it only got worse.

The swells in the harbor made the ship lurch out of
the water almost a quarter length of it's body before
slamming back down into the sea between waves. That
was fun, but kinda scarry too - a bit like a carnival
ride. I tried to stick it out by standing at the front
of the ship outside in the cold fresh air, but it
wasn't long before I had to make my way to the
bathroom to pay homage to the porcelain god Ralph!

I spent the entire 4 1/2 hours in the bathroom face
down in the toilet watching the toilet water swish
this way and that with the motion of the ship. I
couldn't even lift my head. Since my stomach was empty
it made for a very *painful* experience with no
relief. Talk about a disaster! I didn't even make it
out of the harbor lol.
*gross*
The entire stall to the left of my stall had been
filthied by someone else who was even more violently
sea sick and must've just blown up, and since I was
standing in the middle stall over the drain on a
sloped floor, you can imagine the appauling horror I
faced! I made a great effort NOT to look down, but
when I looked up I saw that those evil designers had
deliberately used NARROW HORIZONALLY LINED wallpaper
to "enhance our experience.
***
My legs began to tremble because I couldn't keep them
in that position, so I asked someone else who had just
come from the stall to my right (also sea sick) to
bring me a chair because I had a feeling I was going
to be in that stall for a long time. I had no idea
being sea sick felt so bad! I thought a little nausea,
maybe a headache, but I soon discovered otherwise.
*gross*
I was trapped in the ships bathroom with my head only
feet away from women relieving themselves, raunchy
farts and diarrhea and vomit oh gawd! NASTY!
***
Someone took pity on me and brought me some water. I
was so sick I couldn't turn around for my purse
hanging on the inside door latch to grab my wallet and
pay her for the $3.50 bottle of water she had
graciously obtained for me.

At one point both stalls on either side of me were
occupied by equally sea sick women. When they had
finished I overheard one tell the other that the
captain had said something about turning around soon.

I had never heard better news in my life! I couldn't
help it, I had to moan aloud "Oh thank god!" I think
if the women hadn't been so ill themselves they might
have chuckled at that.

The closer we got to land the happier I became lol.
When the boat came to a stop I wanted to be the first
one off, even if I had to jump overboard and swim!

So I am standing at the disembarcation gate when the
captain announces that we will be docking at a
different dock and that they will be unloading off of
the OTHER end of the ship! lol Damn!

So I trample over anyone in my way to make my way
through the crowd to the gate we were actually using,
only to find the path blocked by some bozo holding a
thin rope (yeah like *that's* gonna stop me).

They took their sweet time announcing that anyone who
had their photos taken by the ships photographer could
view them before purchasing them and so on and so
forth. I just shoved the man with the roap out of my
way and took off. When you are that sick you don't
care how rude you are!

When I got to land I saw a man with a cart and bike
(common tourist transportation) ringing his bell and
offering to give me a ride around the city. Like he
couldn't tell I was absolutely GREEN.

I got to the car and grabbed an old empty slurpee cup
I keep in the car for just such emergencies and made
my way home, cup in between my legs :)

Mother was writing an email, telling them she
hoped I had a good time and that I should be comming
home any minute. You should've seen her face when she
looked upon my wild hair, disheveled clothes, and
green face! Thank god for mother's man! lol

I told her what had happened (yup, all of it), and
made myself some very mild chicken noodle soup. It
helped settle my stomach a bit. It was now about 5:30
and I hadn't eaten in 24 hours.

I sat in bed and she brought me an ice pack for my
head. I tried to go to bed, but every time I laid my
head down I felt the motion of the ship again lol. I
apologized to mother for all of the times I may have
teased her about being sea sick. She said that I was
lucky it wasn't a fishing vessel and proceeded to tell
me about her experience with stinky fish guts on the
floor of the commode she was trapped in lol. Gee,
thanks Ma! Just what I needed to hear at that moment.
It was a long and miserable night.

I still have to let the museum know that I can't ever,
ever, EVER feel THAT again! I told mom, I don't care
if you're drownin'... I aint ever gettin' on a boat
again so help me GOD! lol

Looks like I wont be volunteering for the museum! :D

Last week was a bust all the way around, oh well. This
week will be better - I'll be on dry land!




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