We Are Sailing

The Disney Dream finally set sail for its big crossing over the Atlantic ocean on Sunday December 19, 2010. I slept great without any notice of the moving ship. It wasn't until I went to brush my teeth the next morning that I felt the ship moving. It was a new feeling to me since I have never been on a cruise ship before. It felt very strange, but I was happy that it didn't make me sick. My returning friends said it was a very smooth sail. I continued to notice it all day it surprised me how much we are always rocking. Our cabins and the theater are all the way forward so we can feel the movement of the ship a great deal. I can't deny that for the rest of the day I was so perplexed that people actually live and work in these conditions. I guess I just didn't really know what to expect. I just hoped my Dad was right in saying "It's a gigantic mall, you won't feel a thing." Well Dad…I wish you were right.

The afternoon of day 3 is when the rocking really took a turn. I was eating dinner at the crew mess on deck 2 and the waves were about 18 feet high. The waves were so big when they crashed they covered the entire port hole window; it was awesome to watch. The captain explained that they were expecting to hit waves up to 30 ft high. It was the rockiest that evening around bedtime. A few of my friends did not take the rocking too well, but I was surprisingly feeling okay throughout it all. It helps to keep your knees bent and your muscles engaged to stay strong with the way the ship is pulling you. I also made sure to keep eating and drink sprite to ensure my stomach would be fully prepared. Sea Calm is the pill they give out at medical for sea sickness. They make you drowsy, so I have only been taking them at night before bed. But overall I found that it is completely mind over matter. I kept saying that to everyone. It was funny because a couple days later I was telling my parents about the rocking and the first thing that came out of my Dad's mouth was "It's really just mind over matter". I guess you could say I'm Grant's daughter alright!

The rocking eventually slowed down by the next morning on day 4. We finally saw the sun and the temperature was climbing. It was about 55 degrees here in this photo, it felt like spring! Since then it has been a pretty smooth sail.