IC - Chapter Five - Onto The Ice

[Raiko]

Chapter Five - Onto The Ice

SS Gabrielle - Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
9:30am - Wednesday 18th October, 1933

Finally on the morning of Wednesday 18th October, all of the repairs have been completed, all the new cargo and supplies loaded, and all statements given to the Melbourne police.

The last of the new equipment to arrive, the replacement oxygen tanks, arrive at 8:30am on the back of a flatbed truck and are quickly hauled aboard by the Gabrielle's cranes.

Nobody has seen either Kitt or Richard Greene since they left John's impromptu party, but they both arrive at the docks by taxi at 9:00am, and dash up the Gabrielle's gangplank.

At 9:20am a local pilot comes aboard and the gangplanks are raised, ten minutes later the ship's horn sounds twice, and the SS Gabrielle slips smoothly out of her berth, and sails slowly out in Port Victoria Bay once more.

A small crowd has gathered again to watch the expedition leave, and a flotilla of small boats and yachts surround the Gabrielle as she sails south towards the Rip. Starkweather and Moore stand proudly on the Gabrielle's boat deck and a air of excitement and anticipation is everywhere amongst both the crew and the expedition team.

There is a sense that finally sabotage and intrigue can be put behind, left in Melbourne with the culprit Scott. Now the obstacles in the expedition's path are not those made by man, but are deadly none-the-less, beyond the Rip lie the storms of the mighty Southern Ocean, and the inhospitable freezing wasteland that is Antarctica.

<<I'll post a little more tonight, but I'll stop here to give one or two of you a chance to post>>

[Decrepit]

Jack notes the two lovebirds, kicks something that apparently only he can see, and makes his way back to his quarters. It'd been a time of semi-seculsion for the reporter. He'd figured he'd better get all the rest he could now before the expedition moved out onto the ice and he would be on call continually.

[Ghost_1971]

As Callum leans on the rail, at the bow of the Gabrielle, waving at the small boats full of well wishers, an image of Purple Heather covered hillsides forms in his mind. Suddenly overcome by an acute feeling of homesickness, he heads for his cabin, opens a whisky bottle and drinks a toast to a 'Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie' and to the health, and success, of the Starkweather Moore Antarctic Expedition.

[Henrik]

Olof has noticed that Jack is a bit disturbed by the sight of Dr. Greene and the lovely Kitt but does not say anything to the reporter about it. Having lived close to both men during the voyage complicates matters a bit and since he likes them both, he really does not want to poke his nose into the business. Olof doubts that this love triangle will be a problem when they arrive on the ice, but what if it will be? The engineer shruggs off his morbid thoughts and tries to enjoy the view of Melbourne instead. He waves to the cheering people in the boats beside them and smiles towards them leaving any troubled thoughts behind him for the moment.

[OrionUK]

James has enjoyed the brief visit to Australia and hopes he can spend some more time, at some point in the future, exploring more of the new world. James is in a boisteroius mood when the ship sets sail and waves to the small crowd before heading back to his cabin to ensure everything is in order before seeing if the class schedule from the earlier part of the voyage is going to be reinstated on this leg.

[Raiko]

The Officers' Mess - SS Gabrielle
Wednesday 18th October, 1933

By midday the SS Gabrielle has cleared the treacherous waters of the Rip, and is pushing south into the open ocean, having bid goodbye to the local pilot who returns to the Queenscliff station aboard a small launch. With a blast of her horn the Gabrielle sets a course away from Australia.

Her course will take her southeast around the curve of Tasmania and then south into the storm-swept reaches of the Southern Ocean. The sky is clear, the sea is calm. Everything is perfect for the journey south.

Acacia Lexington's SS Tallahassee left Hobart, Tasmania a few days ago, it seems unlikely now that the Gabrielle will overtake her.

Nonetheless the spirits of both the crew and the expedition are high, few other than Starkweather worried about 'the race' anyway.

Jack receives a wire from his editor informing him that the Graf Zeppelin has left Friedrichshafen in Germany today, and will reportedly arrive at the Barsmeier-Falken Expedition's outer base on Deception Island in around a week.

Both President von Hindenburg and Chancellor Hitler are at Friedrichshafen to watch the huge airship departing on it's historic mission.

Once it has rendezvoused with it's support ship at Deception Island the Graf Zeppelin is expected to ferry the German expedition from the island to establish a base camp in the Weddell Sea region, negating the need for an ice-breaker.

Late in the afternoon, Professor Moore holds a meeting for the whole expedition in the Gabrielle's officers’ lounge. A large map of South Polar waters hangs from the wall behind him.

"I have here the weather news," he says. "The reports are both good and bad, but they are in fact what we were hoping for."

"It says here that spring in the far south has been extremely stormy, and that it is likely to continue that way for the next few weeks. That means two things. We are likely to meet very bad weather soon, possibly a lot of it; but it also means that the polar pack ice will be pushed out early from the Ross Sea. This last is very important indeed, for once the pack has been pushed out, we can push our own way in."

"It may have occurred to some of you that we - all of us - are going south far earlier than is customary. That is true, and it is a gamble. It is, however, a gamble that the Miskatonic University Expedition also made, three years ago. What was successful for them will, I hope, succeed for us as well. By proceeding early in the teeth of the storm, so to speak, we gain valuable time in Antarctica. I hope to make good use of that time."

Moore points to the map as he indicates the route planned to Antarctica, "Our planned course has us entering the ice pack due north of Cape Adare, and proceeding southward through the Ross Sea to Ross Island, where we shall make landfall. Whether this is possible depends upon the ice, of course. We will enter the pack where it seems safest, and improvise from there."

"If all goes well, we shall be set up on the Antarctic continent less than a month from today. If luck is with us, it could be much sooner than that."

He goes on to add that, for the remainder of the voyage and for their time upon the ice, the expedition clocks will use 'Antipodal Time' - twelve hours ahead of Greenwich Mean - as the correct time upon the Ross Ice Shelf.

[Decrepit]

"What was successful for them will, I hope, succeed for us as well. By proceeding early in the teeth of the storm, so to speak, we gain valuable time in Antarctica. I hope to make good use of that time."

I hope we don't push the analogy too far, Jack mutters to himself.

He fades out mentally for a while during Moore's talk. Things seemed to be going better, but his editor'd be a lot happier if they were winning the race, not losing it. Still, the news was generally good, and, with luck, the sabotage and the chaos were behind them. Of course, luck and Miskatonic expeditions didn't often seem to go together.

[Henrik]

Olof listens with deep interest at Professor Moore's briefing. Finally he will come to see the fabled Antarctica and in less than a month's time.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - The Southern Ocean
12:00 Saturday 22nd October, 1933
Latitude: 53°21'S
Longitude: 157°15'E
Wind: Westerly 20-25mph

Over the next four days, the SS Gabrielle pushes southward nearly a thousand miles into the cold gray sea. Winds shift hourly, are bitterly cold and at times quite fierce. The ship pitches and rolls, thrumming in the heavy swells. Those who suffer from seasickness are miserable throughout this period - the relentless heaving of the deck makes life a quiet hell.

The classes begin again, although learning is made difficult by the continuous pitching and rolling of the ship.

[Decrepit]

Jack seems to handle the rolling and pitching all right. As he thinks about classes that he might take, he snorts at "ballroom dancing" (though he and Olof might make a cute couple), lingers over "boxing" (the thought of whacking Starkweather being awfully tempting), but ultimate decides on the "skis and boots" and "clothing and equipment," feeling that a concentrated effort in improving his admittedly almost nonexistent polar survival skills sounded prudent.

[Ghost_1971]

Seeing that the new list of classes has been put up, Callum wanders over for a look to see what's on offer. He isn't surprised to see he is now taking the Survival course. It's exactly what he expected and he's looking forward to the task. Now what is there that I can fit around my duties.......?

What the?

Paper Folding!?!?

Ballroom Dancing!?!?

Whatever next!

Callum opts to stick to Radio Operating and First Aid. As those will actually be useful on the ice...

[Dave Syrinx]

A feverstricken John wakes up from the fever and realizes they have reached the ice...

OOC:   Somehow my notifications stoped to arrive at my mailbox. Will read up on the current events. A 'real' post will come tonight.

[Laraqua]

"Antarctic First Aid and Antarctic Weather," murmurs Kitt. She figures she might as well learn a bit about both when she'd very much prefer going out over the water in her plane. Her fingers damn near itch from desire to fly. It's been too long...

For any who's paid attention, Kitt behaves much as she has before and pays no particular attention to Greene than before.

[Henrik]

Olof thinks this is an easy choice. He will continue teaching his class and sign up for the course about Antarctic clothing. Although the weather is rough, Olof has no trouble adjusting to the harsher weather conditions.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - The Southern Ocean
Sunday 23rd October, 1933

On the 23rd of October the barometer plummets in the early morning hours, as a fierce gale sweeps in from the west. By five o’clock the wind is blowing gusts of up to fifty miles per hour. Captain Vredenburg turns the ship to run with the storm, but for several hours the Gabrielle is at the mercy of wind and wave, tossed from peak to trough by the fury of the elements.

For all aboard, this is the wildest rollercoaster ride of their lives, but the experience is far from being enjoyable. More than half of the expedition find themselves helpless with nausea. Those few who remain find that they have difficulty even walking on deck, so fierce is the pitching motion of the ship. Small unsecured objects clatter and roll about the passengers’ cabins. Professor Moore is one of those few who avoid seasickness, he takes one look at the carnage in the mess and cabins area, and quickly rounds up those who are fit enough.

He directs all who are able to assist, with jobs securing any loose objects, he is particularly worried about the equipment in the expedition labs, "The cargo in the holds should all be lashed down securely, but we cannot afford to have the scientific equipment damaged by this weather."

As Jack heads upstairs he is pleased to see that both Captain Starkweather and Richard Greene appear to be suffering very badly from seasickness.

[OOC: Before posting replies about your character's experiences, please check the results of the seasickness rolls in the OOC thread]

[Decrepit]

Dr. Greene looks a little ... green, Jack thinks with some slight amusement that he tamps down. His sense of pleasure at seeing the great Starkweather brought low, albeit momentarily, is something of an unabashed pleasure, however.

Jack scampers around with the other able bodies as they secure, or attempt to secure, the small and loose items. Even though Jack seems to handle the motion all right, he's none too anxious to repeat such an experience.

[OrionUK]

As a fan of sailing, and having done numerous transatlantic crossings before, James is very surprised to be suddenly violently hit with a bout of sea sickness. He knows he has to just sit this out until he can stop his stomach from clenching everytime the waves roll.

[Ghost_1971]

Leaping up from his bunk, Callum dives for his sick bucket. But too slow. He moans as the contents of his mostly empty stomach hit the floor..... again.

'God dammit! When will this stop!' he shouts at the storm.

When the latest spasms stop, he cleans himself up and makes his way to the galley. I need something to occupy myself and take my mind off things. I'll go help the crew for a while...

[Dave Syrinx]

John secures the medical equipment in the mess hall and feels his head echoe of last night´s shouting and drinking. He helps himself to a hefty glass of water before he finishes the safety procedures of securing all delicate materiell. Being sure all parts containing glass are safely imbedded with linen and tissues. Loose objects he puts in a couple of sacks and ties to a beam by one of the port holes. Loose objects could do alot of damage when flying around in a cabin...
"Not so many happy faces today, eh? Not just me an´Callum got ourselves slammered las´night, yes?" Seeing Callum arrive bleak faced, John proffers a mug of water to the downed man. "Sorry, mate - it´s only water..." Rhyes takes a round trip raound the ship´s walkways to observe the waves head on. With a steady grip to the railings and struts he makes his way the full circle, arriving back at the galley. He seats himself in front of the huge map of the white continent left up from one of the seminars. (John didn´t attend any of the classes as he had needed to maintain the shotgun and his climbing gear. Don´t want a mishap on the ice.)

[Steerpike]

It had come on him all of a sudden. The blinding headache, sick to the stomach and feeling dizzy. It was like his first days at basic training for flying, it left you feeling terrible and if you didn't get help quick, you were going to have a rotten time of it.

McRaven knew it wasn't going to help him staying in the cabin. He recalled a piece of advice an old sailor had given him, when he shipped with his squadron to France.
"If you feel seasick, the you should stay low and to the stern of the boat, the ride is much smoother at the stern."

That was were you encountered the least motion, or so the sailor had explained to the young pilot. The bow of the vessel pounds through the waves, up and down; the stern drags through the water. So lurching out of his bunk, he begins to make his make down deeper in the ship and towards the stern. He keeps to the corridors, and runs through flight checks in his head to keep his mind off his churning guts.