We're sailing the Scotia Sea now. Huge swells, snow, fog, cold winds. What (not) to wear is an ongoing topic of discussion.

While some of the voyage crew already started with snug multiple layers before we even reached South Georgia (yes, apparently it is possible to wear two thermal underpants under a skinny jeans...), others advocated that it was probably better to suffer a little bit and leave the extra layers until the very last moment. It seems as if we have now reached this point. The railing and central heating in the corridor below deck are covered with thermals, socks, gloves, hats, scarves and sailing suits, for which red seems to be the predominant colour. It looks like a war zone of heaps of clothes desperately trying to get dry in between the watches, only to get wet again after 5 minutes outside. We are equipped with the most modern water and wind proof fabrics; it is difficult to imagine what early polar explorers such as Scott, Shackleton, Amundsen, Nordenskjold and their men must have felt like in their woolen knitted pullovers and cotton/linen jackets.

While the voyage crew are dressed for the worst and are looking like sausages because of all their layers (or is this the result of our wonderful meals?), the permanent crew seem to stick to waterproofs and a hat. Their hands are apparently made of supernatural skin, as crew wearing gloves is a very rare sight. Engineer Jarren has finally stopped wearing shorts, a clear sign that we really are in a cold place. However, the best functional clothing sighting was galley girl Emma, whom I spotted wearing a ski jacket, hat and gloves while getting food out of the huge freezer. A sure sign of adapting to life in the freezer!