New answers received from Concordia by 2/12/96
:What happens if someone becomes very sick and needs to be hospitalized while at sea?...Coal City Middle School, IL -- 1/11/96
nswered by Dr. Russell MacDonald -- 2/3/96
If someone gets sick onboard, we can usually deal with it. The ship has a little hospital (my cabin) and we have all sorts of medicine and supplies. Everyday I see things like the flu, cuts, bruises, and sprains. Since leaving Durban, lots of people have been seasick. Most are getting over it and can now eat and drink. If someone doesn't recover in a few days, I can treat them with some medicine. I also recommend that they drink plenty of fluids after being seasick for a number of days. If someone gets really sick, the ship's hospital has a spare bunk where they can stay so I can keep an eye on them. If someone really hurts themselves, we do the best we can with what we have onboard. If we are close to land, we try to airlift them out and fly them to a hospital on land. Although we are prepared for emergencies, we really focus on preventing injuries and illnesses from happening. That's where the First Mate and Bosun come in- they teach us safety and the proper way to work on a ship.
: Is it hard to sleep onboard Concordia? ..Tim C., Ashburnham, MA -- 2/3/96
nswered by Jean-Pascal Pelletier -- 2/3/96
There are a few things that can make sleeping onboard Concordia very difficult. The motion of the boat and the noise from the engine and generator sometimes makes it hard to sleep. Also, the lack of ventilation in our small cabins on hot nights is a problem. After I was onboard Concordia for a few weeks, I got used to the heat and most of the noises onboard and can now usually get enough sleep each night. A number of times when the ship was really rocking, students have fallen off their top bunks in the middle of the night which can be rather painful.
: Do you have similar meals all the time, or are there variations in your diet? ...Mrs. Williamson's 6th Grade Class, Marblehead, MA -- 12/11/95
nswered by Josh Remillard -- 2/3/96
Our meals seem like they are always the same, but there is some variety. We have limited storage onboard which is a bit restricting. We eat 3 meals everyday. Dinner usually consists of a meat or pasta dish, salad, and vegetables like carrots. In the morning, cereal or eggs are common. Lunch varies, but soup and sandwiches or some sort of salad are common. The cook has a rotating menu and there is little change week to week, but there is always something a bit different- like a new dessert or treat we don't always get. I don’t think that we could ask for more considering the size of the galley and food preservation necessary to last for 27 days at sea.
Introducing ||
Concordia ||
Students & CrewCurrent Position || Logbook || Journals || FAQs
Q&A || Special Offer || Bibliography || Glossary