This photograph of our ship, the Aleksey Maryshev, was taken in port in Aberdeen, Scotland, before we headed out the into the North Sea through the channel of the River Doe. It was a windy, damp, and rainy day with temperatures in the low 50's. Once out of the calm channel, the full force of the North Sea hit us. With no stabilizer, our ship was buffeted back and forth. Sea-sickness patches did little good. Five people showed up for dinner...only four ate anything!! I just sat underneath our open porthole and watched as the chair to our desk was tossed from the seating area to the door and back. Ugh!