Reflections: abandon ship

At anchor for five days, you pass the time with shipboard stories, drills, and tentative steps toward connecting with the crew. An awkward first visit to the mess shifts toward friendlier nods and talk of a possible outing in Hamburg. Between observing a freezing unit caked in thick ice and adjusting your meals to avoid “rolling off the gangway,” you find small ways to fit into the rhythm of life aboard.