Many people fear getting caught in a storm at sea. Bad weather means rough seas; rough seas mean sea sickness! After seventeen years cruising the world, I have run into one or two bad storms but they are harder and harder to come by. Thanks to state of the art stabilizers new ships are so smooth, salty sailors long for the “good ol’ days” when ships rocked and rolled.� � Nevertheless, given the fear and apprehension, cruises to the nastiest waters in� the world like Cape Horn and the Tasman Sea are some of the most popular. Why?

“It’s a gamble.” “It could be dangerous.” “Never have been there.” “It’s exciting.” These are some of the answers I recently received as we headed for Petropavlosk on the Kamchatka Peninsula from Kodiak, Alaska. Crossing the North Pacific can be bad; storms swell up overnight. Though we had made this cruise three years in a row without incident, there always is the first time.

From the NOAA weather station on Kodiak the captain received reports that two large low pressure systems were swirling north and south of the Aleutian chain. To dodge the storm the captain would use the islands for protection. The strategy worked – until we ran out of islands.

Off Attu, the last island in the Aleutian chain, we hit the convergence of the two storms. Our “Perfect Storm” had 30 foot swells and 75 mph sustained winds. During his 24 hour vigil on the bridge, the captain saw a rare sight – a hole in the ocean! Caused by three waves cresting together at the same time they form a shaft-like hole that can swallow a small fishing boat. Onboard with us was Jean Michel Cousteau, who said he knew of this phenomenon but had never seen it himself in all his years at sea.

For the safety of all guests, onboard activities were cancelled for two days as shipboard life ground to a halt. All passengers and non-essential crew were encouraged to stay in their rooms. Those hearty enough to have an appetite ordered room service which was delivered via the stairs as all elevators were shut down. Though there was damage to glassware, china and other unsecured items, luckily no one was injured or hurt.

The exceptional comfort of the ship under such extreme conditions was the result of good maritime engineering and a great team of proactive deck officers. Just as a pilot takes a plane to a smoother altitude, the captain can set a course for smoother seas. Monitoring information from weather stations as well as other ships in the area, course adjustments can be made. Speed can also affect the degree to which the ship will rock and roll. Slowing down by 5 knots may mean a late arrival in your next port, but most would agree the sacrifice is worth it if it means a smoother, safer ride.