MV Greenpeace / PC 8023
May 29, 1996
Noon Pos: 5 28'S 146 52'E
Day13
I find being at sea a love/hate relationship. One day it
can seem like the pits and the next it is great and I wouldn't
miss it for anything. Today was pretty good.
By the morning watch the sea had calmed. Phosphorescence was in
the water( the seas' version of glow worms) and it was a starry,
balmy morning. A lovely way to start the day, especially on your 50th
birthday, which it was for Bob, our captain.
On a ship you can be quite aware of other peoples' moods and it
seemed Bob was not too rapt about having a birthday. But you
can't let 50 years go by and anyway the rest of the crew needed
an excuse for a party
Scattered over the day preparations were made. Rob built an
excellent barbecue from a recycled 44 gallon drum. (We are
expecting them out in the next G.P. catologue) Amongst the crew
some great dishes were prepared and all day the fax machine was
running hot with messages for Bob , and by the afternoon he had
accepted his fate.
Early evening we gathered on the heli-deck. (Of course still
watches on the bridge and engine room) In the more comfortable
evening tropical heat cruising at 13 knots through the Solomon
sea. A good time was had by all, finishing off with a chocolate
coated, banana cake and a card from all the crew. It was hard to
imagine that only yesterday we were rocking and rolling, sick of
hanging on.
As the sun went down I was thinking. Ten months after the first
nuclear explosion was made, Bob was born. Lets hope he is still
50 when the last one is done.
Tanya Popp
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