Falkland Islands Deployment

Let me just get 1 thing straight. I DO work, but unfortunately I'm still unsure of certain kinds of things I can write about on a public blog, and what I can't, to adhere to strict naval guidelines! So unfortunately, a lot of you think because of my lack of work update, that I'm on a cruise around the world! Anyway, writing about "the engine I maintained today" or "the oil testing I carried out" doesn't sound much fun to most people! Mind you, I've made sure I don't work TOO hard so far...! I promise I'll write about the more interesting aspects of 'actual' work in due course!

Well... I'm in the falklands finally. 7,600 miles from home (more-or-less). Docked monday afternoon, as the weather was too rough to dock in the morning. Whereas Rio was a lovely 26 degC, the temperature here is 0 degC, but with the high winds giving it a chill factor of -30deg... It's snowing, it's freezing, the weather has been a lot worse (though not as bad as we were expecting) and I'm ill. I've been ill since Rio with various things. First it was just an upset stomach, then I had a very high temperature and a fever and probably some man-flu. I've always had good faith that my immunity system was pretty much the best in NATO, but monday I finally gave in, saw the doc and he stood me down from work, giving me an array of pills and lozenges - Which means I couldn't go out the first night in. Oh well- no big deal, there'll be plenty more opportunities to go out.

The photos have dried up a little because of the bad conditions, and I only went out in fresh air about twice last week at sea I think... feeling very very tired and worn down! BUT, that didn't stop me getting back on track as the ship's pop star! On sunday, there was a 'sunday routine', which means, unless you are on watch, there was no 'turn to' and we could chill out. So I got all my music stuff out in the workshop, got hold of Wan (the guitarist) and Chris (drummer) to practice a bit of music. We managed to nail about 4 covers... so things are looking optimistic for the ship's band! Plus we brought in a whole load of interest from others too, a few more guitarists coming out the woodwork... and hopefully a singer from somewhere! I really don't want to end up as the singer...

I've also told the chaplain if he has the music, I could play organ in the church services onboard... only now, he's told the captain about me and asked me to play at a memorial service in a cathedral later this year.... on a full pipe organ! Why on earth I said yes, I don't know. Seems I have my work cut out though... BUT, apparently I will be the most southernly player of a fixed pipe organ in THE WORLD if I do play it...

SO. Falklands. It's like walking out of the ship back into England again, only it's winter! And the other difference is that everything is very much more beautiful, and desolate. We're docked in ECMP (East Cove military port), which is a small port, miles from civilisation, only has 1 road in and out, and reminds me of something out of James Bond... But most evenings we have a transport that can take us 7 miles away to MPA (Mount Pleasant Airport)- an RAF base, but reminds me very much of the 'bunker' level on 'Goldeneye', the N64 game... (how sad)... so, it looks like a proper military base, rather than the rubbish Navy bases I've usually experienced...


By the way, I only have a sore throat now. The pills the doc gave me worked wonders overnight. So I'm fine. Technically still ill, but not really. And the following day, we (me, Olly (again), Asbo (no idea why he's called that), Ras (Too hard to explain) and Doc (His name's D.R. Young)) got the bikes out and cycled to "Bertha's beach", hunting for penguins!



I've got loads of photos of different birds though, so anyone who can name them, please let me know. I'm not quite a bird-spotter yet! We did find the penguins, after cycling something like 6km. It felt like 20km though, the terrain is SO soft and you really struggle for traction everywhere. Was a pretty good workout! Penguins are hilarious. They just sit there looking anywhere and everywhere for ages. Or just lie on their bellies. But as soon as you get too close, they run to the sea- and they look hilarious! I've decided that at some point during our time here, I WILL take a group of penguins for an aerobics class. Or maybe get a penguin suit and try and secretly join in with their aimless-staring-at-anything passtime. But I have ages to try all that. For now, I'm turning myself into a bit of a David Attenburgh type... except with no wildlife knowledge. Mind you, I'm pretty good at making stuff up. These penguins in the photos are South Atlantic dancing penguins. They only come onto the beaches to dance in the winter around southern america. Hopefully I have provided you with a rare glimpse of this magic in the photos below:




The weather can be pretty horrendous. I have some thermal vest tops and long johns- but hey, I'd always be grateful to any donations of warm things that could arrive by post to LET Clutterbuck, HMS Gloucester, BFPO 289... hmmmm... maybe a hot water bottle? or some hot chocolate.... mmmmmm