Falkland Islands Deployment

So, we left Valparaiso, and here's a photo diary of the last 6 days... Day 1 on our journey south through the pacific:

WO! Hold on a minute... What on earth is THAT!?!? Here's a better photo I got moments later!:


Yeah! So after the last 7 years of waiting (well, it's one of the things I've always wanted to see out in the wild), I've finally seen a whale! Actually- I saw 2! Later on another one came up right alongside the ship. And I tell you what, I'm glad I was on such a big ship because it was terrifyingly HUGE! I think it must have been about 10-12 metres in length... although it's quite hard to judge... and then some of the spotters on the bridge later told me they were both Sperm Whales- so I guess that makes sense. On terms of spectacular things to see, that's a pretty good one for me. Though, the dolphins in Cape Verde, for me, were still better. But that's another tick in the box I guess! There's another tick in the box I made today actually- because instead of sailing back through patagonia, we went all the way round Cape Horn, the most southernly point of America. The spectacle wasn't so great because of the mist, but at the point the photo was taken, I was 8,332 miles from home. That is probably the furthest from home I will ever be. Infact I checked- it's further away than Hawaii, or Japan or most of Asia or Africa. Infact I think really, unless I go to Antarctica, the only place I'd go to, further away than Cape Horn, is Australia or New Zealand. Interesting eh?

So I'll be in the Falklands again now for another 2 months. We get back to ECMP on Monday... and I'm wondering what to look forward to. There's a weight-loss competition between now and the end of deployment. I was thinking, maybe I could do that- but unfortunately this ship has a habit of, every so often, ordering in those really BIG packets of Minstrels- which automatically writes off any fitness regime I attempt. I've had a pretty fat 3 weeks though- time for change me thinks.

Well what else can I tell you? My trusty ipod has mostly been playing Royksopp and Kings Of Leon, I am onto my 3rd toothbrush this deployment, and for 1 reason or another, every time my clothes come back from the laundry, I seem to gain a couple of thick black socks. My underwear drawer is really struggling.

Thank you to everyone sending me mail at the moment- really appreciate it. Here's to the next 2 months of photos you've already seen....!!!! (I'm joking- I hope!)

Oh by the way, unfortunately I only realised you all left me comments on recent blog updates just today, since I now have to moderate them. And just incase you were thinking about it, please don't use any swear words in a comment, unfortunately I can't publish them!