One of the expectations of being at sea is that you will experience whales and dolphins in their natural environment. However the ocean is massive expanse and all crew scan the surface hoping to catch a glimpse of these most magnificent of creatures, it is by no means a certainty. Yesterday lunchtime the cry went out “Whales on the port bow”. To a man (and woman) everybody stopped what they were doing and ran to the side to see a pod of five sperm whales just ahead of us, exhaled air from their blow holes creating a distinctive mist each time they surfaced.

Sperm whales grow to a maximum length of sixty feet, weigh up to 55 tons and their huge heads have a cavity large enough to hold a car. They dive to depths of three kilometres remaining under water for two hours hunting their principal prey, giant squid..Watching these leviathans breaching and lobtailing had us all spellbound but the sight of one of them emerging from the depths like a trident missile will be forever entrenched in our memories. Some forty feet long and probably forty tons, one of the group was seen to leap fully clear of the water before crashing back from whence it came with a huge splash. I cannot begin to describe the emotion of witnessing first hand one of natures wonders. It is one to thing to watch such things on television but to observe from only a few yards away is an experience that few will ever savour and I feel lucky and privileged to have done so.

Flying fish, (no not albatrosses), are also sighted daily as we work out way through the Tropics. Disturbed by the approaching ship shoals suddenly emerge from the water skimming the water for a hundred yards or more before disappearing back into the blue. Listen closely and the flapping of their wings sounds like The Golden Snitch from the games Quiditch in Harry Potter.

The sea is a lot calmer now, reasonably still and the winds can be best described as light airs. It is also getting much hotter and on Sunday we were grateful for the Captains permission to open up the side and go swimming. Jumping off the side into the coolness of the water was welcome refreshment and as you swam beneath the waves the blue of the deep was striking. We engaged in all the usual games, but at five miles deep it was hells own game fetching the brick from the bottom. Even though it was calm, the swell remained significant and it was easy to drift away from the ship and as you did so thoughts of Jaws and Deep Water quickly came to the forefront of our minds. The response would have been interesting if somebody had shouted “Shark”!!

Birthdays and other causes for celebration are frequent and the deckhouse is regularly adorned with bunting and balloons, cards are made, and speeches are given. When dinner is finished the cook appears with a cake, fizzing sparkler to boot and everybody sings Happy Birthday. It is very much akin to a night at the Win Wah Chinese restaurant....oh without the fat greedy people of course!!!.

As the sun set this evening three bells rang out calling all the crew to gather on the main deck. The 4th May is Hollands Remembrance Day and the Captain marked the occasion with a two minute silence, not only to remember those Dutch who have fallen in combat but to all who have succumbed in wars worldwide. We are very much an international crew, and as all could be heard were the creaking masts, we all had opportunity to reflect on our servicemens sacrifices, something that unfortunately still touches us all today

Doddy