It can not be true!!?

There were 5 men sitting around a table, it was quiet with expectant enthusiasm. As I looked around I was surprised to see that we were all sitting on the edge of our chairs, leaning forwards, all of our fore arms were resting on the table. I could hear the bubbles of the sparkling water plinking in the glasses.Like a secret circle of schoolboys about to share some exciting news.

The picture of a boat lay on the table, the familiar shape of our helicoptor hovering in animated eternity over the traced outline sketch of a boat. Not our boat!?

Our owner/ boss is buying a new boat. Not instead but as well! A support ship to provide us with fuel to save us going near to those nasty commercial ports and a place to store all of out spare boats and toys when we are not using them. To make us lighter and faster. ( An incredible point to make, is that we already carry 400 tons of fuel)

My job has just become quite interesting. Suggestions as to what we need on the new boat on a post card please.

A bar of course, 10 extra crew cabins, walk in freezers to carry extra supplies, a 40 foot sailing boat. Now we are talking! A movie theatre for the crew. I jovially suggested a sauna.. No one laughed and the captain wrote it on the list. I got carried away then and made my usual request for a 6 foot blonde girl. Eyes raised in my direction. It was their fault. they didn't laugh at the sauna suggestion..

one of many parks

one of many parks
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

leafy streets

leafy streets
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Coffee shop

Coffee shop
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

high street

high street
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

water front bars

water front bars
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

A few pics to give a little of savannahs unique atmosphere

Scale of things

scale of things
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

I took this today.
I am standing on deck 4 of 6 and looking down at what would normally be a huge motor yacht. It is 150 feet long! Getting used to the suroundings and forgetting how big this thing really is!!

new bike

new bike
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

This is my new beach cruiser bike. the picture doesnt really do it justice. A saddle that is more like an arm chair, a laid bak riding position and swept back handle bars, back peddal breaks and some funky retro styling.
$ 150 transport. Will get me to the park for my run, the college to continue Spanish lessons and to something new. A yoga class. Have to make this feel like home. keeping busy.

Clockwise or Anti-clockwise?

That is the question!? We are back I am afraid, to crude male observations. I understand from other people( for benefit of my mother) that as men we are either, a tit man or an arse man? I'm not sure. Its tricky ground for me. I rather like both and would have to sit firmly on the fence!

So I am living and working in Savannah Georgia. Famous for its leafy parks and its fine climate. Oh and Forest Gump..?

As I have mentioned before, there is a great culture on board the Princess Mariana for running and keeping fit and I am trying to run every other day.

My current, favorite place to run is the big park in the centre of the city. It has been drawn to my intention, that running in Savannah, is a predominantly female sport...Odd but true. The above mentioned park is a popular running place, most people run around the perimeter path, and come here because of the shade provided by the lush green trees that line the path (side tracking on behalf of my mum)

The trend for running around this park, seems to be anti-clockwise. It takes me about 25 minutes to do one lap and I find that my pace is very slightly faster than average. Meaning that 2 laps is a perfect outing. If the train from london leaves ten mins after I start running and the one from Brighton 5 mins after that, what time will East Enders be on? ( Maths quiz to put off my mum)

So if you are an arse man, you have to run around the park in an anti-clockwise direction. Meaning that the pace will generally be faster, in order to overtake as many jogging girls in tight shorts as possible before completing the 2 laps. However! if your tastes are the other way around, you are on to a winner! You have to face up to feeling a bit like a salmon, swimming up stream but you can go slower and also check out the smiling faces (again for mum) of all of the running fraternity in the park on that day!

My pace has sadly slowed down and I will be late home for East Enders!

Ratty was right!

It was recently reminded to me, by a good friend that the character of 'Wind in the Willows' fame, Ratty said, "there is nothing better than messing about in boats." In my mind he was absolutely right.

Well there is not much to report of any humour today. So I will Leave you, with only Ratty's words of wisdom.

Keep reading you two

deck 4

deck 4
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

This is deck 4 where I meet with my team every morning.
I seem to spend all day running up and down stairs. I am still lost most of the time but I find by walking confidently, most people don't realise that I am actually lost. Carrying a clip board is also good for this illusion.

The bridge

The bridge
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

I am now a cookie eating buttin pusher. It is kind of fun though!

Savannah Georgia. NO MORE COOKIES

It was a long day and I have to say that I was nervous. It all went well and the passage up the coast was easy peasy. I stood my watch and enjoyed all the toys on the bridge. When the weather got bad, instead of the usual call for oil skins and sweaters I turned the windscreen wipers from intermittent to on. Fab and a pretty young girl brings me coffee. How cool..

So here we are at our new home in savannah georgia. I am pleased to report that a few quirky things are coming to light here on Princess Mariana. The captain has banned the cookie jar from the officers mess! OPur delightful cook, Jackie has a fantastic knack for making amazing cookies. The jar has re appeared in the officers mess and has a nicely printed label containing the help line for the obese. It is not, after all the cooks fault that we cant stop eating the cookies.

Weather stops play

crew mess
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

The final weather and routing check by the pilot put off play for another day and we all retire to the crew mess for a cup of tea. Not flat screen TV (one of about 50 on board)

decks 3, 4 & 5 ready!

decks 3, 4 & 5 ready!
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

All the decks were secured. At the bottom. The guy is on deck 3!

up with the sparrows

Heli deck at dawn
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Me and the boys were up early today. We had to prepare the chopper for launch and an excited heli pilot who has been waiting for insurance and flight clearance for a week..
I was scarily in charge of deck operations and had given the book a good falling asleep over the night before.

So there we were. Blades unsecured, strapps undone, fire equipment in place, spammy suits donned, radios checked...

How to eat an elephant

Take a small bite and keep on eating. That is how I feel when faced with the job that I have just started.

Actually on more than one level. On my first day here I arrived just after dinner. No matter though because the other officers had waited for me and there was a table laid very elaborately witth wine and sparkling water, table matts, cloth napkins and the works and we ate a full steak dinner with tons of veg. Lunch today was a feast and as it goes on.

Lucky then that there is a good health and fitness culture on board with 50% of the crew dissapearing off to the beach tonight to go for a run.

Another amusing thing that I am not at all used to when arriving on a new ship, is that my crisp, white, cotten sheets had been put on my bed and on the bed was some toiltries, shaving foam, soap, shampoo, toothbrush. With my en-suite toilet and shower all in marble, It is like coming to a hotel. Plus deffinitely not used to having a flat screen TV that has a central entertainment system full of menues with hundreds of movies, satalite tv, music and probably makes tea if I could figure out the controls.

So last night I chose a movie got into bed and relaxed. Looking around me I had to use all the imagination I have, to remember that I am at work and on a ship not in a hotel.

The first complete day at work has been taken up with a walk around the boat. Its Huge..Bit like an elephant. A shiney white elephant. Oh No. Its a white elephant! Oh well it will soon be all be eaten. Munch munch munch.