Page 250: "When the Ship hits the Fan"
Like a lot of professional Australian seafarers I donated my time (rather than money) to drive the Sea Shepherd ships anywhere and everywhere. I did only the jobs I wanted to do; there were some I didn’t want to be involved with, and Sea Shepherd management were always very understanding. I met a lot wonderful, hard working people; friends for life, and a fair share of arseholes too! A chimpanzee could take a modern ship from A to B nowadays (in hindsight - perhaps a bit harsh !!!) – but it’s a bit different with an older ship with limited equipment and a well-meaning but totally inexperienced crew. They do a mighty job, and they do it for free. Operating out of Aberdeen and Lerwick (Shetland Islands) and around the fiords in the Faroes was interesting, especially with the Discovery Channel Whale Wars film crew onboard! And I finally got to see a Puffin!
Bridgitte Bardot, a 35m 41 tonne trimaran, was originally named Cable and Wireless Adventurer and she was built for the purpose of circumnavigating the world in less than 80 days. She did this in 1998 in 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, traveling more than 22,600 nautical miles (41,855 km). 2 x 370 kW (500 hp) QSC Cummins 27 knots (50.0 km/h) and a range 3,500 nautical miles
Steve Irwin (I never liked the name!) was originally a Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency enforcement patrol boat, the FPV Westra, for 28 years. 60m 900 tonne with 2 x British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp (1,600 kW), driving a single variable-pitch propeller. She’s now laid up in Williamstown after a working life of over 40 years – a mighty ship!
Time lapse of camp paint job on Bob Barker
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