Meet The Crew

Ushuaia

Date: 31 December 2011

We are poised to start the great adventure. I will tell you all about the build up when I have a tad more time, but whilst we are still in broadband heaven (and therefore still able to send photos), allow me to introduce you to the crew for our Antarctic cruise:

CapTim – now out of the clutches of the Absentee Downstairs Skipper who has remained in Buenos Aires, he is once again all powerful and infallible.

Ewan Edwards – Antarctic scientist – knows everything there is to know about Antarctic wildlife and a lot more besides. He is highly skilful at imitating the calls of all the Antarctic seals, penguins and birds at a volume that shatters plate glass windows.

Peter Barker – chip off the old block, but a lot less powerful and all too fallible. Intends to make a documentary of the cruise so the boat is not only full of booze, but also half a ton of camera equipment, tripods, dollies, booms etc. You can’t even go to the heads without the event being filmed.

Venetia Kenney-Herbert. Has put more miles under the keel of Mina2 with me than anyone else. Inventor of the now legendary cocktail, the “Mango Bomb With A Triple Gin Float”. Her daughter has just got engaged to a lawyer specialising in libel litigation (congratulations to you both, by the way) so I will wait until I am in international waters, and will then dish the dirt on her.

Richard Close-Smith. Another Mina2 veteran. When advised to buy merino wool thermals for the cruise south he declined the advice saying “I’ve always found my silk underwear more than adequate for most occasions”. Hmmm.

Able Seadog Snoopy. Ship’s mascot and bon viveur. Had to have major surgery this morning under a gin and whisky anaesthetic as his head had nearly come off. Story to follow.