Saturday 15th February

We are now approaching the equator some 3,400 nautical miles from San Francisco and 1,185 miles to go to Pago Pago. (Remember? it’s pronounced Pango Pango). To port we have the Line Islands, one of which you will have heard. You may not immediately recall Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Teraina and Tauaran but you will of course have heard of Kiribati otherwise known as Christmas Island. One of Pago Pago’s claim to fame is it is the closest island to the splashdown of Apollo’s 10 12 14 17 and the ill fated Apollo 13. It seems that this part of the South Pacific has seen more than its fair share of excitement.

Two more presentations today, the second in the series of life beneath the waves (today on sharks and other scary sea creatures. She showed some clips of herself being attacked by various creatures whilst filming. One a moray eel (not a nice creature) which is why divers sing “If you put your hand in crack and you don’t get it back, that’s amoray”. Dale Templar gave her second presentation (with out-takes) on some of the more dangerous incidents and encounters she experienced during filming with the Humane Planet team. Which reminds me, if you remember, when were back ask me about their escapade in the African bush whilst filming the vet carrying out vasectomies on fully grown lions. It’s not a story that readily lends itself to a blog.