Part of the Trident: we don't buy it tour blog 
I'm Jo, the ship's part time assistant cook, part time press officer - that is one of the great things about working for Greenpeace, a certain degree of job flexibility. Of course there's also being passionate about your job, working with people who share your beliefs, being part of campaigns which achieve real change, but I'll have to save those for another time!
I've sailed twice before with Greenpeace, once as an assistant cook, and once as a press officer so I feel this combination is a perfect mix of my skills. The idea was not to actually be doing both at the same time, but yesterday I had my first lesson in juggling both - it was fun, even if my press release was a bit floury.
It's been really good so far. It's been interesting helping to coordinate local media for the advan from the ship, especially when we've found ourselves in force 10 gales! Before we set off sailing we had some really good events in Leith from a very successful open day, a press conference, launched our advan Scotland tour and held a networking event where we welcomed the SNP and Scottish Green proposals to make nuclear weapons illegal on Scottish soil, as well as activist Angie Zelter who was once acquitted of an anti-nuclear weapons "crime" on the grounds that she was authorized by international law to prevent this war crime from happening
The same international law that Blair and his cronies are happy to wave in the face of other countries, while simultaneously breaking it. As Mohammed El Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Association put it: "It's very hard to preach the virtues of non-smoking when you have a cigarette dangling from you lips, and are about to buy a new pack."
It sounds like the advan has been going very well while we've been sailing. Generally Scottish people and Scottish media have been very supportive. Nuclear weapons are not a threat in today's world, climate change is. By building a new bomb, the UK is provoking a new arms race by sending a clear message to other countries: nuclear weapons are a "must have". If the UK builds a successor to Trident, decades of international disarmament work will be destroyed. One more for Blair's "legacy" then.
I guess the advan crew's updates are going to be more useful than mine on current campaign issues, so now I'll turn to a few ship tales. It's been fun to be back in my assistant cook role from peeling potatoes to making croissants to BBQ, Latin American style (under cold Scottish skies). It's fun cooking with our Argentian cook Patricio. This is his first Greenpeace job, and first time on a ship, so very luckily for all involved he doesn't get at all seasick. The cook is one of the most important people on a ship - a well fed crew is a happy crew. Fortunately the food is great. Liesje (second mate), also sailing with Greenpeace for the first time, tells me it's the best she's ever eaten on a ship. I'm certainly looking forward to learning some of his secrets.
I could have chosen better days to actually start in the galley though - a few hours after I began we ran into huge gales and crazy pitching (where the boat rocks from stern to bow, or back to front). Ye olde seasick monster kept threatening to hit at any point, but I found a place by a porthole, held on tight and managed to get through it, though velcro for my feet would've helped. During my break, I went up the bridge (where the boat is steered from) and watched the bow disappear under water as the stern flew up in the air - and to think people pay to go to Alton Towers!
The galley became even harder later on, when the pitching stopped but the ship started rocking and rolling from side to side. This makes me less seasick but really messes with my balance, which isn't up to much at the best of times. We were sliding around the galley like crazy, it was pretty scary to be honest, what with all the hot oil and stoves and sharp knives. But we did it - phew!
I'm back on press duties today, as tomorrow morning we're taking some MSPs and clergy to bear witness at Faslane nuclear base. It should be very interesting. Better get on to it now - will keep you updated.
In the meantime, please make sure you write to your MP, urging them to vote against Trident replacement and to pressure the Prime Minister to strengthen international cooperation for disarmament.
