Time to open the first door on the advent calendar already; where did November go?
It has been without doubt the busiest month of the year at work. Three weeks ago saw the naming ceremony for the vessel and two days ago she set sail for Norway (behind two tugs as she is not designed for self-propulsion). The amount of effort put into the preparations for that departure was immense. After all the build-up, the office seems eerily quiet now.
Work will continue here for a month or so yet while a reduced number of us tidy up the remaining paperwork. All being well we should not be interrupted by any sudden re-starting of the 50-53 war.
Last week’s events on Yeonpyeong were terrible but in some respects are only the latest of many similar ones that have occurred over the years. South Korea has grown accustomed to turning the other cheek and no immediate effects have been felt this far south.
That said, this is the first time in a very long time that there have been civilian casualties and the proverbial camel’s back is feeling the strain. Conflate this with the other local events that are featuring in the international news reports and tensions can run high.
Nobody here wants an other war. We are keeping our eyes and ears open while continuing ‘business as usual.’
I name this ship…
Attach two large tugs…
…and set forth for three months at sea