Exactly three years ago to the day I was busily day working at the Monaco Grand Prix. My jaw was bouncing off the deck in between saying wow every other minute. In a moment of relative coherence I asked one of the crew does one ever become used to this life. The South African replied with a smug look “yes you will get used to it”

This all came flooding back to me last night when we had a couple of pirate skiffs circle us at high speed and were consequently seen off by our heavily armed security force. When the call came over the radio for us to muster in the crew mess I was sure it was a drill. Why we would be running a drill coming out of the pirate zone escaped me at the time.

I reassured the crew around me that it was a drill. It became evident it was not a drill when we saw our Grunts tooling up and manning strategic sniper stations. I still did not really click, and I watched bemused as everyone seemed to receive and amplify each others excitement. Not me, I watched bemused. The Grunts as I affectionally call them would take care of any danger. They are huge impressive beings, who previously turned up to our fire drill underway strapped locked and loaded. I have a new definition of irony. Watching a walking weapon, watch The Expendables.

The Pirates were seen off. It was perfect conditions for an attack, the heavy sand fog had lowered visibility. The weather conditions were calm allowing the pirate skiffs to circle us at high speed. Thankfully we had security and had prepared as well as we could. We subsequently learned a ship had been attacked by 21 skiffs a couple of days earlier in the same waters.

This is all normal for me. Is this normal?

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