We picked up anchor in the pre-dawn darkness and slipped in behind a procession of eight trawlers leaving the harbour of Cartagena. The timing was perfect and the Traffic Control Centre was none the wiser to a ninth echo moving on their radars. I have noticed that my heart beats loudly more often as master - I was anxious not to be discovered and wondered how Francis Drake must have felt in 1585 when he stole the guns from the fortified hills surrounding the port.

It was an hour transit to the Tuna Ranch - the fattening farm. Our arrival coincided with twilight in which we launched all five inflatable boats. They carried swimmers, graveyard crosses and a large floating banner. Tuna Ranching on the Spanish coastline started in 1996 and our message on this day was: " RIP Atún Rojo 1996 - 2006". Why the Spanish call Blue Fin Tuna 'Red' I do not know. But today we called Blue fin Tuna 'Dead' - commercially they are. Ten years is all it took in the Middle Earth Sea.

This was my first opportunity to manoeuvre the Rainbow Warrior in a close quarter situation. Marseille does not count - there I simply avoided collision and anchored down. This day was different. A lot of little bursts ahead on the engine, wheel hard over, kick astern, angling into the wind. Inflatable boats were called in to move floating ropes out of the way as I edged the Rainbow Warrior right up to the Tuna farm. Photographers climbed to the top of the masts to get the best shots.

Cartagena Traffic Control called us up to ask where we were. "We are on our way into Cartagena and will be at anchor in half an hour" I replied. The photo opportunity was a success.

The Rainbow Warrior has completed her present contribution to the 'Defending Our Mediterranean' Campaign. She continues on towards a different sort of challenge altogether.