Hi - I'm Jo the assistant cook. And WOW - what can I say? Having been on board for a few days the reality that this is really happening is only just sinking in. So far I have loved everything - other than feeling a little queasy earlier today, but that seems to have passed.

I have never been on a ship before and I'm overwhelmed by how complex and intricate an operation it is and how professional the crew are. Being assistant cook is fantastic. Long days but so worth it. Everyone is always grateful to you and you know where all the nice things are stored!

I have been very lucky with Loic the chef - he is fantastic - an excellent cook and great to work with. Also he's French, so it's great language practice for me.

I have also been very lucky in that I am sharing my cabin with a lovely girl called Natasha who is from Malta. Having said that, so far I've found most of the crew to be really friendly and understanding about people being new. The thing here is to try - no-one expects you to know things straightaway but they expect you to ask if there's a problem and to pull your weight the best you can.

Coming from the Greenpeace office it is also amazing to really see this campaign in action. We have been very lucky and saw what felt like hundreds of dolphins on the day we set sail. They were crowding round the poop deck - apparently they love it there. I have never seen them so close. It was absolutely amazing. They are so beautiful and energetic that it really has brought home the reality of why this campaign is so important.

I can't wait to get trained and spend time up on the bridge 'dolphin-spotting'. I don't want to think about how distressing it will be when we start hauling in mutilated dead dolphins.

Finding the same pair trawlers that the tour tagged last year was also very exciting. Although I was just watching our Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) from the bridge, it all felt very real to be out there making our case. The boats turned back to port - but I'm sure we'll see them again...

Jo, Assistant cook