Worldcup Saturday, the 3rd place game, featuring Germany. There was a german coast guard boat in town, on a break from fisheries enforcement in the north atlantic (just outside Iceland's 200mile limit) Now, normally these boats can get live tv anywhere, but for some reason not in Iceland. Ute hooked them in the embassy however, and allegedly there was much german drinking. (Mike and I went elsewhere, not being exactly fluent german speakers, and had our own fun with Matt, Eva and Tinna, right through to breakfast time)

Anyway, the next afternoon, Mike and I rolled out of bed and stumbled across the street to meet up with the German contingent for a tour of their boat. Excellent! We had a nice tour, with even a bit of english thrown in for the hangers on :) One thing I liked was the medicine cabinent. The officers have a little bit of training, and when at sea, are allowed to administer all sorts of drugs. But it's largely medicine by numbers! There's a chart of symptoms, and which drug to give, and apparently it's even an interionally agreed system of numbers, so that boats at sea can be resupplied by any passing vessel. They can get a doctor on the phone for a consult it seems. Neat.

Saw some good videos of high seas out in the atlantic, rough enough to make Mike feel queasy just watching them. A bit more of a tour of the modern spacious bridge, cabins, and then the kitchen and galley. Coffee and cake! Brilliant! Got to hear some stories about chasing ships around the horizon, obviously not compliant with the fisheries rules of their home flag, and general sea life.

Then it was time for a cruise! We got decked out in full sea suits, (perhaps a bit excessive, last time I went for a spin in a zodiac in Iceland I was just in a fleece and shorts, but perhaps that was a little underdressed) and then back up to the top to board the boat. This was the cool part, I'd always seen these crane attached zodiacs, and now here I was, lifted up, out and then down down down to the water. neat!

Went for a nice spin around the bay, then back in with Ute at the helm, cruising leisurely around the harbour admiring boats from the seaside.

Then it was finally time to bid our farewells, and pick up Mike again. (What, you didn't think he'd go for a joyride in a rubber ducky did you?) Oh, and then more coffee, more cake, and I do believe eventually there was more beer too.

(apologies to the germans, I never caught the names of the guys that took us around, my german is simply too poor)