Absolutely Seasick
When actress Julia Sawalha learned that oil drilling off the coast of Scotland threatened the region's ecology, the Ab Fab star protested by swapping her cosy lifestyle for a week on board the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior. It wasn't all plain sailing - as Julia's diary shows
Friday – Whisky Galore
My ex-boyfriend Carl has just left a message on my mobile phone, saying: 'Be careful, from your friend Carl.' It's really cheered me up. We split up three months ago after two years together. Like me, he's passionate about wildlife conservation and so he'd love this trip. But I want to enjoy being single again. It's July and I'm met at the tiny airport in Islay, a lovely windswept island in the Inner Hebrides, by Greenpeace volunteer Amber, who tells me I'll be sharing a cabin with her and two others. Finally get to the Rainbow Warrior and meet all the crew. Am taken back on to the island to the local pub, where we all chat and test whisky from the island's seven different distilleries. We get into an inflatable boat, which I learn is called a rib. I get my first telling off by second mate Madeleine for trying to take my life jacket off before boarding the ship from the rib - won't do that again in a hurry. I feel a bit like the new face at school and suddenly go a bit shy, so make my excuses and go to bed. To think that this whole voyage has come from being approached on the street three years ago by a Greenpeace volunteer who talked me into joining. The guy didn't know who I was. He wrote on my form: 'Says she's in TV and will do anything to help.' That's how it all started.
Saturday – Meet The Seals
Surprisingly good sleep. The boat definitely has a fair old sway to it. We're due to set sail tonight on a 24-hour journey to the Island of St Kilda, 100 miles off the coast of Scotland in the north-east Atlantic. Only about 28 people live on the island; mainly Army staff who man the radar tracking station. I've brought all my homeopathic pills with me, including ones for nausea. At 9am I decide to muck in and scrub the toilet. Funnily enough I start to feel more at home, probably because I'm always cleaning and scrubbing in my flat. Before we set sail I visit a seal sanctuary where I meet two gorgeous little seals called Rainbow and Warrior. They were rescued six weeks ago, suffering from a virus. After cuddling them, and marvelling at how light and squashy they are, I realise my clothes now smell fishy. Worse still, I've got a whole week on a ship and not many clothes to change into. Back on the Warrior, the ship's medic, Janine, advises everyone to take seasickness pills because the weather's going to be rough. I take nothing, deciding it's mind over matter. We set sail at 10pm. I take to my cabin, a bit shaky on my legs.
Sunday – Queasy Does It
My other cabin-mate Kate, a marine biologist who will take part in the first ever underwater survey at St Kilda, is in the bunk next to mine. We’ve realised that lying down is the only way to get rid of the constant dizziness. I make it upstairs into the mess for lunch. The ship is rolling and shaking and, even though the cook Amanda has made the food look good, I decide to skip lunch. But I’m strongly advised to eat, so I try to force something down. At 4pm Amber comes racing down to our cabin to tell us that St Kilda has been spotted. We go up and I start to feel a bit better. If I was at home now, I'd probably be at my parents' house in south London. If not, I'd be out with friends at a restaurant near my north London home. I couldn't be further away from all that comfort. But I wouldn't miss this for the world - it's a real adventure. Someone spots a minke whale gliding along in the ocean and I suddenly realise the area is teeming with wildlife, including puffins. We stare at a vast rock jutting out of the sea, home to the biggest colony of gannets in Europe. It's a stunning view. Rob, one of the volunteers, explains that the Government has licensed these waters for new oil drilling, which makes my blood boil. Drilling will destroy all this breathtaking wildlife, as well as affect the climate.
Monday – Terra Firma
I wake up late at 9am. I've missed the 7.30 call of: 'Wake up warriors! ' I slope upstairs into the mess and discover to my dismay that all the chores inside have been done and the warriors are now outside on deck, busily scaling rigging to grease ropes and doing back-breaking jobs in the hot engine room. Feel horribly guilty. They work so hard, it's difficult to keep up with them all. I've realised the only way to help out is to insist they give you a job. This ship’s bosun, Kevin, who is from Alaska, is quite scary. He insists on calling me 'movie star' and I feel utterly useless. He finally gives me a job cleaning rusty bits off the paintwork. I warm tohim.I discover there's a chance we can camp on the island tonight. I gaze out to sea and dream of being on terra firma, of lying in a bed which doesn't move. So I ask if a few more of us can go too? Yes! I'm given the thumbs up. On the island we put up the tents in between giggling fits. Later, we all watch the Rainbow Warrior twinkling in the bay under a full July moon as Richard and James talk about the campaigns they've been involved in. These people have nearly been killed for their beliefs, yet all they do is stage non-violent protests to save our planet.
Tuesday – Puffin Island
I’ve had hardly any sleep. The only way to wake up is to swim in the icy waters. As soon as I dive in I feel as if my head is going to explode, it’s freezing! Back on the ship, I help clean up the galley and empty the recycling rubbish into proper bins. We go out on a rib to view the wildlife. I sit on a rock which juts out near some caves and seals bob around in the water nearby. They look as though I've just barged into their home and sat on their bed - I probably have. Skua birds swoop down and attempt to divebomb a couple of in the group. They are amazing – with their wingspans of anything up to 15ft. We go to the back of the island. It's so calm and beautiful, just like a painting. I suddenly feel emotional and tears start to well up. This place will be ruined one day, even though it's Britain's only natural World Heritage Site. We must put an end to oil drilling. Why can't the Government use solar energy?
Wednesday - If Mel Gibson Could See Me Now
Leap out of bed, determined to muck in today. We set sail as I empty the recycling bins, scrub the mess and the toilets (which are called heads). Strangely, I don't feel dizzy and suddenly realise with joy that the sea is incredibly calm. At lunchtime I wolf down the fantastic vegetarian meal Amanda has made for us. In the afternoon Kevin has us scrubbing rust stains off the paintwork with the juice of mouldy lemons - no ecologically unsound cleaning products here. Kevin drawls: 'Nice work, movie star; you're getting the hang of it!' It's nice that no one really watches telly or knows who I am. Some of the crew say they recognise me, but on the whole I can totally relax without getting all the usual questions about acting. My last job was a million miles from this boat. I've been working on a new model animated film with Mel Gibson called The Chicken Run, which is by the same people who made Wallace & Gromit. If they could see me now!
Thursday – Land Ahoy
It's strange waking up and looking out of the cabin to see land in the distance. We're approaching Glasgow, which is where my journey ends. I feel a bit sad; I'm going to miss everyone terribly. Once I'm back on land, the warriors will be taking the boat on to Aberdeen and back to St Kilda to pick up the diving team. Their work is never done. As we make our final journey to the dock, we glide silently past mounds of industrial rubbish, which spills out on either side. It's a horrible sight after the beauty of St Kilda. I don't really know what to say to the crew, apart from thanks for caring so much. It sounds a bit shallow, thanking people for giving up their entire lives to clean up the planet. I'll neverforget my trip; it has profoundly affected me.
