The crew of ESBERN SNARE counts a little less than 100 persons but during DANEX 08 the big grey ship is the home for about 240 people. The many guests are for example the staffs running the exercise, helicopter crews and personnel from the Danish Frogman Corps. It is a challenge for the ship and its crew to handle and provide service to the many guests and at the same time run both daily routines and the DANEX training programme.

Also in the ship’s galley the pressure is on. Three meals a day must be prepared for the crew and the guests. This takes an extra effort from by the three cooks, the baker, the butcher, the washer and the two sailors who are working in the galley. During DANEX they luckily get good help from two sailors from the Danish Frogman Corps and two persons from the Local Support Element in Kongsøre. Also a sailor from an inspection cutter and two sailors from the inspection vessels have helped the galley stay afloat but they left on Friday.

– We have been busy before but not for so long time. It has been hard but things have worked well, says Able Rating and cook Jan Lausten while he is busy preparing evening dinner. The galley has however not been completely without accidents. On the same day both the waste disposal unit and one of the ovens broke down. Luckily both could be repaired.

– Our most busy time was when we were in Aalborg. Besides making three meals a day for the crew and the guests, we also had to prepare food for a cocktail party for 130 persons and for an official dinner hosted by Admiral Danish Fleet. It was a strange feeling to look forward to “only” make food for 240 people again, Jan Lausten ends.