The monitoring of tuna fisheries must be strengthened and transfers of fish at sea banned to end the overfishing crisis in the Indian Ocean, Greenpeace International said earlier this month after it again found illegal fishing operations in the region.

We were happy to hear that we would have one more night rocking to sleep onboard the new Rainbow Warrior, due to lack of wind the first two days. The whales remained with us until the pilot ship came to fetch us outside the Durban harbour. Sailing into the harbour we were met by one boat as a flotilla.

On my last day on the Rainbow Warrior I woke up to whale sounds outside my cabin porthole. Now I must be losing it, I thought. In the mess the others confirmed – they had also heard it.

Ding dong the bell rang “Several whales dead ahead …several whales dead ahead!” All work stopped and we all ran to the deck.

The internet on the Rainbow Warrior is a hit and miss affair much like trying to communicate the green message to the public. You never know when it’s a shot in the dark. Often you might be talking to someone, but the lights are off.

Onboard the Rainbow Warrior, Mike Baillie sails around the coast of South Africa, and finds it to be a really great opportunity to reflect on how he got there and where it’s taking him in life.

Our editor Elma Pollard has been on board Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior III ship since last Thursday. She has been posting updates on our site and the Green Times facebook page. On Monday evening, she had a chance to interview the first mate, Dan. Listen to the full interview below.

After 22 tireless years at the campaigning frontline, the second Rainbow Warrior retired on 16 August 2011.

Robert is fun to have around the mess – always smiling and joking in his heavily accented but good English. It’s a game for me to try and guess where people are from. There are 14 nationalities on-board. People grew up in countries far apart from each other, in totally different cultures and with completely diverse types of educations or skills.

First night on the Rainbow Warrior III swinging like a piece of washing in the wind – is she trying to jump the rainbow? Falling around in my cot I don’t sleep much, but listen to the swishing of waves breaking off the ship - a constant reminder that I’m not dreaming. I am indeed on this legendary boat, sharing the story with our readers.