Title – Barrel of the Gun USS Lamson
Date – September 2004
Location - Bikini Atoll – Marshal Islands
‘Looking down the barrel of the gun’ is a saying we would all rather take metaphorically then literally. But here some 45m under the surface in Bikini Atoll, looking down the barrel of the gunner’s position on the USS Lamson was a completely unique experience. Over nearly 60 years, this once deadly weapon has been transformed into an object of beauty and home to its very own little ecosystem.
Guns are a regular feature in many societies, sometimes they a reasonably well regulated and you will hardly notice them, but in some societies they are brandished as status symbols. You have the right to feel uneasy wherever you see a gun, for where one side has guns their opponent must have more or bigger ones; and so the arms race starts.
Sometimes you are really not sure if the gun is there for your protection or for some more sinister purpose. There are various times when the guns are there to protect you, but in these cases, be aware that there is a reason you need protection. In Madagascar it is not unusual for an un-uniformed guard with a Kalashnikov to stand behind you at the cash point to protect you from attack. In the Philippines where the silver pump action shot gun is the status symbol of choice, it can be seen in the hands of guards outside almost every business and high profile locations, such as the 7-Eleven convenience stores.
Travelling to new countries can be a traumatic experience; the differences from country to country can be stark and frightening. Beyond The Blue is a training company that specialises in Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop to help you prepare properly for the new experiences you are going to face, when visiting remote and distant parts of the world; be that Rome, Romania or Rarotonga.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Date – September 2004
Location - Bikini Atoll – Marshal Islands
‘Looking down the barrel of the gun’ is a saying we would all rather take metaphorically then literally. But here some 45m under the surface in Bikini Atoll, looking down the barrel of the gunner’s position on the USS Lamson was a completely unique experience. Over nearly 60 years, this once deadly weapon has been transformed into an object of beauty and home to its very own little ecosystem.
Guns are a regular feature in many societies, sometimes they a reasonably well regulated and you will hardly notice them, but in some societies they are brandished as status symbols. You have the right to feel uneasy wherever you see a gun, for where one side has guns their opponent must have more or bigger ones; and so the arms race starts.
Sometimes you are really not sure if the gun is there for your protection or for some more sinister purpose. There are various times when the guns are there to protect you, but in these cases, be aware that there is a reason you need protection. In Madagascar it is not unusual for an un-uniformed guard with a Kalashnikov to stand behind you at the cash point to protect you from attack. In the Philippines where the silver pump action shot gun is the status symbol of choice, it can be seen in the hands of guards outside almost every business and high profile locations, such as the 7-Eleven convenience stores.
Travelling to new countries can be a traumatic experience; the differences from country to country can be stark and frightening. Beyond The Blue is a training company that specialises in Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop to help you prepare properly for the new experiences you are going to face, when visiting remote and distant parts of the world; be that Rome, Romania or Rarotonga.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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