Who fired the first shot?

Editor's note: though we tried, we were unable to post these installments in real-time from the South China Sea

0600 May 26 2006

Today we have chartered a Vietnamese fishing boat, Huang Lee, and are sailing out into the Gulf of Tonkin to gather evidence for a documentary about the Vietnam war, Who fired the first shot? We are set to rendezvous with a crew from the Discovery Channel at 0800 hours.

0950 May 26 2006

Well, still no sign of the Discovery Channel. We contacted the Vietnamese coast guard, but they refused to send help, even though I said (I was joking!) I was holding a gun to our Vietnamese guide's head. Not wanting to lose out on good conditions, I have decided to go ahead with the first dive, hoping to take some footage before the Discovery team arrives.

1050 May 26 2006

The ocean floor here is pretty dull, and I am not seeing any of the naval vessels I was told would be here. The water is very thick with silt, and I fear I will not accomplish much on this dive.

1200 May 26 2006

Dive ended successfully, but still no sign of the Discovery crew. Roger, our captain, has suggested to me, in not so kind terms, that the whole thing was a ruse. He thinks whoever called me claiming to be from the Discovery Channel was kidding. He says there is no documentary called Who fired the first shot? being filmed, and that you wouldn't find anything by combing the ocean floor here anyway. I think Roger needs to be a little less paranoid! I hope he cheers up when I tell him they also promised to pay us each one million dollars.

1600 May 26 2006

Our fears have been allayed. At last, a ship is fast approaching! And none too soon, because the weather is starting to take a turn for the worse. However . . . it is a curious looking ship. It is not the gleaming beauty of scientific wonders I had expected from the Discovery Channel. In fact . . . let me get a better look here . . . why, yes . . . why, no! I'm afraid it is the Vietnamese coast guard. Now I'm even more afraid, because they appear to be carrying machine guns. I think it best that I shut-down my laptop for now. I don't want it to be damaged in the hail of bullets.