Reports are beginning to circulate that the scurvy seadog Below Decks crew are to attempt an assault on Karakoram giant and second highest mountain in the world, K2.
Although not quite as high as Everest, K2 is universally acknowledged as being the most difficult and technically challenging peak in the world to get to the top of.
"Getting to the bottom of it isn't easy either," a mountaineering chappie who climbs loads of mountains told us. "You have to walk for miles up the Rongbuk Glacier until you get to a place called Concordia, then you look up the valley, and there she is. She's magnificent, the most photogenic mountain in the world. And she's very high too. I took one look at her and buggered off home again sharpish. No way was I going up THERE!"
Which was probably a wise decision, for K2 has claimed countless lives. Over a third of summiteers have perished on the descent, and it's an achievement only the mountaineering elite have ever achieved successfully.
"A lot of good people have died on that hill," said English Mountaineer Alan Hinks. "Some of whom I've known personally. It's the beast of all beasts that mountain. It's known in the fraternity as 'The Killer Mountain'."
We called Cap'n Morse, who issued the following statement:
"We never said we were going to climb K2!" he spluttered. "Who told you that? We may be a little off the wall, but we're not INSANE! Wait, I think I know where your reference cropped up... it was when we asked QM to contribute to our little serial...I think she said something along the lines of ...I'd rather attempt to climb K2... for charity...which is distinctly not the same thing..."
More as we get it...seems the expedition's off...
