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MV Greenpeace / PC 8023
Position:26 48 N
122 17 E
East China Sea
About 100 miles east of the Chinese coast.
June 11th, 1996
Day 26
It is a beautiful day. The sun is reflecting off the sea, the sea is blue-
blue. Every couple of minutes the flying fish dive out from under
the bow of the ship, flying for a few meters before crashing back
into the waves. Last night the phosphorecence sparkling in the bow
wave was like tiny fireworks around the ship.
The mood is getting a bit more somber and collected, as we get closer to our destination. The talk is a
bit more subdued, less and less light hearted banter, more speculation on what awaits
us, comparing with similar campaigns of the past -- Moruroa, Russian nuclear testing zone, etc.
In the evening -- Helen's birthday party, Lynda and Stephanie did
make that cake -- excellent -- chocolate with lovely jam.
A crew meeting in the evening. Updates from the Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
negotiations in Geneva, are not the most heartening, but the trip is certainly having the effect of
bringing the world's attention to the nuclear testing issue and to the CTBT talks. AT a time when the
world truly does seem to be on the verge of ending nuclear testing, that spotlight on the negotiation
process is so very important. Those people whose job it is to negotiate this treaty need to know that the
world is watching them and that what the world wants is to be free of nuclear testing.
The representatives from Asian anti-nuclear groups on board (there
are four --Leo from Indonesia, Myra from Philippines, Jae from
South Korea and Roland from Tahiti, Kazue from Japan) are
settling into the Greenpeace family -- I think they may have been a
little shy, and not quite used to the Greenpeace style of life on the
ship at first. But we are all in this together, for the same reason, so
I think they are beginning to feel more at home.
It's funny, how familiar this adrenaline rush, as we approach
the unknown, and potentially unwelcoming coast.
Dima
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