MV Greenpeace / PC 8023
Position: East China Sea 51 miles almost due east from the Daqshan Island 30 28 N 123 25 E
June 12th, 1996
Day 27

Well, we did it!

I know this is being put up late, but we had a bit of communicas problem (our radio room being occupied by the Chinese navy and marine border guards).

We sailed into the Chinese waters at around noon. Already before crossing the magic 12 mile mark a 2 prop naval plane circled the ship about 8 times, getting a good look at us, probably filming.

As we sailed in, the people began to gather on the bridge. The fog was quite thick, ghosts of ships' silhouettes looming in the distance. To our great surprise no warship met us at the boundary itself, so we proceded in. It was Jeanette's watch, but the bridge was full of people -- deckhands off watch, journalists, our own camera crews. The tension mounted.

By 1:00 we were at anchorage, where we decided to wait and figure out a way to take us in by inflatable or ship to the docks. But this was not to be. Suddenly the foggy silhouettes around us resolved into shapes of gunboats rapidly approaching the MV Greenpeace. The radio came to life: "MV Greenpeace , you are here illegally, you must stop immediately".

Without having much chance to reply that we indeed were already stopped, we were boarded. Two ships came along side on either side. About 70 border guards and navy personnel got on board. The radio room, bridge and the engine room were taken over.

The weirdest thing was the number of cameras -- at least every other man coming on board had a video or a stills camera. I bet the MV Greenpeace has not had so many cameras even in a press conference during the height of the Moruroa protests.

Ulf and Xavier were led to the captain’s cabin, where they were told in no uncertain terms that the ship had to leave the territorial waters. We replied that we would not do this, without first doing what we had come to do -- delivering the message of peace from the people of the world to the Chinese authorities.

Negotiations ensued. Finally it was agreed -- we would be allowed to present our message. The crew and the Chinese military gathered on the helicopter deck.

Kazue Suzuki brought forth 1000 paper origami cranes, folded in the memory of the victims of Hiroshima. I brought the photographs of Swedish children, sent by their parents, and read out one of the letters -- "Dear China, we love our child. We want her to live in the world free of nuclear weapons. Please stop nuclear testing". Lynda brought out drawings made by the New Zealand kids.

At the end of the ceremony, Ningning (our Philippine Chinese translator) read in Chinese our appeal to the Chinese government to stop trying to sabotage an agreement on banning all nuclear tests, and to cancel the planned test series.

We did it. I really wasn't sure we would be able to this time. We are now sailing toward Hong Kong. The war for peace is moving on to Geneva, and world capitals. The MV Greenpeace is getting ready for the new battle. Next stop -- Japan.

Dima