Onboard the M/V Arctic Sunrise

Day Sixty-seven - 14 January 2000

"Friendly Faces"

When we realized the Aurora Australis was in the Southern Ocean near the M/V Arctic Sunrise we went over to say 'hi,' and were greeted enthusiastically.

Except the whalers, she was the first ship we had seen in a month, and we enjoyed seeing some friendly faces for a change. When one of our boats went over to exchange gifts, they were met with cookies instead of the fire hoses we had grown used to.

The Aurora Australis is an Australian government research and supply ship. She brings supplies and scientists to and from Australia's bases in the Antarctic. Her crew shares Greenpeace's commitment to non-lethal whale research.

The scientists on board the Aurora Australis and the Arctic Sunrise conduct non-lethal whale research using similar scientific protocols, and our science team was especially glad to get a chance to wave across the water to their counterparts.

Both our ships were headed in roughly the same direction so we decided to travel with them over night. Early this morning we caught up to Japan's whaling fleet. The captain of the Aurora Australis hailed the whalers to deliver a message:

"The Australian Government condemns Japan's decision to continue its so called scientific whaling program in the Southern Ocean. The Government remains totally opposed to lethal scientific whaling. Australia urges Japan to abandon its annual take of Minke whales."

Also, today, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand contacted his counterpart in Japan to object to Japan's whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.

It occurred to us that the whalers must be feeling very isolated right now - with their illegal hunt denounced by legitimate scientists here on the high seas, and by the government of New Zealand via their foreign minister back home. Now they could see that Greenpeace was once again on the horizon. It was sure to be an interesting week.

[Back to Story Page]