Onboard the M/V Arctic Sunrise

Day Thirty-eight - 22 December 1999

"Christmas on the M/V Arctic Sunrise "

Early Christmas afternoon, the Japanese factory ship Nisshin-maru was still in the water not to far off the side of the M/V Arctic Sunrise. We had been tracking Japanese factory ship throughout the night and we now listening to a message blaring from its loud speakers. The message was in English and we could just barely make it out from our distance - if our boats came near them they would be hosed down "...to prevent causing a grave accident."

It seemed a bit late for this attempt at intimidation. Our activists had been facing down fire hoses since the first day of action against the whaling fleet.

Suddenly, the Nisshin-maru cranked up its engines and began making a run towards one of the whale catcher boats, the Yushin-maru, about eleven miles away. This 720 ton steel ship had killed a whale and was trying to deliver it to the Nisshin-maru for butchering.

The chase was on. The Nisshin-maru is faster then the Arctic Sunrise, but there was enough sea ice in their way to slow them down a bit. We quickly launched our inflatables the "Hurricane" and "the Gray Whale."

We included a new innovation in the back of the Gray Whale. "It's a brand new portable fire pump," Frank informed us. "Just got it for Christmas."

As the Yushin-maru came along behind the Nisshin-maru to deliver its whale, the Gray Whale took up its position. If we could prevent the catcher ship from delivering its kill we would effectively prevent it from hunting any more whales.

The plan was for Frank to spray our fire hose at the station where the slaughtered whale was tied up. To cut the whale loose someone would have to walk into this powerful spray. With the air and water temperature both hovering around the freezing point, we were betting no one would.

Greenpeace activists attempt to prevent the crew of Yushin-maru from transferring a harpooned minke whale. Notice the whale tail above the bow of the inflatable.

Of course, the crew of the Nisshin-maru made good on their promise to hose down our activists. The Yushin-maru joined in and our boat crews found themselves under a familiar high pressure deluge.

David, our chief engineer, was driving the Hurricane and described the experience. "It was incredible. Wham, on the back of my head. It knocked my hat and goggles off!"

Still the Greenpeacers persisted and managed to delay the transfer for a short time. Another catcher ship came into view with a small dead whale tied to its side. We decided to try again. This time both the catchers came up behind the Nisshin-maru, and all three ships trained their hoses on the Greenpeace activists who were now caught in a three sided box.

They hung tough for a while trying to keep the Gray Whale between the catcher boat and the factory ship. Then the catcher boats moved in towards each other.

"They tried to squeeze us with the other ship. We had to go in full reverse, and get out like that," said Frank.

Later the "chief scientist", Ishikawa, who is in charge of the whaling fleet's illegal activities, called the Arctic Sunrise by radio. We acknowledged his hail - hoping we could talk. All previous attempts to communicate with the whalers had been met with silence.

The whaler refused to speak with our female translator Namhee and demanded to speak instead with one of the male deckhands Yasu. Ishikawa spent several minutes lambasting Yasu in Japanese. We didn't need translation to hear the anger in his voice. Yasu responded in polite tones.

M/V Arctic Sunrise captain Arne Sorensen

When Yasu tried to tell Arne, our captain, what the whaler had said, Arne held up his hand and said, "Before we go any further, please tell him that we are happy to talk, but it must be two way communication. I will receive his statement only if he is willing to receive a response from me."

Yasu nodded and radioed the whaling ship back and passed on the message. Silence. Yasu tried again. No response. Yasu switched to an emergency channel that all ships are required by law to monitor, and tried again. Still no response. We had our answer.

The whalers would dictate to us, but refused to listen.

There was nothing left to do except sit down to a wonderful Christmas dinner prepared by our cooks, Lena and Emilee, who slaved away throughout the action. Dinner was followed by a screening of "Babe" on the ship VCR.

A little different from Christmas back home, but everyone onboard was satisfied to be doing what we had come here to do.

Season Greetings from the Arctic Sunrise.