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February 9th - in port
Andrew at the wheel. |
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Man overboard! Bringing the boat around I head back towards the 'man' bobbing in the water. Approaching carefully, steering just a little to port, then a little to starboard. Now I'll nudge it back to port and come right along side and...oops. Ran him over.
Luckily, it's not a real person - just a pink fishing buoy that we're using for practice. Vincent leans over the bow and gets a hold of my hapless victim. Maybe I should try that again.
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Training is a big part of working with Greenpeace. Training days give us not ready for prime-time boat drivers a chance to work on our skills - so that maybe someday we'll get the chance to drive in an action.
Experienced drivers also use the chance to practice. Olivier and Waldemar take the smaller Novies for a high-speed game of cat and mouse - while their boat crews practice the much-valued skill of hanging on.
Recently returned from chasing Japan's whaling fleet around the Antarctic, the ship is now in Melbourne for repairs and maintenance. Actually, we've been here for over three weeks now, and we're glad to get back in the boats - even if it's just for practice.
Of course, we would have preferred to be back in the Antarctic - putting our skills to good use disrupting the whale hunt that's still going on.
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Ronnie (our new cook) takes a turn. |
The Japanese government is using the Antarctic hunt to keep the industry alive until it can return to full-scale commercial whaling, which unfortunately may be right around the corner.
A hosing from Olivier. |
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The government of Japan has been using development aid money to buy the votes of developing nations at International Whaling Commission meetings, and soon will have bought itself a majority.
Still, we did our best while down there, and with a measure of success. Now our job is to prepare the ship and ourselves for the next campaign, and that means practice, practice, practice.
Andrew
(on board the MV Arctic Sunrise)
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