Job: Assistant radio operator, Deckhand & Chief Garbologist
How did you come to be on this Rainbow Warrior for this trip?
The Warrior was docked at Incheon - a small town near Seoul, South Korea, where I have been living for the past five years. It was on a campaign against whaling.
One of my friends called me up and told me that he heard that there would be an 'open day' on the ship. I wasn't feeling very academic that day, so I decided to skip Korean class, and go look at the ship instead.
The visit to the ship must have made a tremendous impression on me, because after the open day, I couldn't stop thinking about it and all the amazing things that Greenpeace does. For the next week, I did my everyday things as usual, but the Rainbow Warrior was always in the back of my mind. I was corresponding with some of the crew via email, and it was through them that I heard that there would be another open day, this time in Busan.
The day before the ship was due to arrive I zipped south to Korea's second largest city on their new bullet train system. I had the name of the place where the Warrior was to dock, a crummy tourist map, my compass and my GPS. I guesstimated the direction I should head, and stared hiking. After 5 hours of walking along some beautiful seaside trails, I found it - The Korean Maritime University! Having found my destination, I decided to head for a backpacker's hostel and get some rest.
After getting up at 3:30 on a misty morning, I headed back to the university. It was just starting to get light when I arrived. After hanging around for a while, I saw a "Korea Friends of the Environment Movement" minibus drive by me. I started walking in the general direction it was driving. A few minutes later, they came back and asked me if I was with Greenpeace.
While I was helping them set up their inflatable welcome-boat, cameramen and reporters from the local news agencies started arriving.
Where before there was only hazy mist over the sea, the faded shape of the bow of the Rainbow Warrior gradually started to appear. It was truly beautiful, and I felt so excited! As it got closer I could see people, and it wasn't long before I started recognising some faces! Gina, the volunteer from Fiji who gave me the first open day tour, was the first of the crew to recognize me!
So, then it started; I followed the ship around from port to port, as it travelled around Korea. Because I could speak some Korean and I know how things work there, I was soon helping the crew out with things like changing money, and finding obscure parts for the ship.
Next thing I knew I was standing on the deck of the Rainbow Warrior, watching the land that has been my home for half a decade slowly fade into the horizon.
Essential survival item for spending time on the Rainbow Warrior?
While I would probably survive without it, by far my favourite item on the ship would be the sextant. I feel humbled when I hold such a magnificent instrument, the product of hundreds of years of refinement by the sailors of the seven seas.
If you were marine animal, which one would you be?
I was christened "Beluga" (a kind of whale) during the crossing of the equator ceremony on the way to New Zealand from Korea.
- Abri
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Comments
this is so awesome i luv it so much!!! i can't believe i found it like really!! it just made may day.
Posted by: brooke at January 13, 2006 09:45 PM
Abri
At last
This is realy a great opportunity for me to respond to the wonderfull news and excitement about a friend that i know now for almost 15 years. We, the Du Toit family are so proud and are all realy keen to keep up with your news and adventures. It is great to know someone like you who grasp the moment and who are so positive about life - leaping for the beautiufl things that make life special.
Our prayer for you is that God may keep you and continuously gide in the wonderfull way He did it to open the door for you to the Rainbow Warrior.
Best regards
Phonnie
Posted by: Phonnie at July 15, 2005 06:19 PM
Hey Abri!
great photo.. i think i only ever saw you wandering the ship doing calculations for your sights, or with your GPS!! I miss you and cant wait to give you a giant giant hug when you reach the sunny shores of port Melbourne!!!
See you in about 30 sleeps time!!!!!!!!!
Love sam x
Posted by: Sam Mikus at July 15, 2005 12:25 PM
Hi Abri
Keep on going our famous blond fellow! Enjoy every swell of the tide, from moment to moment with your hand & heart in God's.
You are definitely in the right place at the right time. I really can't think of any person more brilliant than you for the job. Your feet are already firm on the "moving floor". Enjoy every breath of fresh air, every big & small living creature, every person you meet, every sunrise and sunset. Greetings to the Greenpeace crew. Thank you so much for giving us a call 2 weeks ago. We felt so ... special!
Be blessed!! our friend, who have grown soooooo much. Lots of hugs From Adri & Phonnie du Toit - far away in South Africa
xxx
Posted by: Adri at July 14, 2005 01:19 PM
Abri! Funny fellow!
I will always remember how you entertained us with all your little inventions when we were small. What a privilege to be where you are.
When you tell about everything you see and experience I can only say WOW!
I am so happy for you!
YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK.
Love and greetings from all the Du Toit's. Your biggest fans from South Africa.
Enjoy the journey...
Blessings
Andrea
Posted by: andrea at June 30, 2005 12:59 AM
Dagse Abri
ons geniet elke dag die skeepsjoernale wat jy so getrou stuur an d we wish you BON VOYAGE
Posted by: OUPA EN ouma at June 25, 2005 10:05 AM
hi there abri, hope u remeber a this friend, nice to know that u r doing so good on the ship. missing u heaps . hope u stay in touch.
love
gina
Posted by: gina at June 21, 2005 06:02 PM
Abri stood outside my cabin door a couple days before we were to depart Korea. "I have my return ticket, visa, and some money. Can I come?"
I told him I would think about it. Everyone who had been on for the last month said he was a very hard working guy, and a pleasure to have around.
So I said yes. Now, after two months on the ship, I do not know how we would operate without him. He learned celestial navigation (with the sextant) faster that anyone I can remember teaching. He has done a superb job as the ship's garbologist.
And now Hans is teaching him the radio room. On top of all this, his enthusiasm and spirit lift up the whole boat.
He has been a joy to have onboard.
Posted by: Pete Wilcox (Captain of the Rainbow Warrior) at June 19, 2005 09:19 PM
Abri! It's so good to see you! Carpe' Diem and God bless.
Posted by: Jenifer, a common yankee in Seoul at June 18, 2005 05:47 AM
Dear Abri,
Everyday that I sit in an office intensifies my longing to get out and do something that makes sense! However, I know now that life has a way of putting us on set courses, towards unimaginable destinations. But its the travelling experience that matters. Sometimes we can probe with instruments to determine things like speed and direction. However, at times it may feel that we have lost all sense of direction. I urge you to look back during such times, for it will give you courage to continue, and an understanding that nothing is coincidence.
Posted by: Eben le Roux at June 18, 2005 12:10 AM
Hi,.......DIS WONDERLIK!!!!!!!!,.........Abri is my cousin/neefie too, I am so proud of him.
I live in South Africa and I miss Abri and his family terribly, I have not seen them for about 5 years, but I try and keep in touch with the e-mail.
Abri has always been very intelligent, I know he will make a huge success of his life!
We all belief in him and I miss them all terribly!!!!
LOVE Estee Nielsen xxx
Cousin - Johannesburg/South Africa
Posted by: Estee Nielsen at June 17, 2005 08:56 AM
Abri~ It's me.
I tried to contact you via e-mail but All I could get was just auto-replying message.
How are you doing? Seems you're doing great.
Hope to hear you soon
Posted by: kevin park at June 17, 2005 03:49 AM
How wonderful that my nephew, Abri, has worked himself into this wonderful opportunity, by sheer passion for knowledge and a curious nature! Thanks Greenpeace for what you do and for giving Abri this chance, we know he's a brilliant lad! We are living on the Okavango panhandle, which has been declared a Ramsar site, but not yet world heritage...people are encroaching and daily the human-animal and human-biology crisis deepens...we are setting up an education and conservation trust, called Pabalelo, being registered right now, and would like to learn from and keep contact with Greenpeace. What a wonderful coincidence, thus. Wow...keep sailiing and keep up the good work.
Posted by: willemien at June 16, 2005 09:59 PM
I wish I could give up everything including work, that holds me back, and just leave Britain to do something I really would love to do. There is so much ou there and so little time. I am now 58 and have so much I want to see and do before I get too old. I agree with Abri that the sextant must be a fantastic tool to the sailor and would love to learn how to use one.
