Marnee meets president

Posted by at 3:29 PM, June 24, 2004

If I told you that I met the President of the Icelandic Parliament, you would probably think that was the highlight of my day. Well, stay tuned…

Today was spent mostly in transit. We sailed from Isafjördur to Húsavík. I kept busy with a mélange of fabulous tasks, for example cutting small bits of foam off a larger bit of foam for the purpose of stuffing some new pillows for the lounge. The journey was peppered with beautiful scenery as we passed the Icelandic coastline.

If I told you that I met the President of the Icelandic Parliament, you would probably think that was the highlight of my day. Well, stay tuned…

Today was spent mostly in transit. We sailed from Isafjördur to Húsavik. I kept busy with a mélange of fabulous tasks, for example cutting small bits of foam off a larger bit of foam for the purpose of stuffing some new pillows for the lounge. The journey was peppered with beautiful scenery as we passed the Icelandic coastline.

We arrived in Húsavik at about 4:30 pm. This town already has a different feel than Isafjördur- we were met by whale watchers and some very nice people from town. We are here in time for the Whale Festival and will participate in different events over the next two days.

One of the people on the pier when we arrived was Halldor Blöndal, the President of the Icelandic Parliament. He actually came aboard and took a short tour before heading up to the bridge for some introductions. His presence on the Esperanza was a big, big deal. He has not been a supporter of Greenpeace in the past, but he wanted to have some positive dialog with us during this campaign. It is a sign of the good work done by Greenpeace last year that he came to see us.

I was introduced to Mr. Blöndal during his visit to the bridge, and we had a brief conversation about whaling versus nature tourism and the inconsistency of maintaining one in the face of the other. I made the point that different people from around the world simply cannot reconcile a love of nature with the killing of whales. I told him a little bit about the Pledge and how 60,000 people would like to come to Iceland for tourism but not until the whaling stops. I mentioned that I’m from Nevada, and that we are partly transitioning from resource exploitation, such as mining and unchecked development, to resource conservation and adventure tourism. Mr. Blöndal was a bit difficult to read because he is rather steady in his demeanor and speech, but I thought it went pretty well.

We then went to a reception at the whale watching center and restaurant in Húsavik. Two speeches were given and a group of four girls sang acapela. Their voices were beautiful, and so were they. In fact, everyone there was impeccably dressed. Except for us of course. The building was cozy, with lots of wood and different items from old ships. The food was great. Catered hors d'oeuvres, delicious cheeses, and fresh fruit. What a treat! Also, there was an open bar, so I dove right into a glass of cold beer.

After the reception, it was decided (by whom?) that I should get myself over to the whale-watching center for the 8:15 pm tour. (Please note: the sun does not set here at this time of year!) So I hauled ass from the ship to the town, got on the whale-watching boat, and said “phew” because I had barely made it. Then realized I was on the wrong boat, ran for the other boat, and jumped on deck just as it pulled away from the dock. I was the only Greenpeace person on board the North Sailing craft Nattfari that evening since the others were going out on the African Queen and it might be a good opportunity to get a photo of me on a Húsavik whale watching tour. Check it out: www.nordursigling.is

Off we went. I sat down next to an English-speaking couple, inquired casually about the duration of this little boating excursion, and they told me three hours. THREE HOURS! But. But. But. Three hours? What have I gotten myself into? Of course I want to go whale watching while I’m here, but I’m beat! Waah. Did I mention the bit about the strenuous foam cutting?

It was cold, cold, and cold on the boat. Add to that a steady breeze and the occasional spray of water over the bow of the boat, and you’ve got yourself some cold conditions. Thank goodness (!) I was wearing my new gear from Patagonia. The fleece jacket (green), waterproof jacket (green), and waterproof pants (black) kept me toasty and dry. How great is it to have the Patagonia distribution center and retail outlet in Reno? Patagonia gear rocks, AND they donate money from sales to environmental causes worldwide. Buy their stuff!

So we were boating along when I saw something a little strange on the horizon. It looked a little like a waterspout from a whale, but at that distance it would have had to be 30 or 35 feet high, so I didn’t say anything (we were told to speak up if we saw a whale). But there it was again, and pretty soon the boat was making a beeline for this thing. The tour director was speaking German, so I didn’t know what he was saying; I only knew that all the other passengers were on high alert now. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? Then he said, in English, that there had been sightings of a blue whale in the bay that week, the first in seven years. And you know what? Those were waterspouts I saw, and those are blue whales. Now you can see why meeting the President of the Icelandic Parliament was not the best part of my day.

You should know, if you don’t already, that blue whales are awe-inspiring creatures. They are the largest animals ever to have lived on earth, and they can be up to 33 meters long. They live to be 90-95 years old when left alone. They were hunted last century until they were nearly extinct. We saw seven blue whales on this night. We heard the soft but powerful “poof” of their exhalation as it filled the quiet evening air. We imagined their dive and the rest of their world. I will never forget it.

One last thing and I’ll let you go. About two hours into the tour I spotted the African Queen in the distance, heading straight for us. Now I know I’m going to catch hell for being so desperately uncool, but I thought to myself at that moment: “Hey! Those are my friends! Here they come!” And so they did. We waved to each other and they hung out a while watching the blue whales. Then they were off. Several people on the Nattfari asked me if I was with Greenpeace (Why, yes! As a matter of fact I am!). They asked what we were doing in Húsavik, and I was proud and happy to tell them. Without exception, they were glad to see us.

When the whale watching tour was over, I walked back to the ship just in time for a big party in the lounge. And this day unlike any other finally came to an end in the wee hours of the morning.

-Marnee