Open ship

Reykjavik was grey and rainy this morning - we didn’t expect a lot of visitors to come for the open ship. Luckily the weather improved, and there was a steady stream of interested people on deck. We take turns in showing our guests around, and try to answer questions about all sorts of things.

It is important to show the Icelanders that we work in many fields, not only on the whaling issue. On helicopter deck you find screens with pictures and information about all our campaigns. To meet and discuss environmental issues face-to-face is refreshing.

Many visitors have their special fields of interest: a mechanic might want to see the engine room, a cook is interested in the galley and the kids might want to check out the crayons in the mess room.

All night daylight

Hello everyone,

Nearly impossible to wake up and get out of bed, but I did it at exactly 8:00, in time to help with general cleaning. Still no Tomakint. Word has it he already left for the Greenpeace office in town. Good for him- go wake up those lazy bastards! Anyway, I signed up for toilets and showers again, and Irene added her name to mine. We were in no condition to clean toilets and showers of course, but clean we did. As soon as we were finished, we both went back to bed for a well-deserved nap. Maybe not well deserved, but certainly much appreciated.

Got a little more rest and then headed to the campaign office upstairs for some frustrating and exceedingly slow blog work. I’ve got writer’s block complicated by no Internet access and increasingly irregular downloads. Not to mention the distractions of the campaign and the city. I’m eternally grateful to Irene and Brian for the updates they have done and hope they will forgive my need for latitude right now.

Today was open ship. The tours came through the campaign office where I was working, so I met a lot of people and spoke to many of them briefly. Most of the Icelanders were interested in telling me about their ideas, and most of the people from other places were more interested in hearing about my purpose here and about my experiences in Iceland. I liked the dialog. I was especially impressed with a tall blond Icelandic teenager who was intent on challenging me about whaling in general and about U.S. policy in particular. Unfortunately he didn’t know what he was talking about, but he clearly had a lot of national pride, facts be damned.

The campaign office is a lot quieter these days. Brian left this morning. (Wow. That was fast. Brian, come back!) Erika is almost never here now that she has moved to the office downtown. Jari is usually in the video room if he is on the ship. Christian is sometimes here which is good for me because he is in charge of musical entertainment. Also, he showed me a slide show on his laptop that showcased his photos of skiers and snowboarders and skateboarders. He’s really good. He’s also mysterious in that "I’m cooler than you" sort of way. And his voice is pure joy. His speech has a cadence that matches perfectly with his accent when he speaks English. The result is that it hardly matters what he is saying. Listen to him and see if you don’t agree.

The weather is once again sketchy, and we don’t want to miss this evening’s shipboard reception, so whale watching will commence tomorrow morning at 9:00 and I will not be able to go on the trekking excursion with the rest of the group. I am really, really disappointed but hope that I will have another opportunity to go before I leave this beautiful place. Maybe Saturday.

The reception on the heli deck was quite nice and a bit of a coup for Greenpeace considering that not only did OSPAR delegates attend, but so did Icelandic politicians and officials. Drizzly skies pushed most of us into the hanger, which was fine because that’s where a big screen was set up for viewing the soccer game. Most of the crew skipped the reception but materialized for the match. It was rewarding to see the French Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission enjoying the same environment as the crew from the Esperanza.

I had a particularly good conversation with the Slovakian journalist whose crew was staying on the ship a couple of nights in the campaign cabin I once occupied. We discussed politics and policy, in particular the things going on in the U.S. and some of the worldwide implications. This led to me being interviewed by him and his video crew up on the bridge. He was interested in recording my views on tape for use in his work, and I was happy to oblige since I have pretty strong views on U.S. environmental policy, on George Bush’s tactics, and on climate change. We both enjoyed the interview and he told me I did a good job. Hooray!

After the interview I found Frank and dragged him to the campaign office. I’ve been wanting to show him my photos from the trip, but there never seems to be a quiet moment when we’re both available. He told me yesterday he really enjoyed reading my daily log entries, and that news made me determined to share with him the images I’ve snapped so far, especially one or two good shots of him. We browsed through the photos and chatted. There were a few he really liked and I promised to make him a CD before I leave. We also made plans to have dinner in town Friday night. I can tell you right now that I’m going to miss Frank.

Some of us skipped dinner on the ship (Irene and I were at the downtown office until 6:15), but nobody wanted to go into town for a bite to eat except for Jari and me. The two of us wandered around forever and poked our heads into quite a few places until landing in an excellent restaurant called Galileo. We ordered roasted seafood and risotto with asparagus and truffles. Oh my gosh (!) the risotto was so good. We ate every bite. We even splurged and ordered a nice red wine. What a great dinner! What a treat!

Then we went upstairs to a very cozy open-air lounge with wonderful couches and comfy chairs. It was crowded and smoky but we decided to hang out anyway. Jari is fun and funny and has only good things to say about other people. It reflects the way he looks at life I think and the way other people see him. When he laughs, it’s like he can almost not contain his happiness. He also told me about his family, pausing the longest to talk about his niece Zoe, who you can tell is at the center of his world. He’s absolutely in love with her. She is the one who gave him the "SWE" t-shirt he frequently wears. We also talked about his job some. He travels a lot to do video work, including a "Survivor" type show in the Philippines and the possibility of going to Athens to film the Olympics, not to mention months at a time with Greenpeace. Very cool. I had a really good time conversing with Jari tonight.

We stayed at Galileo until they closed and headed over to Circus to meet up with a few people from the ship. Not as many patrons as last night but still a blast. More good music, and drinks materializing out of thin air (which is notable because they are so expensive). Did I mention that Reykjavik is a party town? We didn’t get home until 4:00, just as Frank was coming on harbor watch. We all stood on the bridge deck for a while looking out at the city in bathed in daylight, chatting about nothing in particular, forgetting about time. Finally got to sleep around 5:30 or 6:00, thinking nothing of the late hour.

-Marnee

A good friend left the ship

Hi everyone,

Well as rightly predicted before I could wake up, Brian had left for the Airport so early probably between 6 and 7am. I still feel that a part of me has gone.

The rest of the crew will definitely make me feel at home, this I know and already this is coming out for real. After my breakfast, I helped out at the kitchen alongside the soft-spoken lady, Martha, she would have fitted well in soprano with her sonorous voice, quite pleasing staying out with such a lady for almost an hour helping out with the preparation of lunch.

-tomakint

Hi everyone,

Well as rightly predicted before I could wake up, Brian had left for the Airport so early probably between 6 and 7am. I still feel that a part of me has gone.

The rest of the crew will definitely make me feel at home, this I know and already this is coming out for real. After my breakfast, I helped out at the kitchen alongside the soft-spoken lady, Martha, she would have fitted well in soprano with her sonorous voice, quite pleasing staying out with such a lady for almost an hour helping out with the preparation of lunch.

I really get down to work both at the campaign office and the Greenpeace office in town, shuttling between the two offices is quite interesting it affords me the opportunity of seeing more things of interest in Reykjavik.

I must confess that although things may be quite expensive here yet it is a very neat place all the same. The traffic lights are perfectly in good working order giving the pedestrians chance to pass through the slightly busy motorways at leisure. Parking spaces for cars are technically and systematically improvised for right on most of the high way. The linings and markings on the road system are boldly imprinted.

Irene was pretty helpful on my updates, her request for my copy propelled me to settle down and get something together for a befitting one. My body seems to be co-operating with the weather here at last, Irene and Helena nearly got me napping when they said this period of what I called extreme coldness is nothing but summer time, that winter period is always different. The sun is not allowed to render its light-giving services, meaning that lights from the sun can only be enjoyed for a few hours per day while a greater part of the day is pitch dark, thanks to well lit street lights anyway I wonder what it would look like here if it were to be during the prehistoric age, and I was wondering the extremity of the coldness then, indeed inhabitants of the Tropics must be lucky.

I was at the quayside of the ship today to attend a short press briefing with Icelandic who’s who (especially politicians), Frode was there to take care of things alongside Jack another articulate orator.

After the briefing, I watched the match between Portugal and Netherlands right there, it ended in 2 goals to 1 in favour of the hard fighting Portuguese, it was a deserved victory for them. The only goal scored by the Dutch was actually an own goal through one of the defenders of the Portuguese while trying to save a shot from the opponent. At the Greenpeace office in town, I was able to chat on the yahoo messenger do some e-mailing and had a nice shots, it was fun anyway, Pelle helped out with the shots. Right there I got to know that I will be going for whale-watching by tomorrow at 9.00am, I think I better prepare fully for it did I hear you say ‘definitely this is tomakint’s chance to see some of the whales he helps to save, hope to see them,’ thanks!

-tomakint

Tomakint speaks in Reykjavik

Hi everyone,

I woke up today at quarter to eight after a very hectic yesterday trying to keep up, but my tired body would not, I slept so late (around 3am). I was excused from the early morning clean-up exercises, even though I still have a chance to partake in.

We (myself and Marnee) were later informed that a press conference is billed to take place at the quayside of the ship, called Faxagardur in Reykjavik, this morning by 10.00pm. I am to prepare of course for this, Irene, Brian and Frode were helpful with the preparation.

- tomakint

Hi everyone,

I woke up today at quarter to eight after a very hectic yesterday trying to keep up, but my tired body would not, I slept so late (around 3am). I was excused from the early morning clean-up exercises, even though I still have a chance to partake in.

We (myself and Marnee) were later informed that a press conference is billed to take place at the quayside of the ship, called Faxagardur in Reykjavik, this morning by 10.00pm. I am to prepare of course for this, Irene, Brian and Frode were helpful with the preparation. When called upon to make my short address I did that under 2 mins, though quite good for me but a little bit nervous, goose flesh all over me, my lips were forced to open and close at the speed of a cyclone, no thanks to the cold this morning. Eating in the mess is quite interesting, the foods are non-African of course except for rice, so as an African I am getting used to it, ho! ho! that reminds me. After the Press Conference, I was told I would be going on a short ride on the North Atlantic with my friend Marnee, an inflatable (a small boat with inflated rubber fitted round it for balance) was let down from the Ship and off we went fully decked with our necessary clothing for such adventure, we covered several kilometers. I was really eager to see whales but not yet, why? I inquired, ‘cause the weather is not favourable for whales to appear’ was the response from Mark, the driver of the inflatable. After the voyage I was really feeling terribly cold inside of me, and not feeling like taking anything. Rien, the tall guy, a cook in the mess was contacted, I told him I am feeling too cold inside of me and don’t feel like taking anything, he suggested jokingly; “hey tomakint, if you’re feeling cold inside, then you need a woman to stay warm” funny man. Well, I am more in the campaign office than anywhere else doing my typing and listening to cool music of different collections. Though kind of find it really bothering was when Brian told me he would be traveling back to Amsterdam by tomorrow morning, he is a kind of person I will live to remember for the rest of my life, his impact especially in procuring my visa speaks volume too loud to easily fizzle out of my memory. I will miss him so much! The people here are totally different. The existence of Greenpeace is a sign that the situation of the world environmentally is not a lost course, they deserve my support and your support!

-tomakint

Press conference in the Heli Hangar

Hello friends,

I met Tomakint for breakfast and signed up for general cleaning- toilets and showers. He added his name to mine, but Rien excused him and fixed some tea instead. So I cleaned the heads with Helena and hoped I could show Tomakint the ropes tomorrow morning. I thought it was really important for him to know what is expected of him on a daily basis, especially during the transit. I want him to have as positive an experience as I have had working with the crew.

This morning’s press conference in the heli hanger went really well. Better than any of the other press conferences I have done. ;-)

Frode introduced Tomakint and me to the audience, and while we took turns speaking, the names of all 57,000 people who took the pledge scrolled on a screen behind us. That was Brian’s idea, and it was very effective. Frode spoke then about this campaign and about the problems being addressed at the OSPAR meeting (www.ospar.org) including marine pollution, climate change, and carbon dioxide (CO2) dumping. He emphasized the progressive work done by both Iceland and Greenpeace on these issues in an effort to promote cooperation between the two entities.

Tomakint did a very good job editing his long document down to a two-minute statement, and he looked sharp in a black suit with dark blue shirt. I felt unusually calm owing, I think, to my solitary concentration and preparation beforehand. I think I delivered a clear statement that reflected my strong feelings about whaling. At the end I talked to a girl who was writing her master’s thesis in public information using this issue as a case study. We had a lot in common and she promised to keep in touch by e-mail.

At 1:00 Tomakint and I were taken for a spin on the African Queen by Mark and Helena. We drove around the harbor a bit and then headed out for some high speed fun. I got to drive for a few minutes (!) and so did Tomakint. Unless of course you are the person in charge of safety for Greenpeace, in which case all we did was sit obediently while Mark and Helena did everything according to the book. I think this was Tomakint’s first time on a boat like this and he was trying hard to keep his balance while also taking pictures.

I got to talk to Helena some more. Asked her expressly about Greenpeace actions and what it’s like to prepare for them and participate in them. She described the adrenaline rush she sometimes gets and she told me about the different roles played by everyone involved. I particularly liked hearing about specific actions, boarding ships, trying to outrun the crew, and occupying the crane or anchor for days at a time. She mentioned an action on the recent Med tour where Frank was actually getting airborne in the inflatable as it drew up close to the ship they were trying to board. As it turns out, I saw a video of this very action last night. It’s spectacular really. There’s Frank, a very solid and strong individual, getting tossed about like so much salad and still managing to attach the rope ladder to the ship so that the girls can get up on the ship and make a run for it. All this at high speed. All I can think while Helena is talking is: "I want a turn! Sign me up!"

Later this afternoon, I had a chance to sit down with Irene and Frode to be interviewed by a reporter for the Grape Vine, an independent bi-weekly newspaper in Reykjavik. The reporter was from the U.S. but has been living in Iceland for five years. I really enjoyed our conversation; as he asked a lot of thoughtful questions and I got to listen to Irene and Frode speak on different issues. I felt confident during this interview, as I did during the press conference. I have a good education, I’ve done a lot of research, and I think I have a strong grasp of both the science and policy. It’s like all that hard work is paying off before my very eyes. I hope to see a copy of the article some day.

Gloomy weather once again, so we are postponing the whale watching tour until tomorrow afternoon.

Opted for a nice dinner downtown this evening. Jari suggested a restaurant called Salon since he had been there last year and remembered it well. We got the last table- smoking section delineated by a convenient line of invisible air. We ordered from the "Tourist" menu, which seemed to differ from the regular menu in that it was called the "Tourist" menu. We had a very good meal actually, four Jaris out of five, and a good red wine called "Lazy Bastard" of all things. Time flew. We saw one or two Greenpeacers walk by outside and commented on how small a town it seemed after just two days.

There was another party in town tonight. It was at a pub called the Serkus. It seemed like almost all of us from Greenpeace were there, along with a substantial local crowd and travelers from around the world. Great music was spun and spontaneous bursts of dancing erupted all the time in different parts of the bar. Reykjavik is a very fun party town. (Pete- you were right!) It was really late when the place finally kicked us out. It was light outside, so who knew. Slowly we dragged ourselves back to the ship and stumbled to bed.

-Marnee

Tomakint's arrival

Hi everyone,

I got to the ship today around 4.38pm accompanied by Brian and Tor from the Airport, into the waiting arms of Marnee, my fellow colleague and co-winner in the whaling pledge challenge.

- tomakint

Hi everyone,

I got to the ship today around 4.38pm accompanied by Brian and Tor from the Airport, into the waiting arms of Marnee, my fellow colleague and co-winner in the whaling pledge challenge.

I was ushered into the ship with a befitting welcome, I felt like a super star, the environment was quite sweet for comfort, Marnee was eager to be my “cicerone” in the ship. She is a down to earth kind of person. Brian is like a big brother to me, I got to know more about the ship; the lounge, the mess, campaign office, and the bridge were the first set of place I got to know about. Meeting Martha, Irene, Pelle, Tor, Helena, Nadja, Moa, Luke (got to know him to be my room mate later), Erika, GianLuca (the Radio Operator), Rien, Christian, Jari and other crew and volunteers in the ship and developing instant relationship is something too awesome to think about for me, I mean, I felt like being in the midst of a big family I am acquainted with for years. Cigarettes puffing are a common sight in Reykjavik; probably the cold weather allows that. Being very tired after riding on the clouds for several hours made me put up in the lounge for about 30 minutes before I was given my room number (number 117), after which I had dinner around 6.10pm, its like a great banquet here in the mess eating alongside people of different backgrounds, colours and race. There are lots to eat, drink, and chat about.

Well, I got shocked today when I looked at my wristwatch, it was 7.35pm and everywhere is still bright as it would be at 2.00pm in the afternoon in Nigeria and many other countries worldwide. I was later informed that even at 12.00 midnights (which I physically witnessed), the brightness will still remain uninterrupted by any dark light, and this may continue for some weeks, what a world! Can’t do much today, the weather here is not too friendly for me, though the people here are. Hope to get my already-used-to-hot weather skin get adjusted to the climate here very soon.

- tomakint

Hello and goodbye

This morning, as the crew prepared for our arrival in Reykjavik, I savored my last minutes sailing on the Esperanza, out on the deck watching our approach. I hated it actually. I felt like screaming the whole time: “WAIT! PLEASE WAIT! PLEASE SLOW DOWN! I DON’T WANT IT TO END!” I had tears in my eyes when I probably should have been looking forward to our time in Reykjavik. It makes me so desperately sad to think of the end.

- Marnee

We hung the banner, or the f---ing banner as Helena has nicknamed it. It was on the side of the ship as we pulled into the harbor. It was misspelled of course. We found that out from the first Icelander who looked at it. It was supposed to say: "CHOOSE THE FUTURE NOT WHALING," but apparently it had an extra letter at the end that turned it into: "CHOOSE THE FUTURE NOT WAFFLES," or so Brian jokingly suggested. So we had to take it down and try to fix it. If I live to be a hundred I will still cringe at the sound of the word "banner." I will say for the record however, that I am willing to be flown in for emergency banner situations should they arise in the future. For a price of course.

Tomakint arrived today! Can you believe it? What a struggle he had to get here. I think he is both relieved and invigorated. He’s got a lot to say and a lot to do while we’re here, and I can tell he’s anxious to get started. We were planning to go on a whale watching tour at 5:00, but the weather was uncooperative and we will have to try again tomorrow.

We visited the Greenpeace office in town and received a campaign update from Erika and Frode. There’s a press conference on the ship tomorrow morning, and Tomakint and I will be making a statement. I enjoyed the briefing. It afforded me another glimpse of Greenpeace at work, behind the scenes. There I was, behind the scenes, loving every minute.

Lots of us went into town tonight and ended up at a pub. It was a lot of fun, and I got to work behind the bar for a while. I’ve never tended bar before, so I had to make up most of the recipes. Nobody seemed to mind actually. Or maybe they minded, and I just didn’t mind that they minded. I don’t know, it was really late.

-Marnee

Reykjavik

Today we arrived in Reykjavik and TOMAKINT FINALLY ARRIVED! More updates to come.

And you took the pledge didn't you?

The Esperanza beach

It’s been a lazy Sunday on the ship – the sun is shining and it is warm outside. Most of the crew are having a well-deserved day off and the helicopter deck looks like a crowded beach in a holiday resort.

- Iréne

Miguel took his skateboard out for a spin, claiming it is more fun when the sea is rough.

Some of us were trying to get over the sad fact that the football match ended in a disaster: Sweden lost against Holland. Others of course had reason to celebrate, and Hans’ smile went from ear to ear. As you can see he slept well knowing that Holland is still in the game.

Tomorrow we arrive in Reykjavik, where we hopefully will meet Tomakint. I have some more work to do, or rather re-do as I accidentally deleted a whole flash card with edited pictures. I am trying to be zen about it, and hey - look at my office! (see below)

Banner finished!

Hello from the high seas,

We're on our way to Reykjavik and it's my last day aboard the Esperanza while in transit. Honestly, I don't even like thinking about it. I really love being here.

It's a little strange living in a closed system like this. Nobody new arrives; nobody leaves. The things you see onboard don't change. We're all wandering around the same ship- individual lives parallel in time and place, intersecting again and again, by surprise and by design. An image springs to mind of Harry Potter's Marauder's Map, the one that shows the location of everyone within the castle at Hogwarts. The map is parchment, but the little figures move about the place like real time Pac-men in a video game. You're right about the mixed metaphor by the way.

-Marnee

This morning I headed out to the heli hanger to self-inflict some more banner related trauma. Where did all these people come from? I've been alone in banner hell for ten straight days and now all of a sudden, when the only thing left to do is paint the letters, there are volunteers everywhere. Where were you people when the sewing machine kept breaking? Or when I was trying to figure out how to install the grommets? Where were you when I was trying to cut a straight line 15 m long? Sure, now that the sun is shining and the temperature is warm, you've got some free time for letter painting. Well thanks for nothing! O.K., I admit, today was great. A bunch of us finished up the grommets, added the ropes, and painted the letters. We had a lot of fun and then spent the afternoon lying in the summer sun out on the heli pad. Thank you everyone for your help and excellent company!

One of the things I looked forward to the most about making this voyage was meeting the people in Greenpeace. Since I was young I've seen images of Greenpeace activists around the world fighting to be heard, defending my planet. I wanted to see them in person, to listen to their stories, to look in their eyes. Maybe I wanted to thank them. I bring this up because today I found Helena in our cabin and she was very upset about something that had happened. Everything is fine now, but when I saw the emotions in her beautiful face just then, I was moved to tears. I hated to see her this way, struggling with her decisions, and with the decisions of others. She possesses such a captivating spirit that you are drawn to her as if she has her own gravity field. She's caring and bright, fun and unpredictable, complicated and imperfect. Helena is Greenpeace.

-Marnee

A whale watching Mecca

Our day started out with a dream come true. We saw, spouting magnificently 5 meters into the air, the largest creature which has ever lived on Earth: the Blue Whale. Blues were hunted so aggressively, and their habits are so elusive, that they are very seldom seen.

-- Brian

When Icelandic whaling comes to an end, and you're heading to Iceland on a vacation to say "thank you," DO NOT MISS the beautiful town of Húsavík, far up on the North coast just 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Our day started out with a dream come true. We saw, spouting water vapor 5 meters into the air, the largest creature which has ever lived on Earth: the Blue Whale. Blues were hunted so aggressively, and their habits are so elusive, that they are almost never seen. They were last spotted in these waters 7 years ago. But among us, over two trips, we blessedly lucky Greenpeacers saw from four to seven animals. Our cook, Rien Achtenburg, actually had eye contact with one Blue. And best of all, one of them showed her fluke to us - behaviour which some marine biologists believe indicates a pregnant female's different diving style.

I could write gigabytes about how this felt, but suffice it to say it was mystical, magical, magnificent. I called my five year old son last night to tell him I'd seen an animal bigger than a dinosaur.

"Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

"His tongue is as big as a car"

"Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Daddy, can I come to Iceland too?"

I will definitely return here when Iceland stops whaling, with young Doon. At this time of year, the sun shines all night. You can hop a boat out to the whales' feeding grounds with the midnight sun glinting bright red off the snow-capped mountains that march straight down to the sea. You can sit in a hot springs on the coast under vapor rainbows and watch for spouts. If the humpbacks are about, you can even see breaching whales from the high hilltop. You can visit the whale museum of Asbjorn Bjorgvinsson, a dedicated activist against his country's whaling programme, who donated our whale watching trips out of respect for our pledge and made us so welcome here.

Asbjörn (Abbi to his friends - and anyone who is helping stop Icelandic whaling is Abbi's friend) set up a little symposium yesterday with folks from IFAW, the Icelandic president of the Parliament, and ourselves. Frode explained our campaign, I filled folks in on the pledge and read some of the comments that some of you have made at the pledge site and here in the cybercentre, to try to convey just how badly folks want to visit this great place, but how serious we all are that this won't happen until whaling is ended completely. One comment in particular was so spot on, from one of our Canadian cyberactivists: "Please give me an excuse to experience a soak in the thermal springs of Iceland after a day of whale-watching. I won't visit Iceland until the government stops killing whales." I introduced Marnee as our top recruiter, who had generated more than US$ 250,000 in potential income from folks who would love to visit Húsavík, and who will visit Husavik if whaling ends.

Marnee did a great job, (as always!) telling folks that she had 250 friends who didn't believe that whaling and whale watching belonged together, and that while some Icelanders may believe that hunting whales is compatible with a love of nature, few of the people they want to attract here would agree.

In the afternoon, we joined local kids, visitors, and the staff of the whaling museum in building a sand whale with shovels, buckets, and the local firetruck, which provided a fire hose to wet the sand. This species, previously undescribed in the literature, is so rare it has been spotted only once on the black volcanic beach of Husavik. Ballenas Sabbias has a slightly pointed dorsal fin which is EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE, fins which taper splendidly thanks to the art direction and craftsmanlike shovelling of a few modest Greenpeace folks who would never want their names mentioned here if they're anything like Marnee Benson of Reno Nevada or Iréne Berg of I'm-not-actually-Swedish, Sweden.

Ballenas Sabbias has a fluke which begins like a humpback's and finishes like a fin whale, and which dissolves if you hit it too hard with a fire hose. Ballenas Sabbias consumes a great deal of time, sand, seawater, and sweat.

Ballenas Sabbias was supposed to have been a project of the local kids, but at one point I looked around and the kids were all having Zodiac rides and the sand whale was being constructed almost entirely by a team of adult five-year olds in Greenpeace gear. One of those five year olds got me with a fire hose. See if he gets to play with any of my toys for the rest of this trip.

This perfect day ended with a traditional midsummer's celebration party at the whale museum and a late night soak in the hot springs.

This is the place, folks. If the Icelandic whale pledge has a Mecca, this is the direction in which all of us should turn when we pray to God, Allah or Gaia that Iceland stops killing these magnificent creatures, so that we can all come up here next midsummers to enjoy this magical place together.

But until then, along with that prayer, send a message to the Prime Minister of Iceland. Tell him to hurry up.

--- Brian

A great big gulp of spring

Hello!

When I awoke this morning the ship was already in motion, tossing cruelly from side to side on its way to Reykjavik, making balance difficult. Actually, that’s not entirely true. It’s not even partially true. The ship was still docked in Húsavik; the unsteady ground was mine alone. A rather unfortunate side effect of last night’s excess I’m afraid...

Hey! Guess what! I got to work on the banner again today! Such great news. No, really. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend our last day in Húsavik working in the helicopter hanger on a project that has been from its inception frustrating bordering on stupefying? And then to trick poor, unsuspecting Kate Morton by inviting her into this dark world. It just seems so cruel. For the sake of accuracy, and of history, here is the progress made today on the aforementioned instrument of Satan: sewing reinforcements, grommets installed, outlines of all the letters, double and triple checking of the message for spelling and translation.

I walked into town to buy some souvenirs and postcards from the Whale Centre, happily chatted with Abbi as he autographed my Iceland Whale Watching book, and then got kidnapped by Irene and Brian who took me to the geothermal hot tubs up on the hill. Unfortunately the pump to the tubs had been shut and the water was cool. However, the view was panoramic, purple flowers were everywhere in bloom, and Arctic Terns were dive-bombing us as we walked toward the bluff. This brief excursion was just what I needed to repair my day. It was like taking a great big gulp of spring.

We left Húsavik at 6:45 sharp, and I wandered out to the helicopter pad to say good-bye to this little treasure on the map. I felt a bit of a tug as my heart tried to stay behind a moment longer. I waved to Abbi, the lone spectator to my departure, and he blew me a kiss that reminded me to come back. I stood there watching as we left the harbor and motored out to sea.

Today was Marta’s birthday, and, after the soccer game (Sweden nil, Holland nil), there was a bit of a party in the lounge. I know you’ll be shocked to hear that there was smoking and drinking and music and laughing and spilled beer. But there were also dolphins swimming alongside the ship and an assortment of treats that Marta brought from Spain. There was also good entertainment in the form of people trying to drink red wine from Gianluca’s leather flask without bending their elbows. Good times. Good times.

-Marnee

Whales and Mid-summer’s Eve in Húsavík

I began to recognize the friendly faces of people I had met thus far during my brief stay in Húsavik. I just can’t emphasize enough how wonderful they are. They have welcomed us into their lives and shared with us their beautiful town and also their concerns. I respect this community quite a lot because these people are making the transition from resource exploitation to resource conservation, and they are writing their own story. They are making something happen that isn’t altogether popular, but they’re doing it anyway because it is the right thing.

Hello friends,

This morning a whole bunch of us went whale watching. In fact there were so many Greenpeacers wanting to go that we got our own boat (along with our own super-cute captain). Our tour departed at 10:00 am and had similar results as last night- several blue whales and this time some dolphins! Pictures and video were taken of me- none of them good. I'm an uncooperative subject- just ask Christian and Jari. It's not that I mean to be; I think it's a natural condition.

We got back to town at about 1:00 and dashed to the ship for an almost definitely potato-based lunch. Then a few of us were whisked away on the Novi to the beach across the way so that we could help some members of the community build a life-size blue whale out of sand. We used a long fire hose and lots of shovels, and the sculpture turned out pretty darn good. During this time Frank and Erika took groups of children for rides in the Novi. They seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Our main contact here in Húsavik is Ásbjörn Björgvinsson- Abbi for short- a really lovely man who runs the Húsavik Whale Centre and chairs the Whale Watching Association of Iceland. The Whale Centre is both a meeting place and an excellent natural history museum. The people are friendly and they will make you feel right at home. You should definitely go there when Iceland stops whaling. Check it out: www.icewhale.is

Next on the agenda: a discussion group at the Whale Centre. Abbi had organized a forum about whales and Icelandic policy. The audience was small but concerned, and we took turns making brief, prepared statements. Brian made some particularly good points using as illustration quotes from Cyberactivists who took the pledge. Then I spoke again about how difficult it is for people outside of Iceland to understand how a country could both promote whale watching and permit whale killing. I told them that I would be delighted to go home and send everyone I know to Iceland- to Húsavik in particular- if the whaling stopped. I mentioned that, even though I live in the desert, I care especially about whales, and that there are thousands more like me who want to have adventures in Iceland but won't come until the whaling is over.

Dinner on the ship was a Swedish celebration of Mid-summer's Eve. Special foods and impromptu (read: terrible) dancing by Pelle were on tap as were shots of snaps and drinks of vodka. Then we had a couple of hours to kill before a party at the Whale Centre. So I opened the box of cocoa covered dark chocolate covered almonds I brought from Reno, and Frank broke out a bottle of excellent brandy he got in Spain. We shared these things with whomever wandered into the mess, which was everyone eventually, and had a great time of it.

The party in town was very fun; almost everyone from the Esperanza was there to celebrate. I began to recognize the friendly faces of people I had met thus far during my brief stay in Húsavik. I just can't emphasize enough how wonderful they are. They have welcomed us into their lives and shared with us their beautiful town and also their concerns. I respect this community quite a lot because these people are making the transition from resource exploitation to resource conservation, and they are writing their own story. They are making something happen that isn't altogether popular, but they're doing it anyway because it is the right thing. You can't help but want them to succeed.

In case you are wondering, I had too much drink this night.

-Marnee

Hùsavik

Today we arrived in Hùsavik in the northern part of Iceland. It is late in the evening now, and Abbi at the whale watching centre lets us use the internet connection. I have added a map so that you can see where we are. We all look forward to the whale festival that starts tomorrow - stay tuned for an update from Marnee.

--- Iréne

Marnee meets president

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

Wednesday June 23rd

Hi everyone,

So there I was, typing away on the computer, when who should walk into the office? Brian Fitzgerald from Greenpeace International! He arrived this morning via airplane, landing on the tiny airstrip just over there. (Most things in Isafjordur are just over there actually, from wherever you are pointing.) It was great to finally meet Brian. You see, I'm very grateful to him for directing the Iceland Whales Pledge Challenge and for having faith in me, enough faith to send me on this journey. Now that Brian is here, almost all of the cast members for this particular story have been assembled - only Tomakint remains.

-Marnee

After lunch I suggested to Marta that we go into town for a stroll, a pastry, a phone call, whatever. Mike F. decided to join us, and we were soon walking down the gangplank on our way. However, we were hijacked. We ended up in a van with the captain and his wife, Hans, Tor, Jari, Kate, Christian, and Frode. We were going to the Natturustofa Vestfjarda, or Natural History Museum and Research Center, in the small town of Bolungarvik.

This was a very good occasion, as we were fortunate to go on a guided tour with Dr. Porleifur Eiriksson, the head scientist of the center. Dr. Eiriksson described for us his research and showed us his laboratory. His team is studying the effects of changing temperatures and anthropogenic pollution on marine ecosystems. They are trying to establish a baseline of information against which to compare future results. Theirs is the first data to be collected and recorded, so it has been challenging to establish patterns or to distinguish between natural and artificial changes to the system. Also, it was interesting to learn that Dr. Eiriksson faces the same sort of year-to-year funding issues as do most researchers. Add to that: he works in a shrinking town with too few analytical resources, and you can really appreciate his efforts.

Back at the ship, I looked at some photos from home with Frank and Helena. I brought a little bundle of pictures with me in case anyone was interested to see snapshots of my life or the places I go for fun. To my delight they were, and we had a good time chatting about my husband, about rock climbing and skiing and mountain biking, and of course about my dog Ryland.

After dinner of steak and fries, I went up to the bridge to await our departure from Isafjordur, scheduled for 7:00. Got to hang out with Anita for a while. She's the 1st Mate, and she's Norweigan. We paged through a new Greenpeace book, an anniversary retrospective, and of course she was in there. More than once in fact. I'm sure she considers normal what many others would consider daring. Anita has got a really fun sense of humor, and her bright smile is instantly at the ready. She is someone you would not get tired of hanging out with, but you barely get a chance to because she appears and disappears very quickly. The longest I've seen her sit still is in the sauna. She's had countless extraordinary experiences, but she appears to be looking forward to the next one more than she is thinking about the last one.

Finally, I'm going to go out on a limb here and mention something that seems to have been swept under the proverbial rug. I hate to expose something so revolting, but I've been told to make this blog my own and not to worry about the political or social consequences of my words. Here goes: The toilets on this ship reek. Seriously, imagine the most disgusting odor you have ever encountered, and multiply it by a thousand. I can't even begin to describe the toxicity of the stench that emanates from those small rooms. If you weren't feeling queasy before, you will be when you wander into one of the toilets. Sitting here thinking about it, I am sure to be sick. Excuse me, won't you?

-Marnee

The Isafjördur adventure

Opened my eyes this morning with anticipation - arrival at the town of Isafjördur, a whaling port in northwest Iceland. I was anxious to get out on deck to watch our approach, but first I had to complete my chores: clean up the mess hall and then scrub the showers and toilets. When that was done, I went out on the boat deck to take it all in.

During the ship's approach, everyone on the crew was busy performing their duties and at the same time seeing the sights: the town, the fishing boats, the airstrip, the flat-topped hills. There was even a one-man action at the bow of the Esperanza - Harald Tryggvasson was zipping around in an inflatable boat, welcoming Greenpeace to Isafjördur. Harald disagrees with Greenpeace about whaling, but he later came aboard to have a tour and to talk to us about different issues.

This is a fairly small town, hundreds of people I think. And there were quite a few people at the pier to greet us- some from Iceland and some from Greenpeace, many with cameras. In fact, tonight at the pub we saw ourselves on the news!

The ship was immediately boarded by, who? Customs agents? Harbor patrol? Police? Anyway, they went up to the bridge and kept eye on things as we pulled in. A bunch of new (new to me) Greenpeace people also came on board to join us for the rest of the journey. Campaigners, photographer, videographer and web editor. It felt like a blast of energy swept through the place as old friends greeted each other and new faces appeared around every corner.

Plus, I got my luggage! By the looks of all the stickers and tags, it seems like my bag spent some quality time in France and then toured Denmark a bit before joining me in Iceland. Even though things were a bit hectic around the ship, I spent a few minutes unpacking my bag, getting reacquainted with my belongings. I did this in a new cabin because I have been moved. Now I'm living with Helena, which I love. In the soap dish are toy dinosaurs; on the window sill are flower pots and seashells. I just noticed that this cabin, one floor lower and across from the galley, is MUCH LOUDER. Good thing I've got ear plugs.

For several hours today we held open boat. This is where the public is invited aboard and we show them around. This was pretty cool because if you had told me last year that I would be leading tours of the Esperanza, I would have liked the idea, but I would have checked your temperature. The tours were pretty fun. I talked to a group of teenage boys whose summer job is radio and street performance, and we also had a class of five-year olds who sang for us "You Are My Sunshine" in Icelandic. I hope that this good interaction between Icelandic people and Greenpeace improves relations between the two groups and improves the chances for an end to whaling.

After a long shift of tours, I finally sat down at a computer to organize my downloaded photos and get started on my log entry. Then another tour. Then work on my log entry again. Then dinner. Then back to my log entry again. I finally finished at 7:15, just in time to miss the download. Great, now I'm writing in my log about writing in my log.

By this time everyone had gone into town to watch the soccer games on television at the pizzeria. Irene and I headed in that direction and we soon found the place. I had a glass of wine while watching the match with Mike F. and Gianluca then wandered back toward the ship. I ran into Marta who was going into town to use the public phone.

OF COURSE, THE PHONE! So I immediately changed direction and walked into town once again. We found the telephone inside the market, and I anxiously dialed my husband's work number. Our conversation was great! It was brief, and I don't even remember anything in particular that we said, but I know that I loved every second of it. I'm sure I was smiling ear to ear the whole time. For me, the very first speck of homesickness of the trip.

My back is killing me. Sleep.

-Marnee

The art of banner making on the high seas

Hello everyone,

Hey, here's something you can try at home with the kids! Take your ship out on the ocean and make a banner. Make it 15 meters long and 2.25 meters tall, but use a roll of nylon fabric that is 1.5 meters tall. Don't forget to take your broken sewing machine, otherwise you might not get frustrated enough. You'll need to re-thread the machine every minute or so until the job is done. And hey, have fun putting that thread through the microscopic hole in the needle. You'll need to do it about a thousand times and the ship will be rocking a lot...... - -Marnee

Also, you should definitely have giant metal scissors that don't actually cut. You'll need them to gnaw away at the fabric strip of something or other you've been given to reinforce all the edges. (You can use duct tape when that stuff runs out.) That's so the grommets will be secure and not tear the nylon. Oh, that's right, you'll need to put in about 40 grommets to hold the banner in place on the side of the ship. Go get the toolbox with the grommet supplies in it and bring it up to the helicopter hanger- it's only two or three flights of stairs and the thing weighs less than most anchors. You do know how to install grommets, don't you? Next you'll need to get a laptop computer and a projector so that you can project the giant letters up on the banner and paint them perfectly. There's no place big enough or flat enough to do this part, so you'll need to figure something out. Get your markers and paint ready, and don't let the banner fly around or else the paint will smear. You do speak Icelandic, right? And hey, can you have that done by lunch, we've got something else we need you to work on.

Luckily, Rein suggested we head to the bow for a puffin sighting. There he was, just flapping away across the surface of the water. (The puffin I mean.) Then he dove down to have a look around. It was the perfect distraction at just the right moment, as the Great Banner Debacle of 2004 still weighed heavily on my mind.

Just then Donald got the go ahead to drop anchor, and we all watched. The ship stopped right in front of a part of Iceland that reminded me of New Mexico believe it or not. The land was flat-topped- a mesa as we say back home, Spanish for table. Only these tables were painted with greens and greys instead of browns and reds. Add to that the particularly blue water of today's ocean, and wow. Beautiful.

Have I properly introduced you to Donald MacDonald? He's the ship's "bosun" which is Latin for "rock star". Not only does he know pretty much everything about the ship, but he is also a great guy. He's originaly from a tiny seaside town in Scotland, and now he lives in Brighton, England, with his lovely vegan wife Amber. He's been a sailor his whole life, and it shows. He seems at home on the Esperanza, like he belongs to the sea. He knows where everything is, and he knows how everything works. You'd probably enjoy working with him because he's serious but not too serious. I find him to be interesting, well-spoken, and contemplative. He's also got a really good sense of humor. I've enjoyed every conversation I've had with him so far, and I don't expect that to change.

More bad news about Tomakint. Still no solid travel plans due to beaurocratic efforts to delay or prevent his travel visa. He may not get to Iceland until next weekend, if at all. Please send him your best thoughts and maybe even a note if you get a chance. Aboard the Esperanza, we are all looking forward to welcoming him with open arms.

- -Marnee

Sunday on the Esperanza

Hello all,

Now that I'm an accomplished deck hand, I know more about boats than you do. But don't worry, I'll help you out. For example, just because there's a helicopter pad doesn't mean shopping trips into town whenever you want. Also, if the ocean is coming in the round window thingy, you should close it. Lastly, if you are visiting the bridge, do no sit on the "Control Panel." No need to thank me for these tips, I'm just doing my job.

--- Marnee

Hello all,

Now that I'm an accomplished deck hand, I know more about boats than you do. But don't worry, I'll help you out. For example, just because there's a helicopter pad doesn't mean shopping trips into town whenever you want. Also, if the ocean is coming in the round window thingy, you should close it. Lastly, if you are visiting the bridge, do no sit on the "Control Panel." No need to thank me for these tips, I'm just doing my job.

Today was Sunday, and I slept in until 10:30. Our cabin was totally darkened, so it was impossible to tell what time it was without looking at a clock. And I really didn't make much of an effort to look at a clock. I had volunteered to make lunch, so I got up, showered, and headed to the galley.

I decided to make pasta D'Ambrosio and, with Marta's invaluable assistance, it turned out pretty good. If you don't already know, pasta D'Ambrosio is made from fresh tomatoes slow roasted with extra virgin olive oil, oregano, basil, lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar. Add a bunch of feta cheese, spill it over some linguine or capellini, and there it is. Buon appetito!

Either the seas are calmer or I am getting more used to life on a ship or both, because today was relatively easy as far as queasiness is concerned. I can finally see how a person could get used to the movements of the ocean and grow to love them.

I can't remember taking more than a few siestas during my whole adult life, but I have taken one almost every day on board the Esperanza. Just a short one, mind you, but still. Some days it was due to the threat of seasickness; once or twice it was because of my back injury. Today I took a little time in the afternoon to read some pages from "The Whaling Season" by Kieran Mulvaney. It's during these quiet moments that you hear the constant drum of the engines and you appreciate the slow, steady progress of travel by sea.

Spent the late afternoon helping Demet, Helena, and Marta cook dinner. The meal was Turkish, and soon the whole place was blanketed by the alluring aroma of onions, garlic, peppers, cumin, eggplant, and rice. In the galley we had Manu Chao cranked up, and we were all performing different tasks but to the same beat. It felt like a party. We opened a bottle of red wine (Oops! Sorry Hans, we'll definitely replace that.) and toasted the effort.

It was during the preparation of dinner that we got our first glimpse of Iceland. So cool! We saw snow capped mountains and many small islands in a row, some as young as 50 years old. More birds are flying with us now that we are closer to land. All of us in the galley snapped pictures through the portholes, and Demet managed to capture a bird flying through her shot. It's so good, I'll try to post it soon.

After dinner I helped clean up and then checked my e-mail. Soon there was some commotion on the bridge and someone announced that there were killer whales in the vicinity. I raced out to the bridge, camera and binoculars in hand, and watched for half an hour as the beautiful creatures surfaced, dove, and resurfaced. They are so graceful! There were parents traveling closely with their children, whole families swimming merrily along. We found them on every side of the ship- gliding along, breathing, living in peace.

WHY CAN'T WE JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE? What is wrong with people that they have to track down whales and kill them? WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? When will you wake up? You have got to be kidding me with this whaling bullshit!!! Put your harpoons away and figure it out!!!

-Marnee

Somebody get me off this God-forsaken ship!!!

I'm kidding, of course. But I think this might be one way people go crazy. Imagine: you are in motion ALL THE TIME. You can't sit down or lie down to take a break from it because you're still rocking and rolling and tossing and turning. Every minute of every day. Until you go insane. I honestly don't remember what it's like to just stand there without having to hold on to something solid. Occasionally we will hit a really big wave and things will go flying. We basically just see where the thing landed, figure it's probably better off there, and resume our conversation.

--- Marnee

Somebody get me off this God-forsaken ship!!! I'm kidding, of course. But I think this might be one way people go crazy. Imagine: you are in motion ALL THE TIME. You can't sit down or lie down to take a break from it because you're still rocking and rolling and tossing and turning. Every minute of every day. Until you go insane. I honestly don't remember what it's like to just stand there without having to hold on to something solid. Occasionally we will hit a really big wave and things will go flying. We basically just see where the thing landed, figure it's probably better off there, and resume our conversation.

I've received a few e-mails from home and read them all 20 times, visualizing the senders and hearing their voices. Laughing at the same thing again and again, as if reading it for the first time. I think there exists in some people a fundamental need to be connected. To a place. Or a person. To their past. I guess such connections impart a sense of continuity to your life. It explains who you are.

Have I told you about the toiletries bag Air France gave me to compensate for my lost luggage? You'd think, what, shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, some soap, a few aspirin. Maybe a comb and a razor. No. Try deodorant, eau d' toilette, and a condom. Optimistic bunch, the French.

Speaking of lost luggage... My bag has been found! Hooray! It is reportedly in Reykjavik at this very moment. Ahhh, to be reunited with my belongings. Wouldn't it be funny if it was the wrong bag though?

Erika and I made a chocolate cake today. Dinner was a feast: steak, potatoes, salad, steamed broccoli and carrots, stuffed bell peppers. Followed by cake with ice cream. Plus we had some nice red wine. What a treat! This will undoubtedly prove to be a huge victory (no vomit) or a crushing defeat (tons of vomit) for me tonight.

Tonight at dinner was really fun. Everyone was in the mess hall at the same time and the mood was jovial. We laughed quite a lot at the inevitability of me becoming a meat-eating, alcoholic smoker as a result of my direct exposure to Greenpeace. Also, Demet cracked me up when she threatened to butter her ice cream if Mark didn't stop teasing her about her consumption of artery-clogging foods.

Mike Fincken (from South Africa) wrote a really lovely piece about our journey thus far and posted it for the rest of us to enjoy. He's the 2nd Mate and charts our course everyday. He is a gentle soul with a deep love of the sea and a profound appreciation for the earth. He sees beauty where others might miss it, just as he saw that distant boat on the horizon the other day long before I spotted it. He is quietly inspiring, genuinely interested in the experiences of others, and very nice to be around.

Something wonderful has been happening lately. I've received some encouraging messages from people within Greenpeace in response to my daily logs. Never in my life did I imagine that someone on board the Rainbow Warrior would contact me and wish me a smooth voyage. Or that a former member of the Esperanza crew would take the time to write me with her thoughts and experiences. I keep finding the same word escaping from my lips: WOW!

-Marnee

Sewing in rougher seas

The seas were rougher today. Normal for the open ocean of course, but rougher nonetheless. It was all I could do to help clean up the mess and do a bit of sewing. The sewing was done by hand because we're having trouble with the sewing machines. They both seem to be experiencing the same problem of seizing up mid- stitch. We're thinking about approaching the problem like the whalers might: we'll launch a "scientific research" program wherein we'll toss the machines overboard and see what happens.

--- Marnee

Hello friends,

The seas were rougher today. Normal for the open ocean of course, but rougher nonetheless. It was all I could do to help clean up the mess and do a bit of sewing. The sewing was done by hand because we're having trouble with the sewing machines. They both seem to be experiencing the same problem of seizing up mid- stitch. We're thinking about approaching the problem like the whalers might: we'll launch a "scientific research" program wherein we'll toss the machines overboard and see what happens.

You might have thought I was working on the banner, but actually I was sewing a new cover for one of the benches in the lounge. Today I couldn't even make it out to the heli-hanger where my banner project awaits. It was just too bouncy and wet. Inside, I felt like I had been deposited into a particularly violent hockey game, and every few seconds I was getting hip-checked into the boards. I think I was actually airborne once or twice. Meanwhile, my shipmates were casually strolling by, taking the stairs two at a time, not holding on to the railings. Maybe they are less suceptible to physics than I am.

It really was a tough day. As I said, I never got to resume my banner project. I had to lay down twice. I didn't eat lunch, and dinner was a packet of Ramen noodles. It's also a bad idea to look at the computer or to read books when you feel seasick, so I wasn't able to accomplish any studying. Plus, I didn't take a single picture- I just didn't feel up to it.

We had a second general meeting today to discuss the campaign. Erika gave us some information to help us communicate more effectively with the Icelandic people. Helpful hints about appearance and behavior, how to respond to claims that (1) whales eat too much (it's nonsense) and (2) whaling is traditional (it's really not if you examine the history of Iceland).

This afternoon I chatted with Demet, a medical doctor from Turkey. She helped me the other day with my first bout of sea-sickness and has continued to look after me to make sure I'm all right. She is easy-going and fun to hang out with. She's lived in Brighton (just south of London) for the past 2.5 years learning English. It worked- her English is excellent. She's also interested in learning to play Bridge, but we haven't found enough people yet. Rina, how quickly can you get to Iceland?

Had some fun in the lounge this evening. Lots of us in there, having a drink and laughing it up. Erika and Gianluca joined us after they listened to the soccer/football game between Sweden and Italy (tied 1-1 final). Erika had a big smile on her face and she was draped in the Swedish flag, so that should tell you something about the result. Everyone's got a good sense of humour, and witty comments were flying. It was suggested that we nominate an employee of the week and that it be Rien, the excellent 1st cook, every week. Hilarious! I guess you had to be there.

I have had the same conversation quite a few times. Fortunately, I think it's one that needs to be had. It's about George W. Bush and the position of the U.S. within the international community. The people here are dismayed at the way the President has divided the country and alienated it from much of the world. They can hardly believe his position on most issues and they question his ability to lead. They are particularly distraught about the environment of course, but also about our invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the mis-direction of so many resources. They see the U.S. much differently now than they did four years ago. They want to know what it's like to live there and whether or not Bush will get re- elected. They wonder why more people aren't up in arms.

It's tough for someone like me. I LOVE the U.S. It's such a great place to live, and there are so many awesome people. I have had every opportunity there, and I am thankful. But the past four years have beaten me up a bit. I have seen environmental protection get dismantled. I have seen the names and faces of dead soldiers. I have heard lies. I have witnessed the censorship of science. And I have worried about the future. Sometimes you have to ask difficult questions to show how much you care, and fortunately a lot of us are doing just that.

-Marnee

I'm a menace!

Right before I came on this trip I was given a few words of advice by the seasoned veterans at Greenpeace: (1) Help out around the ship; (2) Be good to the Radio Operator- he's very busy and you will need him; (3) Something else extremely important that I can't remember. Well, in the course of a few days, I have managed to make exactly one person's life exceedingly miserable.

Hello everyone,

I was awakened this morning at about 6:30 by Helena. The ship was moving past some beautiful Scottish coastline and did I want to check it out. Definitely! She was right - the scenery was excellent, all day long in fact. It was near the Inlet of Dismay I think. Up on the bridge, we took a bunch of pictures and drank some hot tea. Maybe it was the Sound of Hooray.

That reminds me of another cool thing about being on the ship. Most people, in addition to me, have their cameras out pretty regularly. It's an exciting trip for everyone, even those who have done a lot of travelling with Greenpeace. The same was true when we launched the African Queen this morning. A big group of us went to check out a castle and to take some photos of the Esperanza. I got a particularly nice shot of everyone else taking pictures.

Right before I came on this trip I was given a few words of advice by the seasoned veterans at Greenpeace: (1) Help out around the ship; (2) Be good to the Radio Operator- he's very busy and you will need him; (3) Something else extremely important that I can't remember. Well, in the course of a few days, I have managed to make exactly one person's life exceedingly miserable. If you said Gianluca, the gentleman Radio Operator from Italy, then you know me pretty well.

So far I have shown up without the proper equipment to recharge my camera battery or download photos to the computer (Please call Air France at 0800.30.60.90 to lodge a formal complaint). I have asked him for help when he is clearly enjoying a moment of well-deserved downtime. I have sent improperly sized files via e- mail (expensive and time-consuming). I've asked him irrelevant questions. And I've posted too many photographs to the public file on board. I'm a menace! Bear in mind, Gianluca is a serious person with A LOT of responsibilities on the ship, and he does an outstanding job. He's exceptionally conscientious and treats everyone with respect. He's always nice to me, despite my many missteps.

The food in the mess hall is good. You grab a clean plate, choose what you like, sit down with your mates to eat (quickly) and to chat (briefly), rinse your dishes, and stack them in the dishwasher tray. At meal time there is a variety of tasty vegetarian and non- vegetarian dishes, salad, and fresh bread. And there is always a decent snack of bread, cheese, meat, olives, and fruit to be found.

Everywhere on the ship are proper waste receptacles. Almost nothing goes without recycling. Bits of food: organic waste bin. Empty toilet paper rolls: flattened and put in paper recycling. Beer bottles: deposit in glass collection. And, unlike the UNR campus for example, I haven't seen a single exception. No cans in the trash bin or food down the drain. Finally, people like me!

Plus, no harsh chemicals. While mopping the floors this morning, I lifted one of the rubber bath mats in the shower near our cabin and voila! There was an entire ecosystem down there! Mold and fungus and algae and maybe even some lichen- it was difficult to tell. (This might be the opportune time to recall one of my purchases in Lorient: flip-flop sandals.) Anyway, what was the compound of choice for commencing an attack on the microscopic metropolis? Vinegar. That's right, simple household vinegar. Can I just tell you how many people in the U.S. would have thrown out that mat or doused it with some God-awful chemical from Monsanto?

Today I was put in charge of making a banner. Well, I don't get to decide the text. Or the dimensions. Or the color or the placement. But I am definitely in charge. It looks like the few sewing skills I learned for Burning Man might finally come in handy.

After dinner, on the bridge, Anita, Luke, and Helena were talking about different things and recalling Greenpeace actions in which they had been involved. They happily talk about scaling enemy ships and getting arrested like you and I talk about going for a bike ride. Luke recalled three days spent in a Carribean jail with 25 other people who were hauled in on the same trumped up charge (they had a big party in there to pass the time). Helena described her experience with a group of American strangers as they sailed a yacht from the Virgin Islands to the east coast of the U.S. (she needed a ride). Anita pointed to some radical photos of a Zodiac racing through a blizzard and said, simply: "That was me." I just love being in this environment!

You know, I think it might have been the Cape of Beday.

-Marnee

Meet the crew

This is the team on the MV Esperanza!

Jan		Anita
Marta		Mike
Luke		Helena
Marnee		Tyronne
Frank		Rania
Demet		Gianluca
Jorge		Iréne
Erika		Jari
Frode		Kim
Kate		Karl
Hans		Rien
Miguel		Mick
Mike		Donald
Slava		Pelle
Tomakint		Brian
Christian

Safety and seasickness

Hello everyone,

Today I was scheduled to help out on watch from noon to 4:00 with an interruption of about an hour for a safety tour with Donald from Scotland. During watch Mike spotted with bare eyes a boat on the horizon that took me five minutes to find with binoculars. During the safety tour Donald described to us the emergency procedures for fire, collision, and man over board. Then at the end of the safety tour I experienced my first bout of motion sickness. Woozy and light-headed, I sat down to hurl. Alas, I had skipped lunch and there was nothing to project! At this point I was really hoping to power it out, but I caved and put the patch behind my ear.

General meeting this morning to discuss the campaign. Erika did a very good presentation- explained the strategy of the campaign and laid out the schedule a bit. Our goal is to further a dialog with the Icelandic people- to clear up misconceptions held by some about whaling and about Greenpeace. Erika also announced that Iceland has revised its plans for killing 25 minke whales this year, down from the previous estimate of 500 whales over two years including sei and fin whales. Excellent news, but they still have not ended their whaling program.

Recall that the premise of the campaign is economic: we would promote eco-tourism to Iceland if they stopped their whaling program permanently. We have a list of 60,000 people who have pledged to consider Iceland as a travel destination, and that translates to about US$63 million, far more than the US$3-4 million Iceland took in during its most profitable whaling years.

Back on board the Esperanza, a few of the crew have inquired about a necklace I'm wearing. It's made of clear blue and green beads with small silver beads and small beads of wood. It features a sterling silver whale tail at the center. It was made for me by my good friend Laura Zirelli just before I left Reno. Not only is it a beautiful necklace that was obviously made with care, it is also one of the few things I have from home since my bag was lost.

Had a really good conversation with Marc, an American ex-pat living in Denmark for the past 20 years. We discussed U.S. politics and the general state of the world for quite a while. He has managed to stay more informed about the U.S. than many Americans and welcomed the chance to compare notes with someone living there.

Today I was scheduled to help out on watch from noon to 4:00 with an interruption of about an hour for a safety tour with Donald from Scotland. During watch Mike spotted with bare eyes a boat on the horizon that took me five minutes to find with binoculars. During the safety tour Donald described to us the emergency procedures for fire, collision, and man over board. Then at the end of the safety tour I experienced my first bout of motion sickness. Woozy and light-headed, I sat down to hurl. Alas, I had skipped lunch and there was nothing to project! At this point I was really hoping to power it out, but I caved and put the patch behind my ear. A couple of hours rest listening through my headphones to Arrested Development and the Afro Cuban All-Stars seemed to help a lot, and I was able to finish some chores and enjoy the rest of the evening. But stay tuned- there's sure to be more if the seas get rough.

Marta my cabinmate is not only generous (she has lent me numerous things to compensate for having nothing of my own), she is also very considerate and has a marvelous voice. She took care of me during the abovementioned bout of sea-sickness, and if you say something that reminds her of a song, she will belt out some lyrics. She is also an aspiring rock climber and tried on her new shoes for me.

Hung out in the lounge for a while this evening talking to Frank from Denmark. Frank is tall and built like a Nordic guard at the gate to heaven. His voice is deep and grabs your attention. His manner is relaxed and thoughtful. We talked about sports and injuries and Greenpeace actions he has been a part of. He showed me some photographs of an action against illegal timber from Brazil and some from an action against genetically modified crops. These are the same type of Greenpeace images I have seen since I was nine or ten years old. Frank is one of the heroes.

Tomakint, my partner for this journey, is not here. He's not on the ship for the transit because of the difficulty in getting a travel visa from Nigeria to France on such short notice. I think about him every day and look forward to meeting him in Iceland just a few days from now.

-Marnee

Marnee's first real-life Greenpeace experience

I AM ON A GREENPEACE BOAT. It felt almost profound. I was living a moment that I never thought possible. Not for any pessimism, but for pure statistics. I mean, who gets to do this? The people in Greenpeace are heroic. They are some of the most dedicated people in the world. They live their passion and fight for what's right with perfect conviction. How can I possibly be here?

One of our most devoted cyber activists, Marnee, took the Iceland Whales Pledge Challenge and won a bunk on the MV Esperanza.

Hello everyone,

Saturday morning started in Reno, Nevada and turned into Sunday
afternoon in Lorient, France. The trip was actually a bit difficult
because of several long, crowded flights and a bit of physical
discomfort due to a recent injury. But as the plane flew low into town
I nearly jumped out of my aisle seat and into the lap of my fellow
passenger to look for the Esperanza along the coast. It wasn't in
sight, but I knew it was lurking down there somewhere. The adventure was
about to begin.

At the airport I was greeted with warm smiles by Mike and Stan, and, as
it turned out, we were all there to greet Erika, the Press Officer for
the campaign, who was on the same flight. Who cares about the long
trip? These are the faces of Greenpeace! We all climbed in a big white
van and Stan drove us through town toward the docks.

We pulled into, what, the shipyard? I'm a bit lacking in the proper
vocabulary, but it didn't matter much because there it was. The
Esperanza. She seemed so tame alongside the dock. Almost like she was
sleeping. And even though I saw photos and knew the dimensions, it
still looked really big.

Up we went. Met a few of the crew and drank a beer in the lounge. Many of the
crew had been at sea for two months and were now leaving the ship. They
were ready to celebrate.

Gianluca was very kind to lend me his mobile phone to call the
airline. You see, the bag that I spent six days carefully packing did
not make it to Lorient. In fact, noone knew where it had been sent.
Maybe it was relaxing somewhere in the Caribbean. I would have liked to
get the bag because two days of hot travel had left my pits in a rather
unfortunate state of stench.

Some of the crew went into town for dinner- and the departing crew
members to check into a hotel- and the were kind enough to invite me
along. They really didn't have to do that- but they went out of their
way to welcome me. We went to a seafood restaurant and rearranged some
tables to get better seats for the soccer/football game between France
England (France won 2-1 in an exciting finish). In case you want to
know, I had the salade Nicoise- very nice.

The crew are truly international. I'm not sure if there are even two
members from the some country. Some are quite reserved, some are very
outgoing. They seem to be united by their experience together and
united also in their determination. They have responsibilities on the
ship and in life, and they take them seriously. They have greeted me
and helped me get oriented but with some reservation, after all, I am
the new girl and I am temporary. I'll need to earn my place here.

My roommates are Erika from Sweden and Marta from Spain. Marta has
loaned me a pair of socks.

Breakfast is from 7:30 to 8:00 followed by general clean-up. Today I
cleaned toilets and showers. Wandered around the ship some. Lunch was
pasta. Stan drove me back to the airport to retrieve my bag which was
scheduled to arrive at 2:15. It wasn't there. They think they can
forward it to Reykjavik. If they find it. We raced back to the ship to
fetch the cook, raced back to town to drop me off. Erika and I managed
to buy a pair of pants, a top, and a pair of flip-flops for me to wear.
We didn't have much time and I didn't have much money. Then we raced
back to the ship for a 5:00 departure.

After a slight delay, the ship pulled away from the dock. It was only
an instant between stillness and motion. I was on an upper deck with
Marta. She left to take pictures. I was standing there alone and the
ship's horn sounded right in my ear. I instantly burst into slow,
silent tears. I AM ON A GREENPEACE BOAT. It felt almost profound. I
was living a moment that I never thought possible. Not for any
pessimism, but for pure statistics. I mean, who gets to do this? The
people in Greenpeace are heroic. They are some of the most dedicated
people in the world. They live their passion and fight for what's right
with perfect conviction. How can I possibly be here?

It's simply too good to be true! I want to freeze every moment or at
least stretch them all out so there's a better chance it will sink in.
It's like you're trying to hug someone you love, but they are walking by
too fast.

When I burst into quiet tears after the horn blew, it was partly because
the loud, strong sound made it seem a though the Esperanza had woken up
and made a great roar. She BURST into life. She was ready, once again,
to take on the unknown and fight the good fight. There was a new power
and a lot of strength in the air.

I looked around and noticed people on other boats watching us and taking
our picture as we left the harbour. I watched them for a while and then
waved, because I knew that if it was me over there and I got to see a
Greenpeace ship, I would want the people on board to wave. Plus, when
am I ever going to have this opportunity again? Even as I write this, I
know it can't be true. It's too good. It's too big. I'm just a girl
from the desert.