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March 27, 2005
An update from our Logistics Man Dave
Another first for Greenpeace. We successfully completed a circumnavigation of Cheju Island. In what will probably go down in the records as an amazing feat of seamanship we completed the voyage in 48 hours and without a single case of scurvy nor any thoughts of mutinous intent. Oh, and we did not see a single sea mammal.
Cheju Island (aka Honeymoon Island) is famous for its 3 elements: wind, rock and women. The women were reknowned for being divers and doing all the work whilst the men did nothing (comment from Dave: seems like a pretty good arrangement to me). But, alas this arrangement has gradually equalised (comment from Dave: damn feminists) (comment from Adele: damn Dave).
Now we are sailing up the South East coast and still not a whale nor dolphin in sight. This morning we came across an amazing sight of 50+ purse seiners all fishing within a 2.5 square mile area. They are after anchovies and the horizon was black with smoke from their processing ships. The 30 metre catcher boats work in pairs and feed the 50 metre processing boats. (comment from Adele: the photograph is a photo of two catcher boats taken by KFEM photographer Mr Lee). We filmed this from the Rainbow Warrior but the weather was on the limit for launching a RiB and there was very heavy rain. According to Mr Mun (our dentist whale watcher) we will come across more of these and as soon as the conditions are right we will film from a RiB. These fishermen hate dolphins as they say they get into the nets and eat the fish. Frankly I think that any dolphin that arrives in their nets does so driven by noise and confusion. As for whales transitting the area they are presented with an inpenetrable maze of nets, albeit over a relatively small area. This was defintely a classic example of the neagative effects of over capacity of fishing gear. This example also begs the question; how can this incredibly intensive fishing be sustainable in the long term?
For the rest it's a typical lazy Sunday with all those not on watches or whale watching chilling out (comment from Adele: or getting involved in the shipwide battle over what movie to watch after dinner - it's down to "Amelie" vs "Terminator 3"). Radio Operator Neil is doing homemade pizzas for dinner, and no, I already asked, he doesn't do home deliveries and we've told him to go easy on the anchovies!
The end of day 7 of the survey and not one marine mammal spotted.
Cheers from the crew and the campaign team.
-Dave
Posted by Adele at March 27, 2005 02:40 PM
Comments
What - no cetaceans spotted yet? Sounds like you need an extra pair of eagle eyes on that ship!! I am available anytime! ;-))
Posted by: Lisa at March 28, 2005 10:09 PM
Something tells me, with a sense of blushing apology, that 'logistics man Dave' is in fact some distant befreckled relative of mine?! If so then I'm with you Adele -'damn Dave' all the way :) But hello to you all the same dear Pa and Happy 60th Birthday too ;)
your loving daughter, x Jem
PS If my sources are wrong - apologies for the insulting identification mix-up!
Posted by: Jemima at April 7, 2005 04:51 PM
Another one of the freckled one's relatives here. In fact another its one of his MANY freckled offspring! I really hope this isn't a case of mistaken identity as Jem mentioned (above) or someone will be in trouble! Hi Dad, love Jessie x
Posted by: Jessie at April 8, 2005 10:57 PM
behave daughters!
Dad (not the freckled one)
Posted by: Dave at April 9, 2005 04:57 PM
