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I trained as engineer, then somehow ended up as one of the early Internet geeks. Somewhere along the way I started writing and taking photographs. My moment of awakening came one day, while sitting in an inflatable, after a really good scuba dive - I realised that while I grew around water and boats, I missed being around them. I instantly decided to combine writing, photography and Internet stuff with a life of ships and boats, combined with something environmental or conservation related. Greenpeace was the obvious destination...

As I've mentioned in my Getting Warmer posting, I'm not used to working in this weather. In my two years working for Greenpeace, I've been in the Tasman Sea - between New Zealand and Australia in winter (twice), I've spent six weeks in the North Atlantic, somewhere north west of Ireland in winter and last year, spent two months in northern Finland, where it was definitely was winter. So I mentioned to my boss that a bit of summer wouldn't go astray (if anything was available) - and here I am. It's a bit of a shock to the system to be able waltz about the decks of the Esperanza in sandals and shorts.

It's also a shock to have this new fancy high-speed Internet connection - up to last November, we were doing weblogs from the Esperanza in a very limited way, via a very costly satellite connection. Now we've got an 'always on' broadband connection which has radically changed the way I, and the rest of the crew, conduct our campaigns. And that's why our intrepid photographer, Pierre, insisted on photographing me in front of the satellite dish!

Since I started working for Greenpeace, I've found myself drawn towards the Oceans campaign - and in particular the misuse of our seas. Up to now, I've mostly worked on bottom trawling - where trawl nets drag the sea floor for hours, destroying everything in their path. I've lost count of how many netfulls of fish I've seen, but I'll never forget the tonnes of 'waste' - bycatch or bykill I've witnessed being thrown overboard, or the amount of ancient coral being trampled on the decks of trawlers.

Now we're on a different mission - tracking down pirate trawlers. I'll refrain from venting spleen here - but the antics of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing boats truly appals me - but I'm honoured to be on board, to witness fishing piracy firsthand. Stay tuned - we'll be letting you know how you too can be involved in putting an end to this unsavoury practice.

Did I mention my obsession with otters? Also, check out my photoblog on blather.net

- Dave

Become and Ocean Defender »
Read more about pirate fishing »

Hi Dave and all...,
...and you had me worried yesterday. Greenpeace's websites seemed to be down globally. Today the pages are still loading slowly, but I've got your RSS feed back on my site. Just a last response to the open thread blog made by your predecessor Andrew:

Hi Andrew...,
...and thanks very much. Thank you for sensibly defining these necessary priorities in this clear Love and reason you have for all this earth and creatures on it. As you well know, the children in Africa will die a much slower and more painful death, and will know much greater suffering than even these helpless creatures in Antarctica have. While personally, I'm a vegetarian and feel that is a moral and logical approach to defeat hunger in this world, ...it serves no purpose to have these pirates deplete the stocks and then sell them to countries where it's more profitable. So this time it is not only the ocean floor's destruction you are saving, ...it is human life you are saving, ...the hundreds of thousands of African children that are at real risk of starvation. ...Onward to the pirates then, as our new Warriors of the Rainbow Light our way. Much Love to you Andrew, ...Dave, ...all of you there in the field and in your offices. ...And to you too Echo, ...you rock my friend. ...Wes

Hi Wes - there seems to have been some sort of network outage last night - our techie types have been looking into it, and it seems to have righted itself (to be nautical about it)

Hi Dave,
It's good to hear from you.good luck with your expedition which must be very exiting what you guys are doing on Esperanza..I am heading to Istanbul for more cooking to enjoy that is my expedition on foods.hope to see you again.
Good luck

Hey Soner - good to hear from you. Maybe you should come on board to cook for us!

Moi!!!!

Happy easter from Finland!!

Keep on going!!

-timo

Thanks Timo!

hello dave and all the crew of esperanza and the whole greenpeace people :D
I remember when many years ago I saw in peru some videos of how greenpeace were in their floating boats trying to stop the japanese hunters of whales and they were attacked with lots of icy water and also when the images of the killings of the baby seals were shown,and you were painting some others to save them. I cant believe that it happened so many time ago and the worst is that it continues (and that now is even worst). When I saw those images I cried and felt a lot of anger. Now, everytime I remember it, I feel the same.
I know I shouldnt say this because is green "peace" , but I would really like to go in the esperanza or in other of your expedition ships (as in the films) with many munitions and all that to "win" them. I would like to be super big, strong and powerful to do that. Unfortunately, good ways take long time to happen, to make people who have the power to stop it, be sensitive and understand this.. And bad ways , will turn it more violent.. so, i feel a bit..decepcionada? discouraged, hopeless and sad..
I am an ocean defender and eventhought I'm here, very far, in front of the computer and not in the esperanza, I can just send mails and tell the people I know (who had no idea) about these. Sometimes I get obsessed and cant sleep thinking about the baby seals, but that is another story. Now I am in France and have already "discussed" with canadian girls who dont care about it.. ok, peace...I just wanted to tell you that I admire you all a lot, a lot, and that I am very grateful for what you are doing, risking your lives, being far of family (parents,homefriends), I know u are a family too and I imagine it must be tyring but exciting to be there, really saving the world.
Thank you very very much. God bless you all, Annie :D