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Spread the word and end whaling now
2007-02-11 23:39:02
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza We're down here in the Southern Ocean, doing our bit to stop whales from being killed -but we need your help. While it's important to stop individual whales from being killed, we really need whaling to end forever. We need you guys to help us. We need you to help us communicate that whaling is still going on - but that it's possible to end it. Got a campaign idea? Post it on whales.greenpeace.org, and run your own online campaign! But there's more...
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It happened again
2007-02-10 11:38:02
Posted by Daniel, on the Esperanza © Greenpeace/Beltra It happened again, I'm a very lucky guy. Last night I won 2nd price in Contemporary Issues at the 2007 World Press Photo. It's the most prestigious award for photojournalists. This year professional photographers presented over 78,000 images. Last year I got a World Press award while I was working in the Amazon, but this year I am on a Greenpeace ship near Antarctica. At least here I can receive emails and phone calls, in the Amazon I was out of reach for several days while the organization of the World Press tried to locate me.
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Sightseeing?
2007-02-10 11:38:02
Posted by Hughie, on the Esperanza The Esperanza from the air © Greenpeace/Beltra Sigh ts eeing? Yes, and some of the sights we see aren't too nice, but whilst we are enroute to intercept the Japanese whaling fleet, we document these sights. What they depict is global changes that will affect every living thing on this planet - including you. During the transit we utilise this time by gathering other information and compiling reports to people involved in other matter than just whaling.
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Hughie - Chopper Pilot
2007-02-10 11:38:02
© Greenpeace/Beltra Hugh ie - Chopper Pilot Scotland Hi, my name is Hughie, and I am the helicopter pilot. I am from the Isle of Mull, in Scotland, but now live on the mainland near Inverness. I was educated, for the most part, on the Island, where I left school at 14. Since then I have gained various degrees in business management and aviation. My involvement with Greenpeace has been a life enhancing experience over the last 16+ years that I have worked for them. Travelling to many remote areas all over the world, and witnessing the individual and corporate destruction of our planet. Flying over the visible land areas that have been destroyed is a privilege that is given to few. With a dedicated film team, we endeavour to capture the images to relay them to the world. When viewed as a photo, a lot is lost. This is no fault of the camera crew, but the fact that you cannot envisage the magnitude of the damage. Places that come to mind are Patagonia, the Amazon rai...

Hans - ICT Officer
2007-02-10 05:37:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Hans - ICT Office r Netherlands My name is Hans, and I am happy to be part for the 5th time as part of an international team of Greenpeace crew sailing to Antarctica to o stop the whale hunt. I have been working with various Greenpeace campaigns since 1990, like the nuclear testing in Moruroa, the Brent Spar, the Amazon campaign and the Mediterranean campaign. We must make it clear to the world that we should not sacrifice whales for money. A small group of people can still make a difference, it really does matter how you live. We will stop whaling, but only if we do not give up. We will win the whaling cause and equally important, we will inspire people that you can change a part of the world. By changing a part, you change it all. It does matter. - Hans
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Whaling: The International Situation
2007-02-09 11:35:01
Posted by Karli, on the Esperanza © Greenpeace/Beltra Almost every single person on this ship comes from a country that says they are opposed to whaling. But saying you are opposed to whaling, and then doing something about it are two different things; there is a whole spectrum of action and inaction that lies between. So, while we are here amongst the icebergs of the Southern Ocean, preparing to take direct action to save whales from Japanese Government's whaling fleet's deadly harpoons... what is going on in the rest of the world? From one Inter national Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting to the next, the Japanese government works away at recruiting new countries to vote pro-whaling... However, although the IWC started life as an organisation that represented fifteen whaling nations in the divvying up of the oceans' whales and tried to keep things from getting too far out of hand - the IWC has now changed. Over time, nations that wanted to see whales protected began joinin...
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The Esperanza in the Ice
2007-02-09 11:35:01
Posted by Maaike, on the Esperanza © Greenpeace/Beltra Yesterday, my afternoon watch (I'm on watch from 1200 till 1600 hours and then again from 0000 till 0400 hr) was an interesting one. When I got on the bridge, we were surrounded by ice. Not icebergs, but small bits of ice that you can sail through at slow speed. In circumstances like these you go to hand steering, because the autopilot won't react quick enough. Hand steering is nice, because you feel much better what the Esperanza does and how it reacts (or not, at slow speed). Also, you change speed all time to adjust to the amount of ice, since some areas the ice is more packed then other areas. Some of the bigger bits that you should avoid, you can't avoid in time. That makes noise and it makes the ship shiver, but it doesn't do any damage (as long as your speed isn't too much of course). The captain, Frank, was also on the bridge while sailing through the ice, so I could learn about the conditions. This wasn't...

Missing Sea Shepherd Activists Found
2007-02-09 11:35:01
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza Update: 04:40 CET 16:40 NZ Good news - the missing Sea Shepherd people have been rescued. Now we're no longer steaming to help with the rescue, we will return to our original mission - to find and stop the Japanese fleet from whaling. Earlier: Some serious news - two crew from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships have been reported missing in the Southern Ocean, in foggy conditions. Sea Shepherd had found the Japanese whaling fleet earlier today, near the Balleny Islands. Our primary concern - and hope - is that the two missing people will be found safe and well - and as quickly as possible. We're still well out of range, about a days sail away, but we're currently steaming towards to co-ordinates given to us by the Sea Shepherd ship, Robert Hunter.
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ODTV: Heading South
2007-02-08 17:33:01
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza The temperature drops and the anticipation rises as the Esperanza makes her way to the South ern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.Ok, it's a little late as we're already now in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary - but meet Hernan, Hughie, and Tweety! Watch Ocean Defenders TV »
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Celeste - Assistant Cook
2007-02-08 17:33:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Celeste - Assist ant Cook Australia Wow - I cannot believe the beauty of the Southern Ocean. The elegance of the albatrosses and petrels in any weather. Seeing seals and penguins swimming past the ship and humpback whales frolicking around an iceberg. Can you imagine? And the ocean itself is amazing - never have I seen such colours anywhere else. The blues, the greens - they are indescribable. I feel insignificant here but I am also over-awed on a constant basis. But it is a hostile place for humans and if I had my greatest wish, it's a place where we would not come, it is enough to know it is here. I'd been told this by people who have been here before but never really agreed - now I feel it in my bones. But we have to come because the Japanese government continues to send its whaling fleet to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and the Australian government, like so many others, continues to do nothing about it. This is my first time here, and my s...
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Maaike - 2nd mate
2007-02-08 17:33:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Maike - 2nd Mate Netherlands Hi, I'm Maaike. About ten years ago I joined Greenpeace Netherlands as a volunteer activist. I was studying biology. Basically I joined every action I could. Through the Dutch action team I got on board of the ships as a volunteer deckhand and one thing lead to another. Now I sail as second mate on the Esperanza. My last trip was in 2005; during this trip we worked in the North Sea on the bycatch campaign, then against deep sea trawling in the northern Atlantic. It's shocking to see how much bycatch goes over the side, from small crabs to dolphins, to creatures from the deep sea I've never seen before. After that trip I had a break from Greenpeace. I do that once in a while. I sailed as mate on a coaster (small cargo ship) delivering general cargo in north western Europe. I enjoy this kind of work, it gives me the chance to look from a distance at work I do for Greenpeace. Somehow that makes me more motivated on future ...

The "Isle of the Dead" Iceberg
2007-02-08 17:33:01
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza Tweety and the iceberg © Greenpeace/Beltra We spent today pushing through more of the Southern Ocean's ice in our search for the whaling fleet. The sea looks very odd here - dead calm, and because it's so close to freezing, it has a slick, oily consistency. The loose ice that floats almost stationery bumps against the Esperanza's hull as we push forward. Sitting in the office, you can hear the crunch and the impact as another piece of ice gets pulled aside. In mid-afternoon, a very strange looking iceberg appears on the horizon. Even as it was still in the distance, it instantly reminded me of two paintings by Swiss artists; Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin, and one called Hommage a Bocklin by H.R. Giger (the guy who designed Alien). The 'berg was massive colosseum with walls and columns of stunning blue and white ice rising up out of a massive base. Inside, the greeny-blue water was thrashing around, though the overall struc...
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Ice
2007-02-07 23:31:01
Posted by Melanie, on the Esperanza Penguin on pack ice © Greenpeace/Beltra Last night at around 11pm, the ship's engines were turned off to avoid having to navigate through ice at night. We spent the night quietly rocking back and forth, and as a result, I had my best night of sleep since leaving Auckland. I didn't wake up or move all night long, as evidenced by the neatness of the bedding when I woke up in the morning. I don't think I moved at all, which was a lovely change from the tossing, turning and rolling around in my bunk that usually takes place. This morning when I got up, I could see the ice edge about half a mile from the ship. For me, that's better than coffee or anything else for jump starting a morning. Nothing (except for an ice sheet or a high latitude glacier) can beat the polar pack ice. I've been obsessed with it (and all things Arctic) since my first trip to the Alaskan arctic on the Arctic Sunrise in 1997. Since then I've buried my nose in books,...

Birthday Bergs
2007-02-07 11:30:03
Posted by Karli, on the Esperanza Karli's birthday iceberg © Greenpeace/Beltra Last year I celebrated my birthday with friends and family with a sunny barbecue beside a river in Golden Bay, New Zealand. This year I celebrated it with the Greenpeace family "Esperanza" in the Southern Ocean. What a world away! I woke to the scraping and crunching of the ship moving slowly through pack ice, looking out the porthole to see that the fiesty sea of the past week had been replaced by the most tranquil surface imaginable.
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Penguins Past the Porthole
2007-02-07 11:30:03
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza The Esperanza in pack ice © Greenpeace/Beltra This morning's wake up call interrupts a deep deep pit of sleep. I don't know even who did the wake up call, but they mention something about "ice". "Ice? What are they talking about? It's summer in New Zealand. Oh hang on. It's winter in Ireland. Wait... where am I?" I fight my way to the surface, open my eyes. Sitting up I glimpsed ice through the porthole. I can hear more of it clunking against the Esperanza's hull. "Good grief, I'm in the flippin' Antarctic!" I stumble out on deck, bleary-eyed, swaddled in warm clothing, and hanging on to a cup of Earl Grey. The shipped is fogged in and surrounded by brash ice. Here and there a seal - trying to get the last bit of a lie-in on a comfortable chunk - wakes up and glances at the big blue ship, as if to say "what the hell is that?", then dozes off again. A few penguins stand flapping their wings at each other, looking like they've mis...
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Freddy - 2nd engineer
2007-02-07 11:30:03
Freddy 2nd Engine er Mar del Plata, Argentina I came to the Greenpeace ships on March 19th 200,2 to the Arctic Sunrise when she was moored in Melbourne, Australia. Before that I worked for years for a nasty oil tanker company. The tanker I was due to join was delayed and while waiting I met, by coincidence, a schoolmate I hadn't seen for years who was sailing with Greenpeace. To keep it short, when the tanker company called to tell me the oil tanker had arrived I told them I wouldn't embark because I was joining a Greenpeace ship. They didn't like it. Living on a GP ship is like living in a floating Babel Tower where you see people from all around the globe working as a team, but at the same time keeping their own culture or whatever predominant culture they have left at home. Listening to three or four different languages at the same time in the messroom is quite a common thing, together with long discussions on the etymology of local bad words and their literal me...
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Nienke - Deckhand/Medic
2007-02-07 11:30:03
© Greenpeace/Beltra Nienke - Deck hand/Medic Netherlands There was that unexpected phonecall; "Hey, like to come with Greenpeace to the Southern Oceans as a medic for three months? Departure in 4 weeks". Well, there's no way to resist an offer like that! After finishing my medical studies and working in a hospital for a year, Greenpeace just came my way and seems to fit very well! Since I've grown up I've spent a lot of time on sailing ships, both recreationally and professionally, working as a deckhand. Sailing, working as a medic and taking care of the environment at the same time, it just seems the perfect job for me. And then travelling to such beautiful, extreme areas, sharing experiences and working with an international crew! So, now I'm going for the second time to the Southern Oceans, after working part of the year in another hospital, while living in Amsterdam. At the ship my work is most of the time deckwork, but the "hospital" also needs to be ready for a...
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Arti - Video
2007-02-07 05:30:02
© Greenpeace/Beltra Arti - Video Editor USA Hi, my name is Arti, I'm from Gualeguaychu, a city 200 km far from Buenos Aires in Argentina. I've been working for Greenpeace for three years, doing different commercials, TV spots, documentaries and visual graphics for the Argentine Greenpeace TV. My job on the Esperanza is to do all (editing, visual graphics and music too) the web videos that appear on the IGO web, all that are performed in the ship, also I'm the only man who has the knowledges of the Manga whale's movements! I'm here because I'm working for Greenpeace International, for this project. For me this is a very special ocassion to know some great places, and also to be part of this tremendous campaign. I might say that is being hard for me living on board the ship, cause the shaking (during bad weather) is so strong and doesn't stop! But all the good things in life cost a huge sacrifice! See u soon! Arti's weblog: www.artipost.com.ar/antarti

Luke - Assistant Engineer
2007-02-06 11:28:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Luke - Assist ant Engine er United Kingdom I have been working on Greenpeace ships for about six or seven years. It all started when I spent six months working in a ship yard on the conversion of the Esperanza. The first time I ever went to sea was on her maiden voyage, sea trials in fact. It was in the North Sea, and there was a storm. I was sick as a dog. Since then I have managed to find some sea legs, which came in handy on last years trip down south, when we went though some pretty horrific, yet awesome seas. The Southern Ocean is an incredible place to go, nature in its least diluted form. Violent and without mercy, yet full of life and beauty. Its also a fair price to pay to lay eyes on the wonder of Antarctica. A lot of my childhood inspiration for ecology came from early campaigns against whaling. Its such an emotive issue after all. But it does seem strange, and very sad, that at the age of 30 I have to journey so far to try and protect...
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Rick - Boat Mechanic/Driver
2007-02-06 11:28:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Rick - Boat Mechanic/Drive r USA I grew up in the state of Michigan, near Detroit. I was probably about 10 years old when I saw my first penguin at the city zoo. I always felt sad about seeing the animals in captivity. Yesterday I saw wild penguins for the first time, heading south like us. This trip will have many firsts for me. This is my first time south of the Equator, across the Date Line, sailing on a Greenpeace ship, and maneuvering boats near the pointy end of an explosive harpoon. What isn't new to me is Greenpeace U.S.'s RHIB boat the Hamilton Billy Greene. I have been on it for about 200 of its 430 hours of operation, most of it spent in South-Eastern Alaska for the Tongass Forest campaign. This past summer I dedicated about three weeks preparing the boat for this trip back to the Southern Ocean. It sustained significant damage last year and required several weld repairs to the hull. I have great respect for this boat and would l...
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The Iceberg Cometh
2007-02-06 11:28:01
Posted by Sara, on the Esperanza Humpback whale fluke © Greenpeace/Beltra It has been 48 hours of firsts for me. There can be few more incredible ways to start your day than with your first iceberg. But, despite it being nearly a mile long and over 50 meters high out of the water I confess that to my sleepy sixty-thirty-in-the-morning eyes, it was a tiny bit disappointing that it wasn't pointy and alpine, like the ones in the storybooks. But a few slugs of hot tea later, there was no escaping the majesty of this piece of Antarctica as it floated slowly away, decaying with each crashing wave that pounded against its almost sheer sides. So after considerable teasing from the rest of the crew as they gathered on the bridge or stood out in the icy blasts to watch it pass by, Neil explained to me that the pointy ones only come when parts have sheared off the great hunks like the one on our starboard side and then turn over in the water. He promised I would be the first he c...
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Sorry isn't enough
2007-02-05 23:27:04
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza How you can help »
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Japanese lesson
2007-02-05 17:26:03
Posted by Sakyo, on the Esperanza Here in the ship, some of the crew are really keen to speak Japan ese. During the last expedition, there was a Japanese class held by the translator, John. Some crew still have textbooks and are trying to remember and practice some words they learned. Which is sweet but sometimes creates some hilarious sentences.
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Pitching and rolling, last year's video and our first iceberg
2007-02-05 17:26:03
Posted by Melanie, on the Esperanza Iceberg © Greenpeace/Beltra On Sunday the ship started to roll and pitch again. It started at 4am, or at least that's the time that the movement woke me up from a sound sleep and kept me up for the rest of the night. The wind and waves increased for much of the morning so that by 11am, the ship was being pummeled by 10m/33ft swells coming from the starboard side, and the wind was regularly clocking in at the high 40 knot range with gusts into the 50s. A lot of us were in the bridge hanging on to railings or permanently mounted objects, leaning to the right and then shifting to the left as the ship rolled 30 degrees. I've finally gotten over my ridiculous fear that somehow the ship will capsize when it rolls, so I quite enjoyed it.
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Manga Whale arrives in Auckland
2007-02-05 05:25:01
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza Earlier movie: Manga Whale Asks for Help » More from Manga whale on IGO »
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Manga whale asks Greenpeace for help!
2007-02-03 11:22:02
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza How you can help »
More About: Peace , Manga , Green , Whale , Greenpeace

Calm seas once again
2007-02-03 11:22:02
Posted by Melanie, on the Esperanza Calm Southern Ocean © Greenpeace/Walsh After two days of rough weather the seas have calmed down once more. Hallelujah! I barely slept for the two nights we were in rough seas, the movement kept tossing me around in my bunk. The bow crashing into the water when the ship pitched forward created a loud bang and made the entire ship shudder. Not fun. I spent many hours looking at my watch and trying to will myself to sleep, which was an exercise in futility. It was so lovely to get a full night's sleep last night, I went to bed at around 10pm and slept until 7am. Sweet.
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I don't mind the pitching, but the rolling really gets you
2007-02-02 23:22:07
Posted by Karli, on the Esperanza Wave breaking over the bow of the Esperanza © Greenpeace/Beltra I've been hearing these comments all around the ship today: "it's the pitching that's the worst" or "I don't mind the pitching, but the rolling really gets you" ...for me, it's definitely the rolly-pitchy-rolling that does it. When you tip this way, then that way, then the other way and around and back to this way again, left feeling all heavy and light at the same time. Today was our first day of large-ish seas (note to my boss: I know, it could be a lot worse). We are all eternally grateful that we are onboard the Esperanza, not her Greenpeace sister the Arctic Sunrise. Who looks, for all intents and purposes, like a ship... but is in actual fact a hybrid of a ship and a washing machine.
More About: Mind , Roll , Real , Gets , Pitch

Daniel - Photographer
2007-02-01 11:20:01
© Greenpeace/Perez Aguirre Dani el - Photo grapher Spain Hola, this is Daniel. I'm from Spain, but I've been living in Seattle the last 5 years. I'm the photographer onboard for this tour. My first trip on a Greenpeace ship was in 1990! Despite all the years, I love it as much as the first day. Since I was a child, animals and nature were my passion, then a bit later came photography and traveling. I feel very lucky, I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing. Greenpeace gives me the chance to help make a difference with my images. I am very motivated by that. In all these years I've participated in expeditions all over the world. My images have appeared in many publications and I've been lucky enough to get some awards. In the last years I've worked a lot documenting Global Warming nd on the Amazon rainforest. I'm always taking photos, so when I'm not working for Greenpeace I shoot for other clients. I do travel a lot and spending so much time a...
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Isha - Cook
2007-02-01 11:20:01
© Greenpeace/Beltra Isha - Cook India My name is Isha and I'm from India, but I belong to this planet. I'm on board the Esperanza as cook for this anti-whaling campaign, feeding a fantastic crew on an amazing mission yet again. Its my second trip to the Southern Oceans, some people will wonder why but its hard to explain. To be asked to go down to this ocean for this particular campaign is my salvation, and I thought I had it when I was asked to go down for the anti-whaling campaign last year... but to be asked again leaves me speechless. I am honoured and humbled that my life has brought me here. This campaign, though the hardest on both body and soul, leaves one stunned. The sighting of whales, flying albatross, polar blue ocean, the wonderful skies and the clouds that decorate open sea sunsets. A fantastic crew of brave souls to feed. And the underlying purpose of millions around the world. Busting the Japanese whalers and making the ocean safe for the magnificent wh...