Water has always been an element I have been in awe of. In the first 18 years of my life, I saw the sea only once.
And fate, having that profound sense of irony that it has. Eventually placed me on a little boat on the Rainbow Warrior , at the age of 21 , from where my life on sea began. And continues.
A large part of our work at sea involves driving small boats into strange and unprecedented circumstances. (the first time I got on board a small boat on sea, it was to paint a coal carrying ship with a Greenpeace message) and this requires a fair bit of training. Sometimes, it turns into a beautiful event when dolphins and beautiful fish grace us with their playful presence.
What follows below is a little montage of what such a day brings.
The Esperanza: my home away from home.
Eric: the boatswain calling the dolphins.
The captain on his way to a little dip in the sea
Francois leading the way.
Eric looks on, as a spinner dolphin breaks the waves in a playful mode.
Slava and Ann having a go with the African Queen (the orange boat).
A school of fish coming to say hello.
The African Queen charges ahead, as seen from the Delta Rhino.
The Esperaza due Noth-West of the Delta boat.
Grant, the boat trainer, looks on as his trainees go out playing with the dolphins (leaving him behind).
The dolphins giving us a show.
The dolphins giving us a show, again.
Dolphins on the move.
All images have been taken by Amrit Bakshi.
Amrit Bakshi is a crew member of Greenpeace's ship Esperanza.