Today was the first time in about a week I woke up feeling anything like human.  I’ve been laid low for the past few days with some gruesome combo of motion sickness and a wicked head cold.  When I feel a filthy lurgey coming on, I like to wrap up, get horizontal and read a good book; a luxury I rarely allow myself enough time to enjoy when I’m feeling fighting fit.  Some people like to match wines with food, I like to match sicknesses with books.  Call me weird, I don’t care.

I partnered this particular lurgey with Vultures’ Picnic: In pursuit of Petroleum Pigs, Power Pirates and High-finance Carnivores by Greg Palast; an “all the president’s men” for Big Oil.  I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a fairly thick tome of investigative journalism with a hint of the Gonzo thrown in ... Read more >

Near the East Cape the local iwi te Whanau a Apanui have lived on the land and fished in the waters of the Raukumara Basin for generations.

In 2011 the New Zealand Government gave oil exploration and drilling rights across the Raukumara Basin to the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras.

The Brazilian oil giant then sent a seismic survey vessel called the Orient Explorer to assess its potential for oil and gas. Te Whanau a Apanui, as they have done for many generations, stood up in response to defend their home.

Together with Greenpeace, the local people put together a flotilla of yachts and fishing boats and set sail directly into the path of the oil giant. It was a mismatch of David and Goliath proportions.

Aboard one of their fishing vessels along with local skipper Elvis Teddy, tribal leader Ri... Read more >

The banners that welcomed the new Rainbow Warrior into Auckland read “Haere Mai” – Welcome home.  The state of the art ship is here in her spiritual home to bring attention to the fact that John Key and his cronies have reckless plans for the seas that surround our beautiful country. 

The New Zealand government has been selling off large chunks of the oceans to foreign oil companies with a view to exploratory, very experimental, very very deep sea oil exploration and drilling. 

Ask any rigger and they will tell you that drilling for oil is a risky business at the best of times, but the deeper you go, the higher the risk of an accident, the higher the cost to the environment and the lower the economic returns to the Oil companies and to the country.  It is a high risk, low return vent... Read more >

Quick question for you: Is there anyone left in Auckland that didn’t come to see the new Rainbow Warrior this weekend?  You turned out in your thousands Auckland and what a great looking crowd you are! 

By nine am the sun was beating down on the smiling faces of the old and the young, and the queue stretched all the way up the Princes wharf, taking in the nicest days of summer so far, and we were quite frankly overwhelmed with the turnout. Seven litres of sun screen later I finally found some time to sit down and write this blog.

Aucklanders have a special relationship with the Rainbow Warrior; she plays no small part in the story of Auckland, just as Auckland is a big part of the Warrior’s story. That's what makes this visit so special, for Greenpeace, for the ship, for her crew and, h... Read more >

Mauri ora! Auckland. You really know how to make a girl feel welcome.

I had a feeling this was going to be a red letter day right from the moment I woke up from the rocking embrace of the ship to shouts of “DOLPHINS!!!”

I launched myself out of the top bunk, banged my head and shins, several times, and headed straight to the main deck with the pillow marks of an incredibly restful sleep still on my cheeks.   

The sun announced its intention for a scorching day in Tamaki Makaurau, the sails were up and the dolphins played around the boat urging us towards the harbour. 

Auckland was just a tiny, hazy speck way in the distance; I recognised the iconic shape of Rangitoto so I knew we must be getting close.  Then out from the harbour came all manner of boats to sail and motor alongside us, s... Read more >

“There is little man has made that approaches anything in nature, but a sailing ship does. There is not much man has made that calls all the best in him, but a sailing ship does.” - Allan Villiers

Today I spent some time with the captain of the new Rainbow Warrior; Joel Stewart.  He talked to me about how he came to be involved with Greenpeace, about his admiration for the new ship and about his hopes for New Zealand.

“My favourite place to sail is wherever I am at that moment.  Right here, in New Zealand is the place to be right now but I also really like to sail the waters between Northern Washington, British Colombia and Alaska, that’s my home.

Before I joined Greenpeace some twenty three years ago, I was running a freighter in Alaska when the Exxon Valdes hit the rocks.  I actually... Read more >

The new Rainbow Warrior sails into Matauri Bay, New Zealand, the final resting place of the original Rainbow Warrior 

Early this morning, as the sun burst over the horizon on this glorious summer’s day, the new Rainbow Warrior sailed into Matauri Bay in full sail. 

It is only fitting that we have come here to pay our respects to the memory of the original Rainbow Warrior and crew that were attacked in Auckland Harbour in 1985 by the French Secret Service and then scuttled here at Matauri Bay 25 years ago.

As I looked out to sea, from all around, in every direction, every point of the compass and in all manner of vessels, people were coming here to pay their respects and to celebrate.  People of all denominations, all nationalities, all races and all cultures gathered today at this sacred... Read more >