We were happy to hear that we would have one more night rocking to sleep onboard the new Rainbow Warrior, due to lack of wind the first two days. The whales remained with us until the pilot ship came to fetch us outside the Durban harbour. Sailing into the harbour we were met by one boat as a flotilla. The Rainbow Warrior is used to being received by 40 to 50 ships in huge … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 5: Following your call
On my last day on the Rainbow Warrior, I woke up to whale sounds outside my cabin porthole. Now I must be losing it, I thought. In the mess the others confirmed – they had also heard it. So I spent the rest of the day chatting to more brave young men and women with whale calls in the background. Outside the sea was rough and it was raining. Instead of entertaining us on … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 4: Then the whales came
Ding dong the bell rang “Several whales dead ahead …several whales dead ahead!” All work stopped and we all ran to the deck. NOTHING swayed the punctual running of the Rainbow Warrior, except one of two events …the arrival of either dolphins or whales. These supreme guardians of the sea that wraps herself around our planet draw all on board to the rails and peering into the … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 3: How do we make the breakthrough?
The internet on the Rainbow Warrior is a hit and miss affair, much like trying to communicate the green message to the public. You never know when it’s a shot in the dark. Often you might be talking to someone, but the lights are off. That resonance with the environmental cause is just not there. We keep going in the hope that on the right day, at the right time, something in … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 2: 14 nationalities, one passion
Robert is fun to have around the mess – always smiling and joking in his heavily accented but good English. It’s a game for me to try and guess where people are from. There are 14 nationalities on-board. People grew up in countries far apart from each other, in totally different cultures and with completely diverse types of educations or skills. What brings them all together … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 1: What happens at sea?
First night on the Rainbow Warrior swinging like a piece of washing in the wind – is she trying to jump the rainbow? Falling around in my cot I don’t sleep much, but listen to the swishing of waves breaking off the ship - a constant reminder that I’m not dreaming. I am indeed on this legendary boat, sharing the story with our readers. This is the third Rainbow Warrior – one … [Read more...]
Cruise ships cause mass pollution
What comes to your mind when you think of pollution? Thick black oil smeared on clean ice? Small piping shorebirds strangled by old plastic? According to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), you should be thinking of something entirely different - cruise ships. NABU recently singled out AIDA and TUI, two German-based cruise lines, for their harmful … [Read more...]
SA Whale Wars star helps stop the killing
There is a war going on in Antarctica, and South Africa's Rosie Kunneke is one of the soldiers fighting the good fight. She recently returned to the country after 94 days at sea, participating in the world famous reality television series Whale Wars. This popular Animal Planet production follows captain Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, as he and … [Read more...]
Darwin sails again for science
On the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's famous journey around the world, the three-masted Clipper Stad Amsterdam sailed into Cape Town harbour for her last port of call. The famous author of 'The Origin of Species' and father of the theory of evolution's journey of discovery was repeated by a team of scientists, amongst whom his very own great-great-granddaughter Sarah … [Read more...]
The voyage that changed me
My mind was racing back to that first plastic sample we found in the ocean. Clear navy blue water filled with small coloured pieces of plastic. I stood in line at the supermarket, bursting with excitement because I had finally remembered to bring along my own shopping bag. When is the message of sustainability going to filter through to staff at this level? Unfortunately … [Read more...]
Around the world for global change
On board the BIO Hespérides, docked in the Cape Town harbour, we met the first team of researchers ever circumnavigating the globe to research the impact of global change on the oceans. The Malaspina expedition was named after the Spanish naval officer, Alajandro Malaspina, in whose footsteps, or rather waves, this initiative followed. Some 200 years ago he launched the … [Read more...]
Green ships coming for World Cup
Two super green passenger ships are going to head for our shores with visitors to the World Cup in June. Holland America Line demonstrates its commitment to responsible environmental practices through a comprehensive fleet-wide program that emphasises waste reduction and recycling, compliance with all international environmental guidelines and a decision to incorporate … [Read more...]
