Mike Mate

The Indian Ocean flows into the straits of Malacca. We surge forward on a smooth ribbon of water and we’re not alone. There are ships on every horizon – caught up with us in the bottling. Over the past couple days I have filled the admiralty charts with my artwork: shaded pencil marks of caution “Keep Clear”, arrows to call Vessel Traffic Service, circles highlighting prominent navigation land marks and lights, alter course waypoints double checked. This is where I start to play – in the traffic.

Thickly wooded green islands, but I have to stay away – we don’t have a detailed chart. All the seismic activity may too have produced another island and I don’t want one named after me. I watch the sea ahead for breakers and the echo sounder for depths. My eyes return again to the green forest and my imagination finds a cove, drops anchor, builds a tree-house and survives. The aboriginals survived the Tsunami. They followed the animals to higher ground. The Nicobar Islands break the Indian Ocean swell, we emerge to the east of Nicobar where the sea becomes a lake, coconuts float in the water and there are dolphins and whales splashing about in the Andaman Sea.

Feeling tired (brain more than body) feeling 2 months at sea, rolling from side to side. Sounds of water sloshing past hull and boat creaking in the seaway. The clew on the foresail ripped off today – in a gust of wind – now we sail with only three sails. Nearly across the Bay of Bengal, tomorrow morning we will reach the Nicobar Isands where there are still stone age tribes living. The Admiralty pilot book warns against making a landing there: “hostile savages are likely to kill anyone who approaches their island”.

A little news from a friend brightens up my day as Rainbow Warrior rolls across the Indian Ocean on her way to Singapore.

President Sarkozy, of France, has announced that:
- France will achieve 20-30% reduction of Green House Gas emissions by 2020
- 20% domestic renewables in final energy mix by 2020
- 20% efficiency in primary energy (40% buildings; 20% transport)
- freeze on construction of new motorways and new airports
- 2 transit freight railways North-South and North-Southwest

- bonus-malus efficiency tax for new cars
- a general carbon tax has been agreed in principal
- ban on light bulbs and simple glazing by 2010

- suspension of commercial GMO crops

-50% reduction of pesticides within 10 years
- 6% organic of total agriculture surface by 2012 (today 2%)
- a ban on illegal timber imports
- support for ban on bottom trawling
-support for marine protected areas

- agreement on ecosystem approach in fisheries management

I will include president Sarkozy in my list of one hundred monkeys. I am so excited – the miracle…is happening.

I felt despondent leaving the coast of India, leaving a country to race up the ladder of leading CO2 emitters. All the harbours in India were instructed to deny us entry – there was nowhere to get water. Fortunately we’ve had heavy rain showers all day today and have captured water from the monkey island – we’re gong to be fine. But when will the world wake up to the fact that we are not terrorists. The captain of the Sridevi lodged a complaint against me and in his description of our action he sums up the intelligence of man. He says:“…the rafts were displaying banners marked ‘Greenpeace’. While this was going on one raft positioned itself 25 feet further away from these two small rafts engaged in painting and filmed the entire episode – for reasons best known to them alone.”

Rainbow Warrior was not permitted to enter the port of Chennai and so our guests (who had been assimilated into the crew over two weeks on the Indian coast) disembarked at anchor. Goodbye Vinuta, Samir, Jayashree, Smitha and Amrit. Prabhakar (Tulu): I will miss your company on the bridge watch. Devika: thank you for spicing up our food – yumm. Goodbye all of you. May we remain connected within this little global hot-house.

Rainbow managed to get a supply of fresh vegetables and fruit delivered, but sailed with only 9m3 of fresh water. The washing machine has been isolated and the chalk board in the mess room filled with warnings to conserve water – “sailors showers”. I am expecting mostly adverse current and head winds on the crossing – hoping to do 7 knots.

Rainbow Warrior dips and bucks in the green rollers, tethered to her anchor. She wants to enter Chennai – but she is not being allowed in. The port says there is no berth available for her, hmmm – I’ve heard that one before. It looks that it will end here – the Greenpeace Indians will leave at anchor and the Rainbow Warrior… She will simply leave the coast of the fifth largest CO2 emitter in the world. The fifty year old Rainbow has done what she can, she has raised a little awareness – the rest is up to us.Will we sit back and inhale 73 new coal power stations? Will we ban the bulb”?

“Rainbow Warrior this is Port Control. What are your intentions?”

“Port Control this is Rainbow Warrior. My intention is to keep north of the Fairway, clear of the Shridevi. I will not impede her safe navigation.”

We were so close to the breakwater (just a mile off). The Shridevi’s attention was on us – the tall ship waiting at the breakwater. The four teeny-weeny little zodiacs that came up on her other side, her lee-side, went by unnoticed… until they started painting.

“Rainbow Warrior this is Port Control. Have you launched any lifeboats?”

“Sir, I have four small zodiacs in the water. They are coming alongside the Sridevi with the intention to carry out a traditional Greenpeace non-violent direct action.”

“A traditional Greenpeace action?”“Yes, Port Control. They are taking a stand against thermal coal – to save the climate.”

The Novi and Lancer painted. In water-based paint white words: CUT COAL SAVE THE CLIMATE – a big message in small letters. They painted the red monolithic hull of a climate criminal.

Will their words be read?

There is little time left to act.

Rainbow Warrior stopped on her own accord – a black out. “Don’t bother starting the other engine” I informed the Chief engineer. We were in a good position 10 miles off the power station with five radios tuned to differing frequencies – monitoring Chennai and in particular Ennore Port, on the East coast of India. Hans the radio operator intercepted transmission between the bulk carrier Sridevi and the harbour pilot – her cargo operation complete (another 77 000 tonnes of thermal coal on the conveyor to become electricity).

The other Hans, the Chief Engineer, started the engine; I turned the Rainbow Warrior toward the power station – full speed ahead. Crew moved about the deck like disturbed ants. Safety checks: helmets, life-vests, bucket of paint. Sridevi was in for a surprise.

Tugs pulling the Coal ship off her berth. “Now” I nodded to Sarah, “start launching.” A mile off Ennore breakwater Rainbow Warrior lowered four boats to the water – with paint. They set off across the fairway to be on the lee side of the monolithic ship as it came out of port. My heart beating uncomfortably, left arm hanging from shoulder enormously heavy with the weight of stress – /why do I do this?/ /Let go, feel your body, be in the moment. FEAR (False Expectation Appearing Real)./ I’m coaching myself whilst watching the huge ship getting closer, getting bigger and the little boats getting further, smaller. Soon they will meet in a creative non-violent direct action.