Peace for the 'lets see your rig thread' ;-)

[Dhf]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

It wasn't strictly our rig. We were borrowing it. Well.... trying to anyway.

Intesting pic Al, Biggest RIG pic for sure, wouldn't they put the gangplank down for you.

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by Dragonhawk ficht

Intesting pic Al, Biggest RIG pic for sure, wouldn't they put the gangplank down for you.

Well no, actually they trained water hoses on us with 6'c water at about 10 bar and then turned one of our boats over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwGdij8_mGo

In danger of derailing this thread, sorry chaps.

[Dhf]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

Well no, actually they trained water hoses on us with 6'c water at about 10 bar and then turned one of our boats over.

In danger of derailing this thread, sorry chaps.

Blimey antisocial b@s*ds ahh!!

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by Dragonhawk ficht

Blimey antisocial b@s*ds ahh!!

Indeed and we probably deserved everything we got too

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

boat was destroyed due to misunderstanding with local fishermen in Bandirma.

Care to elaborate?

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Care to elaborate?

Ok but kind of a long story..... We went to Bandirma in order to intercept a drill ship and prevent it from removing it's drill derrick thus enabling it to pass under the Bosphorus bridge and proceed with drilling for oil in the Black sea.
Unfortunately Arctic 22 was trashed the night before executing the planned direct action against said drilling rig. The rib was trashed by fishermen who suspected that we were Greenpeace activists attempting to expose illegal fishing practice in that area. In the meantime the drill ship we intended to stop arrived in port.
The Deepwater champion, (sistership of deepwater Horizon ,Epic gulf spill culprit) docked in Bandirma and discharged its crew who headed for the nearest hotel bar. Luckily I was able to intercept and assist with entertaining them at said bar .Posing as a tourist and assisted by my girlfriend (who was attempting to join me on holiday but was caught up in the proceedings due to late arrival of the ship) we attempted to gather further information regarding the dismantling of the derrick

Deepwater Champion - YouTube

Unfortunately we proceeded to get very drunk with the crew in our pursuit of last minute info. "Randy" featured in the attached video (foreman in charge of dismantling the derrick) actually had climbed over the bar at this point and begun serving drinks himself after which we parted company proceeded to stagger back to our hotel in an attempt to update our waiting team of activists with the newly gained and partly forgotten info.
Shortly after which I received a call from HQ informing us that we needed to call off the whole plan of occupying the ship due to the fact that there had been a tsunami in Japan damaging a nuclear power plant that very morning which meant that campaign priorities had suddenly changed to Nuclear instead of oil. Sadly I was forced to radio and inform our team of climbers (who by then were speeding toward the target undercover of darkness in the Arctic 22 with slashed tubes) that the whole thing was off.
That's actually only half the story. The lead up to that point was blighted with unbelievable logistical nightmares.
Anyway, that's how Arctic 22 got trashed.

Once again I apologize for the derailment.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

We went to Bandirma in order to intercept a drill ship and prevent it from removing it's drill derrick thus enabling it to pass under the Bosphorus bridge and proceed with drilling for oil in the Black sea.

Is it just me that finds using a bloody great big twin engined RIB to protest against oil drilling ironic?

[CJL]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Is it just me that finds using a bloody great big twin engined RIB to protest against oil drilling ironic?

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Is it just me that finds using a bloody great big twin engined RIB to protest against oil drilling ironic?

Good point, however, hopefully before too long such protesting will serve to bring about change and offer alternatives. Until then we're a bit stuck with it.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

Shortly after which I received a call from HQ informing us that we needed to call off the whole plan of occupying the ship due to the fact that there had been a tsunami in Japan damaging a nuclear power plant that very morning which meant that campaign priorities had suddenly changed to Nuclear instead of oil.

Not that you are suggesting the organisation has no clear long term strategy and just jumps from one media storm to another or anything

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

Good point, however, hopefully before too long such protesting will serve to bring about change and offer alternatives. Until then we're a bit stuck with it.

So why not spend the money you (hopefully) spent on the fuel which goes into the pockets of the men who were performing the operations you were protesting over on discovering those changes and alternatives? What sort of alternatives do you suggest? Wind power doesn't quite offer the same thrills that high speed powerboats do, which clearly you enjoy since you are a member of a site dedicated to them..?

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by Poly

Not that you are suggesting the organisation has no clear long term strategy and just jumps from one media storm to another or anything

Well it was decided to can the project for a couple of reasons, one being not to try and make headlines while the world was concerned about flooded nuclear power stations (a bit rude) and the other was to free up resources in order to get to Japan and begin work there. Personally I would have pushed on regardless, however sometimes it's best to leave strategy to the strategists.
Both Nuclear and oil campaigns have and always did have solid long term strategy.

[willk]

Ooooh - I think that's Andre's old Black Magic at 5:10 in the first video.

You lads carry on arguing with the Crusties - I'm rrrrrRIBbin'!

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

So why not spend the money you (hopefully) spent on the fuel which goes into the pockets of the men who were performing the operations you were protesting over on discovering those changes and alternatives? What sort of alternatives do you suggest? Wind power doesn't quite offer the same thrills that high speed powerboats do, which clearly you enjoy since you are a member of a site dedicated to them..?

A considerable amount of the organizations budget goes into alternatives. Promoting rather than developing. Developing Alternatives is best left to specialists in those respective fields. It's an uphill struggle trying to create change in a world where all money is tied up in businesses whos interest is to maintain the status quo. Ie, oil, coal, gas etc.

As for the thrill of high speed boating Greenpeace uses ribs as tools for specific jobs rather than speeding around for the sake of pure enjoyment.
As far as I was aware, this site is about boats. Herein is a vast pool of boating and technical experience which I have found to be very useful.
Not to mention members who have been very helpful.

[andyxs]

loved the video, they knew hoses were going to be deployed yet had no concrete plan to combat them exept to ask to turn them off, Madness really putting people in danger, you are dealing with Gazprom not BP

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by andyxs

loved the video, they knew hoses were going to be deployed yet had no concrete plan to combat them exept to ask to turn them off, Madness really putting people in danger, you are dealing with Gazprom not BP

Those involved were well aware of the possible dangers. They chose to put their lives on the line for something they believe in.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Al Baker

Those involved were well aware of the possible dangers. They chose to put their lives on the line for something they believe in. It's often the case when you're at war.

Indeed it is. And what exactly are you in war against? Or more importantly, for?

[willk]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Indeed it is. And what exactly are you in war against? Or more importantly, for?

Gotchi - did Al Baker say this?

Originally Posted by Al Baker

It's often the case when you're at war.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by willk

Gotchi - did Al Baker say this?

Yup

The magic of email notifications giving the unedited copy

[Al Baker]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Indeed it is. And what exactly are you in war against? Or more importantly, for?

Well perhaps war is a bit to strong a word, Battle might describe it better or is it the same?
Speaking for myself, a freelancer and occasional volunteer, I would say that it's a war against environmental destruction through greed and ignorance.
However if you were to visit the Greenpeace website you may find a more official set of core values. My own personal reason for being involved is to highlight and expose examples of needless environmental destruction in order that people can chose to buy into that destruction or not.
In my experience greed and ignorance are at the heart of any environmental destruction and publicly exposing greed and destruction combined with education can help to make our world a better place.
I've witnessed the results and that's what keeps me going.
I'm not daft enough to think the world can be saved but I would rather fight for it on my feet than die on my knees.