Affection – that is the emotion I sensed most strongly as we queued for the chance to walk on the decks of the new Rainbow Warrior III; affection for a vessel that symbolises standing up to the greed and power and corruption that would threaten our beautiful, our precious, planet. Over 70% of our planet is composed of ocean and the Rainbow Warrior has, since 1978, patrolled our oceans on the lookout for those that use the ocean’s vastness to hide their crimes against nature.
It is a wonderful vessel. By falling within the category of ‘yacht’, the new Rainbow Warrior III is able to legally venture into areas the previous two Rainbow Warriors could not, which means it can unveil even more hidden criminal activities. And the Rainbow Warrior III is no refurbished trawler vessel, as the previous vessels were – no, it is custom-built to get the activists to where they need to be as quickly and effectively as possible. There is a helipad, two speed boats as well as two normal rescue boats, sail capacity to cover nearly five tennis courts. The Rainbow Warrior III is primarily reliant on wind power, using the engine room only when this is necessary. It practises what it preaches, and it is hoped that its preaching by example will encourage other sea-going vessels to adopt more environmentally sound methods.
The people standing patiently in the queues to board the Rainbow Warrior III, officially a ‘yacht’, were all Greenpeace supporters and their love for this iconic vessel, and what it represents, was tangible. For those of us unable to actually be on the vessel, sallying forth to crusade against wrongdoing, contributing financially or through voluntary activities to the Greenpeace cause is our way of getting involved. Just knowing that there are crew, researchers and activists out on the oceans doing what we would so love to be doing offers hope.
Photographing the bell with ‘Rainbow Warrior 2011’ inscribed on it, a woman beside me who had walked on the decks of the Rainbow Warrior II just as she was now walking the decks of Rainbow Warrior III, reminded me that we humans are capable of great and good deeds. The aptly named ‘Rainbow Warrior’ (the name deriving from an ancient Native American prophecy: “There will come a time when the earth is sick and animals and plants begin to die. Then the Indians will regain their spirit and gather people of all nations, colours and beliefs to join together in the fight to save the Earth: The Rainbow Warriors.”), really is designed to fulfill its purpose to try and save the Earth, by patrolling the Earth’s oceans. The ‘Native American spirit’ referred to in the prophecy lives on and is indeed gathering people, I thought, as I looked at the crowds.
A sense of exultation enlivened my blood as we walked the vessel and I was grateful to Greenpeace that it gives its supporters an opportunity to tangibly touch base, as it were, with what Greenpeace does, what it represents – hope and all things good and right!
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