The Oil Free Seas flotilla - opposing Anodarko in the South Seas

Greenpeace protest halts risky deep sea oil drilling

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Greenpeace Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid is onboard the SV Vega which is occupying the site where the Anadarko drill ship, the Noble Bob Douglas is attempting to start risky deep sea drilling. Bunny is accompanied on the Vega by Jeanette Fitzsimons and Niamh Deighton-O'Flynn.

The SV Vega is accompanied by the Oil Free Seas Flotilla which is in the Tasman Sea to bear witness to the actions of Texan Oil Giant Anadarko.

Donate a status or tweet to help promote the 23rd Nov "Say NO to Deep Sea Oil" 'Banners on the Beach' event HERE: http://thndr.it/1bzhVAc

Anadarko oil ship arrives at drill site; protesters unmoved

NZ Herald,

19 November, 2013

A small boat is refusing to move from the site where Texan oil giant Anadarko intends to drill, despite the presence of the huge drilling ship, called the Noble Bob Douglas, around 600 metres away.

One of the support vessels for the drilling ship, the Hart Tide, is much closer to the flotilla boat, the Vega, which is currently above the drilling spot, which is one and half kilometres under the ocean surface.

Video

Greenpeace executive director Bunny McDiarmid is onboard the Vega and is hoping to give a children's flag to the drilling ship, which she contacted by radio minutes ago.

She said: "The sailing vessel Vega will not be moving. We will stay where we are in defence of our ocean, in defence of future generations, in defence of climate.

"We have onboard a flag made by children that says 'I love my beach'. These children don't want oil slopping onto their beaches or belched into their seas.

"We're here to deliver this children's flag to Anadarko's massive, untested drilling ship. Anadarko have consistently ignored New Zealand. They, and the government, have hidden vital information from the people of New Zealand. So let's see if they'll ignore our children."

Anadarko said the Noble Bob Douglas "was where it needs to be.''

The company's New Zealand manager Alan Seay said they were happy with the ship's location on the water, and were waiting for the 500 metre safety zone to be erected.

"We've got some work to do before we actually start drilling.

"We're where we need to be to do it and we'll see how the situation evolves.

"It's several days now, having got into position, before we're ready to start drilling.

Mr Seay would not be drawn on whether drilling could occur while the protest vessels were within 500m of the Noble Bob Douglas.

"The key thing is that any protest vessels need to keep a safe distance,'' he said.

"At some point, the safety zone will come into effect and they will be required to stay 500 metres away.

When asked why the safety zone had not been implemented, Mr Seay said "some formalities'' still had to be worked through before it could be put in place.

The Oil Free Seas Flotilla is made up of six boats. They were cheered off by hundreds of New Zealanders from various ports earlier this week.

This Saturday, New Zealanders can show their support for the flotilla by making a banner and getting down to their favourite west coast beach. Further details can be found here.

The Oil Free Seas Flotilla is a loose association of individuals and boat owners who oppose deep-sea drilling and the new legislation that takes away New Zealander's long-standing right to peacefully protest at sea. One of the boats taking part, the Vega, also sailed against French nuclear tests in the Pacific.

Earlier this year, the Government announced a controversial new law to ban aspects of protesting at sea, known as the 'Anadarko Amendment

To read more go to blog HERE

The Oil Free Seas flotilla is underway and they need your help!

They sail to make a stand against the great and unnecessary risks that exploratory deep sea oil drilling presents to our oceans and our coastlines – and they sail to stand up for the right to protest at sea.  Not everyone can get in a small boat and head out into the wild Tasman Sea – but neither can we leave it to these small crews to face Anadarko alone!

And that’s where YOU come in. This is something that affects us all – so as the flotilla confronts the drill-ship at sea, we all need to stand together and draw a line in the sand to say “stop deep sea oil” so loudly that they’ll hear it in Texas.

Help us spread the message of this action against deep sea oil. We want as many people as possible to get the message to join us on your favourite North Island west coast beach Saturday the 23rd Nov. at midday.

If you can’t make it – just put a virtual banner on your favourite west coast beach!