Scene: Aboard the Rainbow Warrior...
FIRST MATE: "I'm feeling a tug at the stern like we are dragging something or hitting bottom..."
CAPTAIN: "It's probably Rove/BUSH/Halliburton again...FULL SPEED AHEAD! We need to protect them reefs..."
Posted on 11/01/2005 7:06:28 AM PST by freakboy
Tubbataha Marine Park, Philippines — We ran aground on a coral reef we were trying to protect.
Our ship Rainbow Warrior was in the Philippines, documenting the potential impacts of global warming on coral reefs in a World Heritage site. We were operating with a government chart which claimed to be up to date, but showed us to be 1.5 miles away from the reef we hit around 7am local time.
“This incident is very regrettable. Within minutes after it happened, we called up the marine park ranger station to inform them about the accident,” said Red Constantino of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. Marine park rangers, assisted by Greenpeace, immediately conducted an assessment of the damaged reef.
The park officials’ final assessment of damage covered a total area of 32 meters by 3 meters (105 x 10 feet) of the reef.
The fine was set at 384,000 pesos (US$6,857).
“This accident could have been avoided if the chart was accurate. We feel responsible, however, and this amount will be transferred on Wednesday 2 November,” said Constantino.
The grounding did not cause any major damage to the ship nor serious delays to the ship’s expedition.
"We appreciate the work that Greenpeace continues to do for the environment. We also appreciate the immediate action they took to get the full assessment of the damage," said Tubbataha Park Manager Angelique Songco.
Greenpeace and the Tubbataha Protected Area Management board both agreed there is a serious need of updated maps and precise maritime charts of the Tubbataha Reefs to avoid similar accidents.
The expedition to the Tubbataha Reefs is part of the global effort of Greenpeace to document what is at stake should global warming worsen.
The Rainbow Warrior is on the "Asia Energy Revolution Tour" of Australia, China, Philippines and Thailand to call for an urgent break from coal and to promote a massive shift to clean, renewable energy.
Without that shift, the rest of the coral reef we damaged today will face complete destruction.
This sounds like something from Scrappleface, but it isn't!
The fine was set at 384,000 pesos (US$6,857).
“This accident could have been avoided if the chart was accurate. We feel responsible, however, and this amount will be transferred on Wednesday 2 November,” said Constantino.
If somebody else had done this (say, some rich CEO), do you think Greenpeace would be satisfied with them paying the minimum fine, or would they demand more?
Sort of like a Pali "work accident".
Karl Rove made that chart.
Blame it on the chart, right. (As in, I was driving my car and hit a light pole and the stupid thing wasn't even on the map!)
A Leftist organization harming what they set out to "protect"? Who woulda thunk?!?!?!?
So they want the government to pass more laws and create more agencies to protect the environment, even though they know the government isn't even capable of making a map of the area they want protected?
That right there is a Government Supremacist.
What about documenting the potential impacts of horrible left-wing boat captains effect on coral reefs?
Umm... so if Greenpeace just stayed home the complete destruction would take a whole lot longer?
Where are the French when you need them?
Didn't they ever hear of keeping a lookout (better yet, two - masthead and bow) when in shallow water near coral? Never heard of a depth finder, or having somebody forward with a lead?
I'm just an amateur day sailor with some Caribbean experience, and even I know you post a lookout when you're on the banks.
$6,857 does not even begin to cover the hundreds of years it will take to cover the anguish of the polyps.
"Sighted ship. Sank same."
Scene: Aboard the Rainbow Warrior...
FIRST MATE: "I'm feeling a tug at the stern like we are dragging something or hitting bottom..."
CAPTAIN: "It's probably Rove/BUSH/Halliburton again...FULL SPEED AHEAD! We need to protect them reefs..."
With a ship named "Rainbow Warrior", I'm surprised the coral reef didn't damage it!
They'll get away with it because their intentions were good.
At least the sunken ship would make for a good reef on its own.
I suspect they were just stoned out of their minds, as the drifty socialists are wont to do..............
Shame on Greenpeace. They need to rebuild that coral reef!
The damage they caused can result in coastal erosion.
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