October 2008

The Rainbow Warrior on route to Kingsnorth coal fired power station in Kent. © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace.

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It’s quite a sight: under a wintry sun, a flotilla of Greenpeace boats is heading down the Medway, straight towards Kingsnorth power station. The Rainbow Warrior is leading the peaceful armada and, from up here on the bridge, I can see our rigid inflatable boats abreast of us and streaming out behind in a V formation.

A couple of minutes ago, John, our executive director, phoned E.on and told them that our peaceful flotilla will be arriving at midday. Here's the mp3 or click to play:

Our amphibious incursion has a serious and peaceful purpose. The boats are carrying dozens of campaigners who plan to board Kingsnorth’s 700-metre coal jetty and then walk through the existing coal plant site to the site where E.on wants to build the UK’s first new coal plant in 30 years.

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I'd love to be a fly on the wall at E.on's HQ at the moment. When the head of the Women's Institute - along with heads of other groups representing four million people in the UK - boards the Rainbow Warrior, signs a declaration, climbs into a Greenpeace inflatable boat, drives up to Kingsnorth coal plant and hand delivers a declaration saying no to new coal to E.on staff, the company must, surely, be sweating it a bit:

Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband has agreed to include emissions from aviation and shipping in the new Climate Change Bill, which is due to become law next month. Having already taken the important step of upping Britain's commitment to curb its carbon footprint from 60 per cent to 80 per cent by 2050 during his first week in office, he's now accepted an ammendment to the bill proposed by rebel Labour MPs to include the carbon footprint of the aviation and shipping industries.

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The Rainbow Warrior in front of Kent Flats wind farm © Will Rose / Greenpeace.

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Just a quick one to let you know that we've just left Southend pier and are heading towards Chatham, to pick up the leaders of the UK's most important development, faith and environment groups - including the Women's Institute, Oxfam, Tearfund and RSPB - representing four million people.

From Chatham, we'll be sailing towards Kingsnorth, where the directors will sign a declaration saying: "Four million strong, we say no to dirty coal power stations, and yes to a clean green renewable energy future". The declaration will then be taken to Kingsnorth by one of our inflatable boats and delivered by hand to E.on staff.

A child visiting the Rainbow Warrior in Southend, after having his face painted on the pier. © Will Rose / Greenpeace.

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Occasionally, when we pass each other in an alleyway and none of our more seasoned seafaring friends (the crew) are around, us Greenpeace UK office-dwellers lucky enough to be on the Rainbow Warrior will whisper to each other: I love this ship.

It turns out a lot of people feel the same. In London, we had passers-by shouting from the quayside to tell us so. And over the past two days, well over a thousand people have come from all over - Manchester, Devon, Wiltshire, Bristol, Jersey - to visit the ship. Toddlers and octogenarians, nuns and football fans all queued in the rain for the chance to see the Rainbow Warrior II (or too) in the 55.2 metres of riveted steel flesh. A huge thank you to everyone who came.

The Rainbow Warrior passing Kingsnorth coal fired power station in Kent. © Will Rose / Greenpeace.

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Pete is a volunteer deck hand on the Rainbow Warrior.

Like a kid at Christmas, I've been struggling to get to sleep with all the excitement, but now I'm getting used to the ship's routine (even though every day seems to be different what with all the activities going on).

It's a multinational crew with stories to tell from around the world and all are really friendly and supportive - in true Greenpeace fashion. Three had to go home a couple of days ago and I find myself hugging people I've only known for a few days.

© Will Rose / Greenpeace. Dr Geoff Meaden on the deck of the Rainbow Warrior, in front of Kingsnorth power station.

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Another day, another boat full of people keen to express their opposition to Kingsnorth. This time, they were representatives from across civil society - from church leaders and politicians to union leaders and activists - here to talk about Kingsnorth, coal and climate change.

Under heavy clouds and drizzle, the Warrior cruised past Kingsnorth (the pilot steering us so close that I could almost hear the sweat dripping from E.on's collective brow - rumour has it that there were around 100 police officers stationed near Kingsnorth today) and towards Kent Flats Wind Farm.