From: Desley Mather, Greenpeace Press Officer

on board the Brent Spar oil rig, North Sea

Date: Saturday, 29 April 1995

MOBY DICK SETS SAIL TO PROTEST PLAN TO DUMP OIL PLATFORM, TOXIC WASTE AND ALL, INTO THE NORTH SEA

The Moby Dick sailed from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands just before sunset today heading for the dilapidated Brent Spar oil rig. Most of the 20 crew aboard the Moby Dick leaned over the deck rails and waved colleagues and land goodbye. Onboard with our Swedish skipper were a mixture of many nationalities. The mood was good as we steamed out of the harbour. The local newspaper photographer took his last photos and waved farewell.

Soon we were watching the sun go down and thinking of 15 hours ahead, when we would be in the middle of the North Sea steaming through oil fields.

Tthe Moby Dick is an old fishing vessel now restored (complete with rainbow on its hull) to sail the world's oceansbearing witness to environmental abuses. This time, the target was the oil companies polluting the North Sea.