From: Greenpeace campaigner on The Brent Spar
Date: Thursday May 4, 1995

We are all now firmly established on the Brent Spar oil platform 118 miles north east of the Shetland Islands. It seems amazing that we carried out this action and the Greenpeace activists on board the Spar are all extremely happy with the progress.

Last night we had our first hot meal -- wonderful -- we even have a cook on board.

Since Wednesday we've spent a lot of time on the telephone, talking to the world's press. We've also had the special satellite communications equipment, so I've been able to do live television interviews to TV stations all over Europe -- although mostly to Germany and to the UK.

Late Wednesday we had a communication from Shell, who were expressing concern for our safety (see press release). Shell said that we were unfamiliar with the rig -- but they didn't know that we have the Shell Brent Spar operations manual so we do know a little more than they thought! It seems bizarre that they are concerned for our safety but have no regard for the threat to the marine environment of dumping this toxic waste dump on the sea floor.

We thought we had the satellite TV equipment until Thursday evening, but the weather starting getting bad again, and we had to quickly pack it up in order to get it on the Moby Dick before the waves got too high again. The Moby left with a whole load of crew and journalists and we settled in for the night.

Then today the UK Government finalised its review for the North Sea drilling rigs. The draft policy means that the oil industry arguments to dump the rigs in even more shallow waters will go ahead.

This is incredible, and, given that the North Sea ministers are meeting in just four weeks, seems like a politically silly thing to do.

Signing off for VE Weekend.