The crew on Greenpeace ship, the Esperanza, arrived at their next destination on 28 June – Pukapuka Island. Of course, the crew are on the complete other side of the world timezone-wise, so a day behind.
Here’s an update from Jessa, who’s on the ship for the whole Pacific tour.
This morning we arrived at one of the most remote islands in the Pacific. It has taken three days hurtling through very choppy sea to get here. I’ve managed to keep seasickness at bay by distracting myself in conversation with some very inspiring people on board the ship.
The Esperanza has taken on 10 guests since it left Rarotonga last week. If you didn’t know better, you could be forgiven for thinking they were just a big extended Island family getting together for a reunion. They giggle, crack jokes and tease each other in a warm and contagious way – not your average government department.
After a quick breakfast of local starfruit, fejoa, vegemite toast and leftover lentil dahl (you get some pretty eclectic meals on this ship), the government team got picked by a tin barge (more like an upside down sardine can) and motored off to the main island to start two weeks of timely and vital work. For the next two weeks, they’ll be conducting vulnerability and adaptation assessments, and asking households what they need to better prepare for future climate change impacts.
The team have been planning the assessments for many years but the cost of charter planes or hire boats – the only other way to get here – have always stood in the way. It wasn’t until our biggest ship, the MV Esperanza, offered them a lift, that they could finally make the journey. Their findings will be used to appeal to world leaders at the Copenhagen meeting in December.
The ship is already too quiet without the excited banter of the three Climate Change Officers from the Red Cross, the local Climate Action Network (CAN) officer, five members of the Cooks Islands Government Environment Department and my two lovely cabin buddies from the Prime Minister’s office.
They chose the island of Pukapuka for their work because of its remoteness and vulnerability to climate change impacts such as cyclones, shifting rainfall patterns and coastal erosion. In 2005, Pukapuka and the nearby atoll of Nassau were devastated by Cyclone Percy – the fourth of five cyclones to hit the Cook Islands in five weeks. Only 10 percent of houses on Pukapuka survived intact.
When we join them on shore in the morning, we’ll assist with household assessments and facilitator training. The more technical amongst the Greenpeace crew (not me) will help with much needed GPS mapping.
From the deck of the Esperanza, I can see the outer reef of the island and the dots of small houses outlined against palm forests. I’m looking forward to meeting these people of Pukapuka and along with the AV team of photographer and videographer, capturing their stories so that the rest of the world can also see what’s really happening here on the frontline of climate change.
— Jessa and the rest of the Esperanza crew
