I just missed this protest against more off-shore drilling for oil, having passed through Moeraki the night before, when there was no-one standing in the water, dripping molasses. I'd heard about the protest plans as I drove down from Christchurch and hoped that I might be able to be on the beach with them, if only to see who it was that was brave enough to strip off and wade into the surf at this time of year. I'd misheard the news item perhaps, and thought they were planning to cover the boulders in an oil-like substance in protest and wondered if that was going to be something Moeraki runaka might themselves protest about but it turns out it was themselves they were oiling-up.
I admire those willing to make a splash like this to make visible their protest. Many people dismiss or mock events and participants like these from the comfort of their couches or computer chairs, but not I. I strongly oppose the drilling for oil off our coasts and support those who are out there loudly proclaiming the same thing.
They did look glum though!
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Hey Robert, it's good to see you back. Again, sincere condolences to your family for the loss of Claire, particularly her twin-sister. Feeling "wrung out" is such an apt expression for these situations.
In regards to this post, the poor buggers are probably close to hypothermic!
Hi Suz and thanks.
The Moeraki dippers might have got some protection from the cold through the mollasses, in the way long-distance swimmers get from the grease they dollop all over themselves, but I doubt it!
Strangely I was in your part of the country but a super cold blast followed us home, sure hope these dip sticks were not still on the beach then as they would have frozen to death!
My question to them would have been"How did you get here"
Any answer other than walk is a FAIL
How about - paddled, sailed or cycled?
Hitch-hiked is a likely response though I'd like them to have said 'by train'. The line still runs through Moeraki but some damn-fool Government allowed the passenger trains to fail on that line.
Ok, sailed, peddled would be a pass but train (I love trains) aren't they driven by big bad oil
Another oil and gas company has just applied for a 5 year offshore petroleum exploration permit down south. Solander Island is smack bang in the middle of the permit area, and the outer boundary is about 15km from Codfish Island.
Not all oil is big and bad Ray - that which is already in use can't be demonised but reserves sitting in deep water that can potentially spill and ruin coastlines like that of Moeraki should be viewed very differently. The rules surrounding the prospecting ships and their drilling activities are seriously weak and mean there is feeble protection for us (us being people who live here in New Zealand. I'll make no mention of the coastal environment and the creatures that live in it. I suspect that is the concern of the dippers.)
Thanks Kaukapakapa - do you have a link?
I've been on Solander and it's wild. So is the weather and the waves. Idiots.
These applications are coming in like a plague. I suspect this is the strategy. Rakiura iwi have customary harvest rights over this area. I look forward to hearing their views.
The company is called ZeaEx Ltd (name changed April 2011) - website here http://www.listedventures.com/index.html
Can't give you a direct link for the permit info. You'll need to go to this page on Crown Minerals website http://www.crownminerals.govt.nz/cms/online-services/current-permits/banner_template/CMINPSCURR Click on the link on the left hand side for 'Recent Applications Received & Granted', choose 'Petroleum', then change the search criteria to Applications Received. ZeaEx applied on 5 May 2011.
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