The Pasha Bulker

During a major storm in Australia on June 8th, the Pasha Bulker ran aground on Nobby's Beach near Newcastle. The ship is a bulk carrier transporting coal from the Hunter Valley region.

The ship has been wedged on the beach ever since, creating some pretty amazing images. Efforts are currently underway to remove it, although as I write they have not succeeded.

Aside from becoming quite a tourist attraction, it recently became the perfect target for our friends down at Greenpeace Australia who used a laser to create this image which draws the link between the burning of fossil fuels like coal, and the impacts of climate change such as more severe storms. As Greenpeace noted, very few commentators have discussed this ironic link.

As a major user and supplier of coal, and a country predicted to experience some of the worst impacts of climate change, Australia is digging its own hole. Every tonne of coal burnt in Australia or exported will return as climate change impacts.

The Pasha Bulker is surely a perfect advert for embracing a clean renewable energy future...

Shane

All part of the adventure...

Every now and then a story appears here in Amsterdam that makes me wonder "could that ever happen at home?" You know the type I mean - things that just make you wonder what sort of country you are living in. That said, I see the few stories that get picked up by the international media about Australia - the sort of stories that make it on to BBC World, or in to the Dutch press, and people must wonder what sort of place Australia is. I guess we all ask ourselves that same question at times.

(And that reminds me of how little coverage Australia gets in this part of the world - but that is another story.)

Anyway, this train of thought was prompted by a story that appeared in Dutch News on Friday. It reported that a hairdresser in Amsterdam has been arrested for stabbing a customer with his scissors in a row over a pair of glasses. An unfortunate story, but it was the second half that caught my attention - the same hairdresser stabbed and killed another customer seven years ago but did not face legal charges. I wonder if the authorities see a pattern of behaviour forming here?!

Disappointingly, the article did not mention this charming blokes name or business address. Not that I am the really argumentative type, but I can just see one of those 'lost in translation moments' going horribly wrong. I know this, because right now I have one of those haircuts that is not quite what I intended. I thought I explained it clearly, and the nice young Dutch hairdresser enthusiastically went about it. It was just at the end it became clear we had different expectations! Oh well, all part of the adventure...

Shane

(ps And that is where there is no photo with this story...)

More Alaskan Wildlife

This sexy couple are known as Dall's sheep. Caught this photo as I was heading in to Denali National Park on the shuttle bus. Next instalment will be tales of encounters with grizzly bears...

Shane

Aussie Humour

A few years back, Peter Garrett made the move from Midnight Oil across to politics, joining the Australian Labor Party. Presumably his strategy was built around 'change from within', and on getting his hands on the levers of power to then make important changes with.

His first press conference set an unfortunate tone when he responded to a question about US bases in Australia by noting that he now understood the need for these facilities, and that his political views had 'matured' over time (unfortunately I don't have the transcript of this auspicious occasion, but it was a truly uninspiring moment).

Anyway, the gang from the Chaser have now got Garrett in their sights as part of the War on Everything. This brilliant piece below is just a beautiful piece of Aussie humour. I'll let it speak for itself...

Shane

More Moose Action

Am doing it tough this afternoon re time zones, so thought I would just publish another moose photo. This is one of the moose calves crossing the road in Denali National Park.

Shane

Jetlagged in Amsterdam

Am back at home and work in Amsterdam after the long haul from Anchorage. Am struggling through the day with serious sleep deprivation, but the weather is good here, so all is fine.

But definitely no interesting or witty tales of travels in Alaska today - just a moose photo. Saw a few moose in the trip, including this mother with her two calves. And had a true Northern Exposure moment the other night when I was standing in a phone booth in the camp ground making a call when a moose wandered by, followed closely by a wobbly young calf. It seemed kind of random, but in keeping with how Alaska feels - a pretty wild and untamed land.

More soon
Shane

Back in Circulation

The updates from the IWC were a little slim (read non-existent) in the end, and after the meeting finished I grabbed a few days and headed north in to the heart of Alaska, to Denali National Park for a few days of fantastic wilderness and wildlife.

Right now, I am in Seattle airport, in transit back to Amsterdam, so this is only a quick post, and over the next few days I will add more of my travels, and some wonderful photos from Denali.

In the end, the IWC wrapped up reasonably well. There are two very distinct groups at the IWC - those who want to protect whales, and those who want to kill more. And that is where it becomes strange. Whilst we have the moratorium on whaling, the pro-whaling forces are working incredibly hard to resume commercial whaling. And because they have a goal, it is in some ways easier for them to move forward. It seems it is much harder to defend the status quo , although I think this largely reflects a complacency on the part of the pro-conservation forces. We desperately need to ensure that there is a clear agenda forward for next year's meeting that further reinforces whale protection.

One of the funniest highlights of the meeting was the complete security overkill. The security planning obviously expected a "Battle for Seattle" type event. The IWC is definitely not that - more like an Amway convention. Anyway, the various Greenpeace activities at the meeting meant the police did not get entirely bored, and Mel and Ashby (who were responsible for logistics in Anchorage for us) made a whole bunch of new friends, as the photo above shows...

More soon
Shane