Rarotonga - "Rainbow Warrior"
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If you follow each of these pictures in sequence you will see that the "Rainbow Warrior" is being turned round on the dock by a couple of volunteers and 2 bow lines.
I think they did this to embarrass the French Navel ship docked in front of her.
When the French Navel ship arrived we listened to them talk to the Harbor Master on the radio. They didn't want to enter the port while the "Rainbow Warrior" was in here. They were informed that the "Rainbow Warrior" was going to be here for a while. When the did finally come into port they refused a local pilot and proceeded to almost run aground and block the small entrance to the harbor.
I hope you enjoy the patience and precision by which the "Rainbow Warrior" turned and left without a single problem. They ended up having to do this routine several time as the airport has a rule of "no obstructions". "Rainbow Warrior's" masts were too tall for her to stay in port when ever an airplane was due to arrive or leave. Most of the plane arriving were filled with royalty and Prime Ministers and heads of state for all across the South Pacific. Including the heads of state from New Zealand, France, Australia, Tonga, and many others. They were here for a conference on the financial state of affairs and future on the South Pacific Islands.
"Rainbow Warrior" was in port to protest the use of British cargo ships carrying spent nuclear fuel from Japanese power plants to France where it was revitalized then shipped back to Japan to there new super-refinery. They were protesting the rout through the island and the danger of a possible spill and how it would destroy the fragile balance of nature in the South Pacific islands, and how it hundreds of islanders would have to be evacuated to other parts of the world as there food source, fish, would be contaminated and uneatable.
This picture is from the deck of the
"Rainbow Warrior". It is a "Snakes & Ladders" game depicting
the future of the South Pacific if one of the Nuclear carrying cargo ships spills its load
( I think it's upside down too!)