(CNN)A group of climate activists crossing the Atlantic by sailboat to a UN summit in Chile were shocked to learn the event was canceled — four weeks into their grueling voyage.
The 36 young environmentalists set off from Amsterdam on October 2, using a sailboat in order to highlight the impact of flying on greenhouse gas emissions.
They had completed more than half of their seven-week journey to the UN Climate Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile, which was scheduled to take place in early December.
However Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera announced Wednesday that the country would no longer host the summit, amid protests that have left at least 20 people dead and led to the resignation of eight cabinet ministers.
Instead of turning back, the Sail to the COP group, as the activists are known, have now decided to sail on to Belém, Brazil.
“After the initial shock and sadness the news brought, everyone came together determined to continue what we started: putting the climate impact of aviation on the international agenda,” read a statement from the group.
One down, more to go…
Climate expert Beto O’Rourke drops out of presidential bid.
https://www.citizenfreepress.com/breaking/breaking-robert-francis-orourke-is-out/
He couldn’t handle it. This woman might have been the last straw.
I have to admit I am a bit jealous. As an amateur sailor I have often thought about crossing the Atlantic, especially on a three masted ship. However, working it as a crew member, not as a passenger. I hope they appreciate the adventure, COP25 aside. Maybe in 20 years time when none of the doom and gloom has materialized they can at least look back and appreciate the adventure their parents have afforded them. Or is that too much to hope for?
Apparently they fail to consider the human induced climate change impact from disrupting the natural wind patterns caused by sails slicing through the air. Shame on them! Right up there with C02.
There is an old saying: “Dacron is more expensive than diesel”.
The wear and tear on sails, be they Dacron or carbon, is fantastic on an ocean crossing. The same goes for your running rigging. None of this is cheap.
LOL on a epic scale
So, I guess these virtue signalers have given up on the Northwest passage.
Whats that adjective, bored. They must be really bored to go to that extreme to impress the UN. I can’t say for sure but I imagine if Columbus had a trans Atlantic flight available he would have taken it.
1. Climate impact is the least of the otherwise greatly positive impacts of aviation.
2. Climate (clear, centuries long temperature trends) is hugely unaffected by both airplanes and sailboats.
3. Tell me again how fruitcakes in a sailboat put aviation on the international agenda? By getting similarly minded fruitcakes to say so.
I would highly recommend that all climate activists get together and use as many sailing vessels as needed to take a long, long ocean voyage. At least that will keep them quiet for several weeks.
indeed
Instead of turning back, the Sail to the COP group, as the activists are known, have now decided to sail on to Belém, Brazil…..
If they were more than half way that would probably have been compulsory. Their supplies would only have been calculated for the duration of one crossing – not one and a half.
I suspect that they were going to arrive a few days before the conference. So I expect that they will then get a plane back to Madrid. Worth watching to see if this happens….
Meanwhile, Spain has now offered to help Greta getta to Spain:
https://www.dw.com/en/spain-to-help-greta-thunberg-get-to-cop25-in-madrid/a-51091374
I’m sure she’ll be delighted to accept an airline ticket. Not.
Not a problem. They can just fly home. Oh, wait…
The protests in Chile are over things like a hike of 30,000 p ($0.04 US) in public transportation fare by the government. I wonder how they’d groan about paying $2.25 for bus fare in US cities like Chicago, plus an additional charge for a transfer.
I love stories like this because the comments
that follow are so much fun to read!
There are advantages to using a faster mode of transportation!
My thought entirely RockyRoad.
Only idlers have the time on their hands to make such virtue-signalling gestures. The rest of us, not so much.
I wonder how well those 36 young environmentalists are getting along with each other, while couped up together on that boat. Think about if you and your wife have ever had heated disagreements – and there are only two of you – and you love each other. I used to vanpool from Colo. Springs to NW Denver and back – a 3 to 4 hour commute every workday. We had 6 to 10 people in the van. We did not always see eye-to-eye on our trips. There was one other commuting van I heard about, where two people got into a very heated argument about — one of them, a lady, was chewing gum, and kept popping it, and it was driving the other person, a guy, loony.
Did anyone bother to tell them the fiberglass hull, sails, and lines (rope) are all oil byproducts?
It is extremely doubtful if they would have made it to Santiago in time in any case. They definitely wouldn’t have done so under sail.
All the way down South America from Belem to Patagonia (about 5000 miles) and then either through Magellan Strait (very treacherous waters, and very difficult to sail through westwards) or around Cape Horn going against the prevailing winds (storms). And then all the way up the Chilean coast (another 2000 miles). No way they could do that in a month by sailing. It would require an average speed of about 8 knots, and much more if they need to tack against the wind, which is 100% guaranteed near the Horn going westward.
Rio is on the east coast. From there with bus or something. So no need to go around South America 🙂
You mustn’t do that you know. It is diesel-powered.
That’s two months of your stupid life you’re not getting back.
Head for Venezuela, call it even. Win Win
Where is Chile’s next Pinochet when the country so clearly needs him???
\Ha – the cruel irony of it all is that this climate conference was cancelled because of protests stemming from terribly disturbing rises in transport costs of the Santiago Metro – caused directly by carbon dioxide taxes being imposed on the company. This should be a warning to the activists. The yellow vests in France – and now poor Chileans.
Where next??
With 365 hp of Caterpillar power, the Straits of Magellan to Ushuaia & beyond would be my choice of route. There are good reasons why Volvo singlehanders sail west to east around Cape Horn.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Regina_Maris_(ship,_1970)
Last position 31st October Cape Verde Islands. https://www.marinetraffic.com/nl/ais/details/ships/246501000
You don’t get to Ushuaia by going through the Straits of Magellan. Ushuaia is on the Beagle Channel. But I agree there is a very good idea not to try going westwards around the Horn (or through the Straits of Magellan).
The old clipper ships went to Australia around the Cape of Good Hope and from Australia around Cape Horn. Downwind all the way.
And how did they get the good news half way into their stunt, erm, voyage? A message in a bottle, a carrier pigeon?