We have had Phantom since 1990 and have been living aboard since 1991. Rick bought her in the British Virgin Islands and we lived aboard there, until we sailed to New Zealand in 1995. Our 9 year old son Jackson was born in the British Virgin Islands and was 20 months old when we sailed across the Pacific. We currently run a day sailing charter business, on Phantom, in the Bay of Islands. We live aboard in the port of Russell - New Zealand's first capital, in 1840, (then called Kororareka), and depart from that wharf daily. Our busy working season is the New Zealand summer and we meet people from all over the world. We take tourists sailing in an area that is beautiful and clean and full of wildlife -dolphins, whales, all manner of seabirds, and just unspoiled - an incredibly special place!

We were peripherally involved in the last flotilla, being in complete sympathy with the cause. The participants are all our very close neighbors and friends - we all live in the same anchorage. We escorted them on their departure and wished them well; we stayed in touch throughout, on the SSB radio.

We think the stance on a nuclear-free environment and atmosphere is very validating for the insurance of our children's future on this planet. Taking part in this flotilla gives us a chance to publicise the validity of those values and bring it to the attention of the world. It reinforces an idea that everyone's voice, however small, is loud enough to be heard. It expresses our fears and the fears of those who support us, that the world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place. We collectively recoil at the thought of a nuclear accident and stand with Greenpeace inan attempt to strongly voice an opposition to this transport.