Siome is a 68-foot gaff-rigged schooner, built in Florida, USA. It has been the house of the Meyer family for the past 12 years. Martha and Allan Meyer have raised six children on board in places ranging from Europe to Cape Horn, to French Polynesia.

Martha Meyer is a South American artist and has been involved in working with children to raise their self esteem through art in three continents and Oceania. She is currently a resident artist in Russell, NZ.

Allan, who works as a tree farmer, says the flotilla is an important symbol of the strength of opposition in the South Pacific to nuclear shipments.

He says the nuclear powers behind the plutonium shipments act with complete disrespect for the views of the people whom they endanger.

"I'm sure they will have to stop these shipments soon," he says. "The strength of opposition is growing. It's time for a huge world effort to deal properly with nuclear waste...I hope also to see a big world push for energy alternatives that are sustainable that none of the big three nuclear powers can ignore. It's time for an end to the old world, slash and burn economy."