100 Gallions of Fuel

In downtown Auckland a flotilla departed that is in opposition of deep sea oil exploration drilling. The New Zealand government approved exploratory drilling last year before the Gulf of Mexico disaster. 200 people attended the sendoff today.  I am guessing that 2/3rds of them were just rubbernecking and not part of the protest.  There was a large Maori group singing and dancing and a half dozen speakers.  The flotilla included about 8 sailing yachts that averaged 60' long.  Each boat has a diesel engine that will probably use at least 100 gallons of diesel just to get to Cape Runaway where the proposed drilling will take place.  I was tempted to ask the participants how much of the junky consumer products that they use have some form of crude oil in them. If the protest in prolonged, the boats will undoubtedly have to re-fuel, maybe they could pull next to the exploration vessel?  The East Cape region of the north island does need some economic development, this could be a start.  Oil is not an answer to sustainable energy, but nether is driving a diesel fueled yacht in circles.