Arriving in Władysławowo

After 48 hours of negotiation with the harbor officials, the wind lifts up and the Langenort heads to Wladyslawowo to dock in the the Wladyslawowo harbor. Waiting on the dock are Polish women's organizations and the other Women on Waves members, but also a group of around 200 anti abortionist protesters, led by MP Strak. The anti abortionists throw red paint and eggs at the Langenort as they sail in and try to land, and the border patrol has to intervene to make sure people gathered to welcome the Langenort do not get pushed into the water. One anti abortionist tries to cut the ropes of the ship while berthing. Once this happens, the harbormaster suggests a secured berth.

The harbormaster and border patrol board the ship while the security joins hands to prevent the anti abortionists from climbing aboard as well. The captain is informed that she has broken some regulations by entering the harbor without his permission, but then is told that it must be due to the fact that she does not speak polish, and her polish deck hands were busy tending a malfunctioning motor.
The ship is moved to a secure berth, and customs officials board. Polish customs break the Dutch customs seal applied to the closet with the abortion medication, but they will have to wait until the next day, when the pharmaceutical experts arrive, to properly identify the pills.

June 22, 2003
This morning the weather conditions have improved and the ship will make its way from Gdynia to the harbour of Władysławowo. After 48 hours negotiating with the Polish harbour authorities the ship is finally able to enter the harbour. The ship is welcomed by Polish women’s organisations and members of Women on Waves standing on the dock. During entry into the port a group of about 200 protesters led by MP Strak from the League of Polish Families Party (LPR) are present on the jetty, shouting threats and throwing cans of red paint and eggs at the vessel. Two crewmembers are hit by paint, and seek refuge on the ship’s bridge. The Border Patrol ensures that demonstrators from the LPR do not push our supporters in the water. One 'anti' demonstrator tries to cut the ropes of the ship while it is berthing. The border patrol stops him. A prominent local politician splatters two of the Polish Pro-Choice supporters with red oil paint. After these incidents the harbour master suggests that the ship be moved into a secured area of the harbour.

The harbour master and border patrol board the ship while both supporters and protesters wait on the quay. The border patrol and security have successfully formed a buffer zone to prevent protesters jumping on board the ship.

The harbourmaster informs the captain that she has broken some regulations by entering the harbour without his permission. Normally such an infringement would constitute, at worst, the equivalent of a minor maritime traffic offence, the local harbour master tells us. The captain explains to him that confusion must have been caused by some miscommunication based on the fact that she does not speak Polish nor does the harbourmaster speak English. Weronika, a crewmember from Poland there to help with the translating, had left the bridge for a moment and there were problems with the vessel’s engine, just as the vessel was waiting to enter the harbour. Realising that the engine was not functioning properly and that the ship was having difficulties in manoeuvring, the captain decided to focus exclusively on bringing the vessel safely into harbour. Captain Margreet decided that providing secure harbour entry for the vessel and its crew was her highest priority.

The Langenort is moved to a secure berth in the harbour and the ship is cleared by customs officials. The Polish customs break the seals that were applied by Dutch officials on the cabin that contain the abortion medication. As the ship goes through customs, the local prosecutor comes on board and attempts to seal the entire treatment room. Our lawyer is refused access to the ship and, accompanied by considerable debate, the captain and another crewmember are asked to hand over their passports to the customs officials. These are returned after a couple of hours. It helps a lot that Willem is constantly calling with the Dutch Embassy. Fortunately, after some negotiation, our lawyer is allowed onboard. Upon leaving the ship the local prosecutor announces publicly that Women on Waves has not committed any crime. Tomorrow a team of pharmaceutical experts will investigate the ship. Can the authorities confiscate the abortion pill? If customs decide to re-seal the medications, is it legal to open the seal again once we are in international waters? Even our lawyers have no idea what to expect.

Press team, Sladjana: "Before the ship's arrival, the Women on Waves crew and the Polish volunteers are already present at the dock. So are our opponents. My knees are shaking. MP Strak and his gang are shouting, "Dutch murderers!" and "Gestapo!" Another man shouts in response to them, "Idiots!" He isn’t even one of our team but I think he just is so fed up with the skinheads that he can’t just keep still another minute. So he continues shouting at them, this elderly Polish man, ‘Idiots! Idiots! Idiots!’ I'll never forget this old guy at the docks.�

Hotline team, Beata: “It is so strange to stand so close to anti-abortion protesters who are throwing eggs at us. I am really pissed off and decide that for our security we should report all incidents of violence to the police. The police are really nice and a lot of them support us, but I still think they could be more pro-active in preventing the egg-throwing.�

Polish volunteer, Alekasandra: "For me the arrival of the ship symbolises the first step towards the realisation of our goals, as expressed in the slogan "3 x tak" (3 x yes): yes to sexual education, yes to contraceptives and yes to legal abortion.�

Deckhand, Shawnna:" I am nervous and tense as we dock for the first time in Wladyslawowo, looking at all the angry faces. Outnumbered and surrounded by this huge mob that stands shouting against everything that we represent, I spot our volunteers. These women, some of whom have also been hit with eggs and paint bombs, are cheering and holding banners of welcome, cheering and waving and smiling! They are the courageous ones in this crowd, in this country They tell us they couldn't do it without us. But we couldn't do it without them."

BBC News 22-06-2003: "Abortion ship enters Polish port."

GAZETA WYBORCZA 22-06-2003: The public prosecutor from Puck, Witold Niesiolowski: ''There are different possibilities: either we will seal the medicines on board to conform the customs law so that they can not be used on Polish territory or we will confiscate the medicines. I will await the results of the controls.� He added that the abortion pill RU 468 is allowed on board the Langenort because the ship sails under the flag of a country where the pills are not forbidden."

Press team, Sladjana: "Before the ship's arrival, the Women on Waves crew and the Polish volunteers are already present at the dock. So are our opponents. My knees are shaking. MP Strak and his gang are shouting, "Dutch murderers!" and "Gestapo!" Another man shouts in response to them, "Idiots!" He isn?t even one of our team but I think he just is so fed up with the skinheads that he can?t just keep still another minute. So he continues shouting at them, this elderly Polish man, "Idiots! Idiots! Idiots!" I'll never forget this old guy at the docks."

Polish volunteer, Alekasandra: "For me the arrival of the ship symbolises the first step towards the realisation of our goals, as expressed in the slogan "3 x tak" (3 x yes): yes to sexual education, yes to contraceptives and yes to legal abortion."

Crowded dock in Wladyslawowo
The Langenort docks with difficulty in Wladyslawowo. Image copyright Women on Waves 2004.

Goodbye

The Langenort leaves to return the Netherlands. Weather is rough and emotions…

The last trip

The Langenort sails to international waters very early in the morning to avoid…

Artists or abortion doctors?

Women on Waves are invited to participate in an art event at Modelarnia, a…

Kremlin, Acropolis, Eiffel Tower, Langenort!

The Langenort does not sail out again due to weather conditions, and instead…

Open Ship

An open house day is held on the ship to be able to provide more information.

Support us

In Wroc?aw a demonstration takes place to support the actions of Women on Waves.

Active media

Washington Times 29-06-2003, Joe Bob's week in review: "The Langenort, a…

Sailing again

The Langenort sails out into international waters for the second time. There…

Dealing

The local prosecutor has started an investigation concerning the possible…

To international waters

The Langenort can finally sail to international waters to provide Polish women…

Teaching those who want to learn

The ship moved to a publicly more accessible space so that press and visitors…

A letter of support, a drop of truth.

On the fourth day of the campaign, it almost seemed like this hectic isolated…

Custom officials

On the 22nd of June the pharmaceutical experts identify 180 Cytotec pills and…

Calling

DZIENNIK BALTYCKI: "There will be no pregnant women coming even as close as 10…

Press, police, politicians. and phones.

In the morning of the 21st of June, a press conference is held in the…

Bright Lights, Wrong City

When the Langenort finally arrives in Poland on the 20th of June, it finds no…

Attention

On the 19th of June at two pm Women on Waves sends their international press…

Keep the closet closed

On the 16th of June, the Langenort finally sails out, after first having the…

Clogged toilets and lawyers who never stop talking.

Meanwhile, the Langenort is having some difficulties. The Langenort's engine…

Fame! Glory! Compulsory EU leader tours!

In June 2003, Women on Waves got a spot in the first Biennial of Thessalonica…

Wladywhatta?

By April 2003, the crew, press team, medical team and translators are all in…

Leaking like a sieve.

Women on Waves is careful not to announce their trip to Poland, as not to allow…

Power to the... Church?

In January 2003 the Polish Government announces that a referendum will be held…

Condensed SexEd

In December 2002, Women on Waves gives one day workshops for medical…

License to question authority

Even though Women on Waves' application for a license as a first trimester…