100 Kayaks Say sHELL NO! in Seattle, Protest Offshore Arctic Drilling Rig in Seattle [PHOTOS]

from KING5

Environmental activists in kayaks and boats launched in Elliott Bay on Saturday afternoon for another protest over Shell’s giant Arctic oil drilling rig.

More than 100 kayaks and other boats made their way to the Polar Pioneer as police and the Coast Guard looked on.

The so-called kayaktivists want to make their message clear – the rig isn’t welcome here and Shell oil has no business drilling in the Arctic.

Critics of the protesters say the city’s antagonism toward Arctic oil is, at the very best, confusing.

“To ask the Port to forgo revenue based on Arctic sourced fuel when the city of Seattle collects millions of dollars every year based on Arctic sourced fuel – I think that’s a major contradiction,” said Dave Gering of the Manufacturing Industrial Council.

The estimate is that the City of Seattle takes in $13 million in gas tax revenue each year.

Tugs brought the Polar Pioneer drilling rig into Seattle waters Thursday afternoon and it was moored at Terminal 5 by 5 p.m.

The Polar Pioneer is one of two drilling rigs that Royal Dutch Shell plans to park in Seattle until drilling season in the Arctic begins in the summer.

While the Polar Pioneer is in terminal 5, it will be tuned up and re-supplied before heading for waters off the north coast of Alaska for exploratory oil drilling.

Seattle Department of Planning and Development inspectors visited the Port on Friday. They formally determined that Terminal 5 is not permitted for oil equipment maintenance.

If the Port doesn’t apply for the right permit, that could lead to fines.

“After about a two-week period it’ll be $150 a day for 10 days and then after that it’s $500 a day until they come into compliance,” said Wendy Shark, Dept. of Planning and Development.