Greta Thunberg watches dolphins off the coast of Penzance as she passes 100 miles west of Spain on day two of her trip across the Atlantic amid furore over Brexiteer Arron Banks' 'joke' about her drowning

  • Greta Thunberg watched dolphins during her first night at sea during a two-week trip across the Atlantic
  • The 16-year-old is making her trans-Atlantic trip on board the 60ft yacht, the Malizia II, fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity on board, as she hopes to make the journey zero-carbon
  • She added that her first night at sea was bumpy and they had travelled 100 miles west of Spain so far 

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Climate change activist Greta Thunberg watched dolphins during her first night at sea before she experienced 'bouncy and rough' waves after setting sail from Plymouth on her two-week trip across the Atlantic.

The 16-year-old is making her trans-Atlantic trip on board the 60-ft yacht, the Malizia II, fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity on board, with the aim of making the journey zero-carbon. 

The boat's skipper Boris Hermann said last night the the trip so far has been 'bouncy and rough' but 'mostly everyone got some sleep'. 

'We are trying to find an organisation of space and storage and life. Everything is slow motion: dressing, cooking, etc. All ok so far and we will get used [to it]' he added in a tweet.

He also shared a pictured of the Swedish teenager watching dolphins near the coast of Penzance as the team headed into their first night at sea. 

Sharing a picture of herself on the yacht this morning, she shared the crew were '100 nautical miles west of Cape Finisterre' on the west coast of Spain.

 'A very bumpy night but I slept surprisingly well. Some dolphins showed up and swam along the boat last night!' the teen added.

 

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg watched dolphins during her first night at sea before she experienced 'bouncy and rough' waves after setting sail from Plymouth on her two-week trip across the Atlantic

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg watched dolphins during her first night at sea before she experienced 'bouncy and rough' waves after setting sail from Plymouth on her two-week trip across the Atlantic

Sharing a picture of herself on the yacht this morning, she shared the crew were '100 nautical miles west of Cape Finisterre' on the west coast of Spain. A very bumpy night but I slept surprisingly well. Some dolphins showed up and swam along the boat last night!' the teen added

Sharing a picture of herself on the yacht this morning, she shared the crew were '100 nautical miles west of Cape Finisterre' on the west coast of Spain. A very bumpy night but I slept surprisingly well. Some dolphins showed up and swam along the boat last night!' the teen added

The 16-year-old is making her trans-Atlantic trip on board the 60-ft yacht, the Malizia II, fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity on board, with the aim of making the journey zero-carbon

The 16-year-old is making her trans-Atlantic trip on board the 60-ft yacht, the Malizia II, fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity on board, with the aim of making the journey zero-carbon

The boat's skipper Boris Hermann said last night the the trip so far has been ' bouncy and rough' but 'mostly everyone got some sleep

The boat's skipper Boris Hermann said last night the the trip so far has been ' bouncy and rough' but 'mostly everyone got some sleep

It comes as the climate activist said she will not waste her time speaking to President Donald Trump when she lands in the US to attend UN summits on tackling global warming.

The 16-year-old said Mr Trump has ignored scientists and other experts about global warming, so she saw no reason why he would listen to her.

'I don't see that if anyone else has succeeded... I am not that special.'   

She added: 'I can't convince everyone and instead of speaking to me and the school-striking children and teenagers they should be talking to actual scientists and experts in this area.

It comes as the climate activist said she will not waste her time speaking to President Donald Trump when she lands in the US to attend UN summits on tackling global warming. The 16-year-old said Mr Trump has ignored scientists and other experts about global warming, so she saw no reason why he would listen to her. Pictured: The Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht makes its way past the Plymouth Breakwater Lighthouse off the coast of Plymouth

It comes as the climate activist said she will not waste her time speaking to President Donald Trump when she lands in the US to attend UN summits on tackling global warming. The 16-year-old said Mr Trump has ignored scientists and other experts about global warming, so she saw no reason why he would listen to her. Pictured: The Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht makes its way past the Plymouth Breakwater Lighthouse off the coast of Plymouth

'There's always going to be people who don't understand or accept the united science, and I will just ignore them, as I'm only acting and communicating on the science.

'I have just decided I'm going to do everything I can, that keeps me going, the dedication I will do everything I can.

'Also, the fact that some things are actually changing, I think the mindsets of many people are changing, even if it's not enough, and not fast enough, that's something, it's not for nothing.' 

She added: 'Of course there are climate delayers who want to do everything to shift the focus of the climate crisis to something else or want to make people question the science.

Greta's 'school strikes' have inspired a global protest movement by young people demanding urgent action on climate change

Greta's 'school strikes' have inspired a global protest movement by young people demanding urgent action on climate change

Greta, who is taking a sabbatical year from school, will be joining large-scale climate demonstrations and speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit hosted by secretary-general Antonio Guterres in New York in September

Greta, who is taking a sabbatical year from school, will be joining large-scale climate demonstrations and speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit hosted by secretary-general Antonio Guterres in New York in September

'I'm not worried about that and I'm just going to do as I want to do and what I think will have most impact.'

Mr Trump has previously described concerns about climate change as 'bulls***' and suggested global warming was a hoax created by China to hit US manufacturing.

Last night, self-styled 'Bad boy of Brexit' Arron Banks sparked fury after tweeting a sick 'joke' about the teenager, who has Aspergers drowning during her transatlantic yacht voyage.

Commenting on a post in which Thunberg announced she was off the English coast, Mr Banks wrote: 'Freak yachting accidents do happen in August.'   

Last night, self-styled 'Bad boy of Brexit' Arron Banks sparked fury after tweeting a sick 'joke' about the teenager, who has Aspergers drowning during her transatlantic yacht voyage. Commenting on a post in which Thunberg announced she was off the English coast, Mr Banks wrote: 'Freak yachting accidents do happen in August'

Last night, self-styled 'Bad boy of Brexit' Arron Banks sparked fury after tweeting a sick 'joke' about the teenager, who has Aspergers drowning during her transatlantic yacht voyage. Commenting on a post in which Thunberg announced she was off the English coast, Mr Banks wrote: 'Freak yachting accidents do happen in August'

The message prompted a storm of criticism, including from arch Thunberg critics like radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer, who tweeted: 'She's a child, Arron. FFS.'

Mr Banks responded: 'Quite and one being used. Obviously I don’t hope she encounters a freak yachting accident! I just enjoy watching the ludicrous tweeter mob following the next outrage.’

Replying to another user saying the tweet had 'shown his true colours', he wrote: 'It was a joke… you lefties have no sense of humour.'

Other Twitter users also slammed Mr Banks in replies to his tweet, with one writing: 'Beyond despicable. This utterly vile. How could anyone imagine being on the same side as you was a good place to be.' 

Greta's 'school strikes' have inspired a global protest movement by young people demanding urgent action on climate change.

Greta, who is taking a sabbatical year from school, will be joining large-scale climate demonstrations and speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit hosted by secretary-general Antonio Guterres in New York in September. 

'How would you feel if someone posted this about your daughters?' Brexiteer Arron Banks sparks fury with sick 'joke' about climate change activist Greta Thunberg DROWNING during yacht voyage to US 

Brexit ‘bad boy’ Arron Banks has sparked fury after tweeting a sick 'joke' about Greta Thunberg drowning during her transatlantic yacht voyage. 

Commenting on a post in which Thunberg announced she was off the English coast, Mr Banks wrote: 'Freak yachting accidents do happen in August.'

The message prompted a storm of criticism, including from arch Thunberg critics like radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer, who tweeted: 'She's a child, Arron. FFS.'

Mr Banks responded: 'Quite and one being used. Obviously I don’t hope she encounters a freak yachting accident! I just enjoy watching the ludicrous tweeter mob following the next outrage.’

Originally a modest Tory donor, in 2014 Mr Banks defected to Ukip in anger at then-PM David Cameron's stance on Europe. He is pictured in a file photo

Originally a modest Tory donor, in 2014 Mr Banks defected to Ukip in anger at then-PM David Cameron's stance on Europe. He is pictured in a file photo 

Replying to another user saying the tweet had 'shown his true colours', he wrote: 'It was a joke… you lefties have no sense of humour.'

Other Twitter users also slammed Mr Banks in replies to his tweet, with one writing: 'Beyond despicable. This utterly vile. How could anyone imagine being on the same side as you was a good place to be.'  

Svenja O'Donnell tweeted: 'It's appalling that you wish harm upon a child, whether you agree with her or not.'

'Sammi' said: 'In what world did you think it was a good idea to send that tweet out to the world? Just plain nasty.'

Another user, James Phillips, called Mr Banks a 'despicable little man'.

Even critics of Ms Thunberg criticised him, with one user writing: 'Although I think her journey via yacht is ridiculous, this tweet is in poor taste, Arron.'

Another Twitter user, Madeline Grand, wrote: 'Good grief this is appalling.'

And fellow Banks critic Sarah Rosemary said: 'I appreciate you do this for effect, but you're wishing death on a child now?' 

Ms Thunberg decided to take a wind-powered racing yacht across the Atlantic to attend UN summits on tackling global warming, after deciding flying or taking a cruise ship would emit too much carbon.

Brexit donor Arron Banks has been slammed for a sick 'joke' about climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg drowning in a yachting accident

Brexit donor Arron Banks has been slammed for a sick 'joke' about climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg drowning in a yachting accident 

Replying to one user saying the tweet had 'shown his true colours', he wrote: 'It was a joke… you lefties have no sense of humour'

Replying to one user saying the tweet had 'shown his true colours', he wrote: 'It was a joke… you lefties have no sense of humour'

The teenager, whose 'school strikes' have inspired a global protest movement by young people demanding urgent action on climate change, said she would not bother trying to meet Trump when she arrives in the US because he has already ignored the views of climate scientists.

'I don't see that if anyone else has succeeded... I am not that special,' she said.

She is also planning to visit Canada and Mexico before travelling to this year's UN climate conference, which is taking place in Santiago, Chile, in December, making her journeys by train and bus.

Meanwhile, Mr Banks was recently the subject of allegations that he may have been involved in smuggling diamonds out of South Africa, it has been alleged.

Britain's National Crime Agency has been passed claims that Mr Banks, who owns diamond mines in South Africa, tried to get hold of black-market diamonds from Zimbabwe.  

It is alleged that he was trying to supplement his South African diamond exports with the illegal supply from Zimbabwe, pretending they were all from his mines, according to The Sunday Times.

Mr Banks has denied ever being involved in diamond smuggling in South Africa or any other African country, and insisted he had not been questioned by the NCA over the allegations or told that the agency was looking into the issue.

The businessman is already under investigation by the NCA over his donation to Leave.EU three years ago.

Ms Thunberg decided to take a wind-powered racing yacht across the Atlantic to attend UN summits on tackling global warming

Ms Thunberg decided to take a wind-powered racing yacht across the Atlantic to attend UN summits on tackling global warming

The Electoral Commission had referred the case after investigating whether Mr Banks was the 'true source' of the funding.

He made his fortune from the Bristol-based insurance broker Brightside which he founded.

Mr Banks, who is married to Russian Ekaterina Paderina and has five children, then went on to found another firm, GoSkippy. It is now said to be worth £100million.

Originally a modest Tory donor, in 2014 he defected to Ukip in anger at then-PM David Cameron's stance on Europe.

He was pictured alongside Donald Trump when the President met Nigel Farage in New York just days after his shock US election victory.

Last year Mr Banks claimed he had rejoined the Conservative party along with his associate Andy Wigmore but the Tories said their applications had been rejected.

In May 2018 Leave.EU was handed a fine of £70,000 for breaching finance rules in the 2016 referendum.

After failing to become the lead campaign group for the pro-Brexit movement, it had a spending limit of £700,000 but the Electoral Commission found it exceeded that cap.

Earlier this year the European Parliament said it would investigate claims that Mr Banks had donated £450,000 to Mr Farage after the referendum.

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The two-week sailing trip means she can attend the summits without using planes or cruise ships which cause greenhouse gas emissions. She said her adventure would have challenges including seasickness but said many people in the world were suffering a lot more than that

The two-week sailing trip means she can attend the summits without using planes or cruise ships which cause greenhouse gas emissions. She said her adventure would have challenges including seasickness but said many people in the world were suffering a lot more than that

The first anniversary of her protest movement will happen next week while she is on board the yacht. The youngster is crossing the Atlantic in the 60ft sailing yacht, which is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines to generate zero-carbon electricity on board

The first anniversary of her protest movement will happen next week while she is on board the yacht. The youngster is crossing the Atlantic in the 60ft sailing yacht, which is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines to generate zero-carbon electricity on board

Greta Thunberg refuses to travel to the US by cruise ship or plane: Here's why

The climate change activist has ruled out flying on a plane for the trip because on average, a plane produces a little over 53 pounds of carbon dioxide per air mile.

For example, non-stop flights from London to New York City take between 8 to 10 hours based on the airline. 

There are 3,470 miles between London and the Big Apple. When that number is multiplied by 53 it equates to about 183,910 pounds of emissions per flight between the two cities.

Thunberg also refuses to travel aboard a cruise ship because they're notoriously big polluters.

Most cruises travel from the East Coast of the US to the UK – usually England. By sea, it will take six or seven days in transit, and sometimes longer.

A single large cruise ship can emit over five tons of oxides of nitrogen.

Thunberg has opted to take on the Atlantic on a high-tech yacht, known as the Malizia II.

The journey from the UK to New York will take approximately two weeks on the Malizia II.

The boat is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that allow it to generate zero-carbon electricity on board

It will be captained by yachtsman Boris Herrmann.

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She is also planning to visit Canada and Mexico before travelling to this year's UN climate conference, which is taking place in Santiago, Chile, in December, making her journeys by train and bus.

The two-week sailing trip means she can attend the summits without using planes or cruise ships which cause greenhouse gas emissions.

She said her adventure would have challenges including seasickness but said many people in the world were suffering a lot more than that.

To keep herself occupied during the journey she has books, board games and a rabbit teddy bear, which was a gift from a friend.

'I was test sailing two days ago and we went out for several hours. I didn't feel bad or anxious, I felt seasick for about one or two minutes, then it stopped,' she said.

'I will just have to see, get on the boat and see what happens, and that is also very exciting.

'I've never done anything like this before, I can't really say what's going to be the biggest challenge, I will have to find that out.

'I think this trip will be quite an adventure and a very new experience for me and I expect it to be challenging sometimes but also good most of the time.'

Greta was speaking at a press conference in Plymouth, Devon, before setting sail on Thursday afternoon.

The first anniversary of her protest movement will happen next week while she is on board the yacht.

The youngster is crossing the Atlantic in the 60ft sailing yacht, which is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines to generate zero-carbon electricity on board.

The vessel is captained by Boris Herrmann, and Greta will also be accompanied on the two-week journey by a filmmaker, her father Svante and Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Monaco's late Prince Rainier III and American actress Grace Kelly.

How did Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg become the poster girl for the climate change movement?

The youth-led climate protests which kicked off across the world were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager who went on a three-week school strike outside her country's parliament in summer 2018.

Born to a professional opera singer mother, the pigtailed teen developed her interest in climate change aged nine after watching a film on the effects of plastic.

What began as a lone fight in August in 2018 outside the Swedish parliament spread all over the world and involved more than 100,000 schoolchildren in 112 different countries.

The movement was called Fridays For Future and consisted of students taking every Friday off to demand government action on the climate issue.

Greta has Asperger's and ADHD but has often spoken on how her conditions have acted as a motivator instead of a source of depression, which she said they once were.

Since her first strike at the age of 15, Greta has gone on to talk about the possible solutions to combat climate change at rallies in Stockholm, Helsinki, Brussels and London.

Every conference she has attended she has travelled by train, bus or cycled in an effort to keep her carbon footprint low.

Over the last few years she has convinced her family to make drastic changes in order to help save the planet including refusing to fly on planes, growing their own vegetables and not eating meat.

Greta was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by members of Norway's Parliament for her work and determination, and she received the freedom of expression, Fritt Ord Prize, in April 2019.

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