As seven boats left to protest against oil giant Anadarko test drilling for oil off the coast of Raglan, an anti-drilling protest boat was flying the flag opposing the exploration in Whangarei.
The Waiheke Island-based vessel Putangitangi tied up at Whangarei Town Basin on Thursday evening flying the anti-drilling flag in support of the protest flotilla.
Northland yacht Ratbag, a replica of an 1860s gaff-rigged fishing schooner, left Opua on Tuesday to join the seven-strong fleet heading to the Anadarko drill site 200km west of Raglan.
Putangitangi skipper Pete Shierny said his vessel was not equipped to travel along the rugged west coast so his job was to fly the protest flag on the east coast. After leaving Whangarei yesterday he would call into other small ports down the cost to fly the flag.
Concerns over the drilling included that Anadarko was using an untested drill ship and was drilling far deeper than previously attempted in Kiwi waters.