22 December 2005
Whales saved, whale lost
by Andrew, onboard the Esperanza
A strategy we've employed over the years is putting our small boats between the whale and the harpoon. Simple and effective, but not effective enough. So we've added a twist. We've put a fire pump on the Billy G. The pump connects to pipes sticking straight up from the at the back of the boat - creating a shield of water 15 metres high, making it hard for the harpoon gunner and even the whale spotters in the crow's nest to see their target.All morning, Nathan (driving the Billy G.) and Philster (driving the Mermaid) dogged the Yushin Maru No. 2 - the newest ship in the whaling fleet. The Yushin tried to shake them off by driving through pack ice. Normally this would have worked. Few people would venture into an ice field unless they were driving an ice class ship with a strengthened steel hull. They definitely wouldn't want to be caught in the ice in something made out of rubber and aluminium. On the other hand, our boats weren't going to let a little frozen water get between them and the whales we're out here to protect.
So in they went - dodging around chunks of ice, finding clear leads, and as a last resort dropping behind the Yushin to ride in its wake, then darting forward when in the clear. No matter what it did, the hunter couldn't shake them, and its crew was too distracted to even try for any whales. At one point, from the Esperanza, we saw a whole family of minke whales go by - four or five in total - without the whalers even noticing. It felt good watching them swim past to our starboard, and off into the distance.
Finally, the Billy Greene had to come in for refuelling and a crew change. Nathan, Joe and Nico climbed off, and Alain (driver), Luke and Cat jumped on. Within minutes they were away again. Meanwhile, the the Mermaid had held down the fort. Philster still had gas and wanted to stay out there, but Frank (captain) called him back. So Philster and Odin switched with Jetska (driver) and my cabin mate Slava. The switch took some time though, while Marc (boat mechanic) made a minor repair.
Meanwhile, the Yushin had found a whale, and the fire pump on the Billy G. wasn't starting. Every time the whale surfaced, Alain put the boat right up near it. On the whaling ship, the grenade tipped harpoon was in place, and the gunner ready. Thankfully, he wouldn't take the shot with our people in the way. He kept trying to fake them out though, swivelling the gun around and pretending to take aim - hoping Alain would swerve out of position. But Alain stayed focused, and his crew got the pump working. The Yushin was swerving about like crazy though, and the whale diving out of sight then surfacing. At one point Alain misjudge what spot to be in. The harpooner spun far to starboard. For a moment, he had a clear shot with our boat well out of the way. He took it. There was a bang, the harpoon flew and for a second I thought the chase was over. But it was a miss. The whale resurfaced and dove once again.
Then, at last, the Mermaid arrived on the scene. Watching from the bridge, I was positive the whale's safety was now assured. But by now the whale was clearly exhausted. And in the end, our boats could not protect it. The harpooner got another clear shot, and this one hit home. After that there was little we could do.
Upsetting at the end, but overall a good day. Normally the whale hunters stay within about eight miles of their factory ship, and in waters so full of whales usually kill one after another. Today, we shut this one down for six hours, traveling over 25 miles. Tomorrow, we will try again to (we hope) protect every last whale.
Comments
We're with you guys in our thoughts - I can't imagine how painful it must be to see the violent end to such magnificent creatures. It sickens me to look at some the images and footage you've taken, (watching anything die is gut wrenching to most people - just ask Jamie Oliver) but if we can get people to see and understand what's really happening, disguised as science, then maybe they will do something about it. Keep up the good work my fellow Ocean Defenders, it's inspiring to see and gives me hope in my fellow men/women...
Posted by: elaine at December 22, 2005 10:25 PM
Keep up the great work. This horrible display of human selfishness by the whalers makes me sick to my stomach and breaks my heart. I truly hope one day this stops but believe it is probably a cultural and attitudinal change that needs to be made prior to this happening.
Posted by: Fiona Netting at December 23, 2005 12:31 AM
Hi, i sind up today to this program because i believe that the Japanese shouldn't be able to kill innocent whales. The GreenPeace are doing a wonderful job on protecting and saving as many whales as possible. I believe that the Australian Government could be doing more so yeah. GreenPeace keep doing the job you are doing.
Well Done it does not go unnoticed
===
Andrew replies:
Thanks again for all of your support. It makes a huge difference to us to know you are all watching. But don't only watch, get angry, feel sick to your stomach - take action. Give a shout to your government, and ask Gorton's to help end commercial whaling. You can also tell your friends, and write letters to your local newspaper, TV or radio station to help spread the word.
Think of any action you take, no matter how small, is like a Christmas present for the whales. :)
-- Andrew (onboard the Esperanza)
Posted by: Kyle at December 23, 2005 1:01 AM
Greenpeace, Has been saving the whales for years.
Looking ant the images and the TV report makes me think that this big Corporations care nothing about the environment, Just the $$$.
Cant we sink this ships. Ofcourse its very hard unethical & risk to ones personal safety, aftermath would be hirrendous. The game of cat & mouse has to end & end for good.
Greenpeace is doing what ever they can peacefully, But how Effective is it? GP(greenpeace) Saves 10 out 15 shots.. But the loss is still there & its big. Australian Government Dont know where they stand on this but the public is outraged.
hopefully the Corporations will come to their senses.....
---
Andrew replies:
Too right. The first two days showed that peaceful direct action can protect individual whales. In the best case, I think we could even keep them from reaching their quota. But nothing anyone does down here will end commercial whaling. The best strategy we have come up with so far to do that is let consumers know about links between products in their local supermarkets and the whaling industry. The main company we are focusing on right now is Gorton's (in the US). You can contact them here, and all Ocean Defenders will get updates about other companies and more ways to help.
-- Andrew (onboard the Esperanza)
Posted by: Abhay at December 23, 2005 7:25 AM
your stories make me cry in front of my computer... imagining how it feels when seeing this cruelty with your own eyes makes my heart go cold, but foremost I get outraged at the tremendous ignorance and disrespect these people have for precious life. Makes me want to fight there with you.
Your job is extremely hard and often heartbreaking, but try to cherish the small moments of victory, the lives of whales that you save by delaying their hunt, and the invaluable footage that will hopefully reach all media around the world. My thoughts are with you!
Posted by: kyra at December 23, 2005 5:00 PM
Thank you all so much for being out there and doing this difficult and dangerous work to try and save these precious creatures from the whalers. Keep up your strength and spirits. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Posted by: Vivienne at December 23, 2005 8:11 PM
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