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Sightseeing !?!? Good God...
I believe there's people really don't know what are you doing yet, and most important, why.

I'm a scuba diving and i know what are you talking about underwater noise... one more item in the list of polluting agent to our oceans and seas... and it's not taken in care as it should be.

Take my more sincere support from Spain !!!
Ecobuceo, JoseluisGV

You wrote,

"The reply from the whaling fleet was, "look out for blue whales - there's some around". As blue whales are a protected species, we're assuming the fleet aren't interested in hunting them at this moment in time, but we found it to be rather amusing to be getting whale watching advice, given the source. It's not too late to turn the Nisshin Maru into a whale watching vessel..."

Are you out of your mind? Please reread that last sentence of your quote. Again, I ask you, are you out of your mind????

If the majesty and beauty of the whales can change some of the whaling crew's hearts then that will be a tremendous thing indeed.

But I fear you are in la-la land to even entertain such a thought.

On a side note, can't wait to hear the mp3 you uploaded (the computer I am working from now will disable access I'm sure).

Whale watching advice from the whalers... You know, they're kind of growing on me since they stopped killing whales. I really think there is something right about this campaign in Japan to make a bridge with them.
From what I'm reading on this blog, I'm getting more and more the impression that they're just pretty nice people doing a dirty job. We just need to find them a better job!

I keep listening to it over and over again. Call me easily entertained, but I think it's beautiful and eerie at the same time. It's calming, too... hard to explain, really.

Great post too, by the way. I've been lurking a lot, and linking to you as well.

Thank you for all you're doing. There are so many of us who appreciate it more than you know.

Katherine, I think you missed the irony. I was half-joking!

Some days ago you said that while the Nisshin Maru ignored your initial communication efforts the crew of one of the hunter vessels did say "hello". Is there a difference in communication (and kindness of that so to say) towards the Esperanza between the captains of the various Japanese ships?

The webcam is indeed awesome as well as addictive :)

RE turning the Nisshin Maru into a whale-watching ship... good on you Dave, glad to see you guys are managing to hang on to your sense of humour down there(must be a prerequisite for these expeditions I reckon)! The concept of such a transformation would make a nice cartoon or animation too :-)

Take care,
Nomesie

Hi Pepijn - the Nisshin Maru didn't necessarily ignore us - their communications equipment probably wasn't working. We're dealing mostly with one individual, who is their "expedition leader".

This begins to sound like a meeting of cruise ships in the Ross Sea – is there no danger emanating from the "Nisshin Maru" anymore, aside from being a whale slaughter vessel ???

Hi Matthew - the whaling fleet is currently out of action. Following the fire on the factory ship, Nisshin Maru, they are unable to whale at all, as they have no way of processing the meat. There's claims in the media that they're going to start whaling again, but it looks extremely unlikely.

Your doing a wonderful job down there by highlighting the terrible slaughter of the whales by the Japanese fleet, keep up the good work and hope that one day the whales can swim the worlds oceans in peace.
Best wishes.
John E.

Blue Whales!

When I was a child, about 5 or 6, I was told by my teachers that I would never ever see a Blue Whale, because they were extinct, or 'there maybe one or two left'. Over the years I kept asking "have they found any Blue Whales?".

To know that Blue Whales still exist is an amazing feeling, as I've kept a hope alive since my childhood that we hadn't destroyed them completely. I guess that's why I'm so passionate about stopping whaling... for everyone to be so convinced we had totally annilated a species and then find there is a small chance that species can survive is an immensely important lesson to learn.
We came so close to loosing them forever, let's not do that ever again!

Dave - if you see a Blue Whale you have to have to have to tell it "Felyne says GOOD TO SEE YOU" (and a photo would be mindblowing too, but no pressure).

This whole thing with the fire and death of a crewman has provided an easy 'out' for Japan -- surely they can now say it's just too dangerous to warrant continuing the research program, without loosing any face with anyone about conceeding any points to the 'terrorists'.

Hi Dave,

I suppose you forgot to mention that the JARPA2 programme also includes whale sighting and biopsy sampling. So the crews of the whalers are also checking encounters with blue whales and might use biopsy bows when possible to take tissue samples.

"As blue whales are a protected species"
Well the blue whale was indeed protected since the 1960's, far before the moratorium was adopted in 1982. That was also the case of all whales species considered to be endangered then.

To remember, the Oriental Bluebird is a combined refrigerated cargo/bunker vessel. If they're preparing for towing, there will be transfer of product(?) and oil from Nisshin-maru.
If not, you must suspect whaling will continue.
The weather has been very conducive to the latter prospect.

Hi Pragmatic - the weather may be conducive, but they'll need a ship that works too. Unlikely...

Its Crazy how the whales are endangered. Hopefully things can be cleared ASAP. I think everyone is doing a great job getting things cleared down there.

The title of this thread reminded me of one of the most beautiful whale songs every written. Below is the song "Listen to the Whales". It was written by a young man named Jim Robertson and given to Mel Gregory, a gifted musician and animal affinity expert on the Greenpeace vessel The James Bay when they docked in San Fransico in the about 30 yrs ago.

LISTEN TO THE WHALES
Jim Roberts

There's a song in the water, singing through the stillness of the deep;

There's a song in the water, I hear it in the deepness of my sleep;

There's a song in the water, a song that I would like to understand;

It's the song of the whale and it's high time we listen to it, man.

There's a song in the water, but there ain't as many singers as before;

For perfume and cat food, these singers are killed off by the score;

With their awful weapons, the whalers like unknowing fatal bees,

Sting the mighty whale, and sail off across the songless crimson sea.

(Chorus) Listen to the whales, stop the whaling slaughter,

in the water, there's a high mind in the sea;

If mankind was created a step below the angels

The whale, I know, is somewhere in between.

There's a king in the ocean, and tonight for his lady love he sings;

It's an ocean of tears, and it's keening to the wailing of the king;

His queen and her calf, today were a killer whaler's prize;

They were lifted from the water, right before the king's very eyes.

(Chorus)

There's a dance in the ocean, it's a prayer to the setting sun;

It's a holy, soulful motion, no more sacred dance was ever done;

There's a dance in the ocean, it's a-rollin' graceful mighty making love,

May the child of that loving, never know a whaling ship above.

(Chorus)

(Repeat Chorus)

(Repeat Last Line of Chorus):
The whale, I know, is somewhere in between.

We're not talking about whaling here but I have a question. According to Greenpeace most Japanese people don't eat whale meat so who does eat it? and why are they hunted? I would really appreciate it if somebody could give me the argument from Japan's side and our side.