The full story of how we did NOT meet the Japanese whaling fleet
By Irene with great help from Frank
The radar screen on the bridge
©Greenpeace/Jiri Rezac
If you've read the previous posts on this blog, you've already guessed that things didn't go quite according to plan! We didn't manage to meet the Nisshin Maru coming out from Shimonoseki. Here's the story of what happened during the night between Sunday and Monday.
The whaling fleet left port at 11.30 am on Sunday. We moved closer to the entrance of the strait, knowing that they had our approximate position, since the coastguard and the navy had paid us numerous visits during the previous days.
Normally the fleet should have reached us before sunset, but instead of heading straight out, they slowed down in order to sneak out on international waters in the dark. When (what was thought to be) the Nisshin Maru passed the narrow strait that you can see here on the map, half way between Shimonoseki and the entrance of Bungo Suidō, the sun had already set.
Pen indicates the location of Shimonoseki.
The Esperanza hit the waves head on as we moved towards the coast; it was a bumpy ride, to say the least. The moon was sporadically visible between the clouds and reminded me of some werewolf movie. All the lights on the bridge were switched off - it took a while to get used to the darkness, and I was careful to avoid bumping into any crewmates. All I could see was the light from the radar and some other lights. I am not quite sure what they are for, but hey, I'm just a web editor.
So how do you spot a ship in the dark? There is the radar of course, and something called AIS - Automatic Identification System. This is a little machine that transmits the ship's name and other details non-stop. We looked for a ship that had its AIS switched off.
Ships also have navigation lights. The only good thing about the Nisshin Maru is that their lights are very conspicuous: their side lights (the green and red ones) are below the front top light. 90% of ships the size of the Nisshin Maru have their sidelight below the aft top light.
At last we see a ship coming up on our radar screen. All other ships were transmitting their names except this one, so we went to have a look. But then he turned away from us, so we followed. We follow the ship for some time, heading in an Easterly direction (which was a bit strange) but we decided to stick with her.
All of a sudden three smaller ships appeared on the radar, heading full speed in our direction. The lights of the Japanese whaling ships Yushin Maru 1, 2 and 3 coming towards us in the dark is a sight that will stay with me for a long time. They cut in front of our ship at less than a 100 metres distance. We were then sure we had followed the right ship.
At that moment we could only see the stern light of the Nisshin Maru, so we started to overtake it to have a positive identification. And sure enough, once we came level with the ship we saw the lights from aside and there was no doubt.
This was at 0400 in the morning. Time to go to bed.
A couple of hours later, at daybreak, we got woken up. We were following a big navy ship.
We think this is what happened: The Nisshin Maru disappeared somewhere into the inland sea before she went trough the narrows and had a light shape look-alike taking her place to lure us away. Meanwhile the Nisshin Maru sneaked out into the Pacific. Clever.
No need to tell you it was a huge disappointment. Me, I spent most of yesterday wearily staring at nothing through my ugly glasses from the Swedish pharmacy, not getting much useful done.
But today is a new day, and nothing is lost. After having slept some I started seeing things differently:
- We managed to get the word out that the whalers delayed their departure due to the risk of political embarrassment during the meeting between the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and US President George W. Bush.
- Since yesterday four national governments have commented on the Japanese whaling programme.
Even if we can't see them from this very ship at the moment, they did not slink off unnoticed - they already got much more attention than they ever wanted.
And the Esperanza steams southwards - we will find them.
We've seen coastguard and navy vessels of various kinds, in the air and on the water, before, during and after the departure of the whaling fleet. Even as I write this, far away from Japan, we are being shadowed.
The Japanese government seems to waste an awful amount of time and resources on making the departure of their innocent "research fleet" as quiet and invisible as possible.
- Iréne & Frank
Comments
This is my second time sending you guys a note. Good for you. Keep it up you will find them. I dont feel helpless anymore as I have donated to greenpeace and have become active as a whale defender as I try to raise awarenes and donations for this cause. Good luck and thank you for doing what you do
Maria
Posted by: Maria | November 20, 2007 5:00 PM
Curse those sneaky buggers, and the Japanese navy for collaborating with them!
Must be pretty frustrating. Keep the spirits up. I'm sure you'll find them.
Posted by: Andrew | November 20, 2007 5:21 PM
Question: Have you managed to contact the Sea Shepherd's crew yet? Apparently they need Esperanza's help with co-ordinates. Please pull together on this mission. The only winners will be Japan's whale killers on its factory ships if you don't co-operate with co-ordinate information on it. I support both groups in their endeavour to prevent this illegal commercial whale killing slaughter.
Posted by: Norma C | November 20, 2007 5:25 PM
I am disappointed in the Japanese people of the world for helping to kill whales. I will boycott all products from Japan. Let others know what is happening to the whales. What a crime against nature. Is nothing able to be done but sending a few people to harass the whalers? I am sickened by the actions of the Japanese Nation. Why is Greenpeace the only organization actually doing something and taking Action. I wish we could send a thousand ships to harass the whalers. To think these people used to be children, what happened to them? People of the World unite against the Whale Killers.
Posted by: Jim | November 20, 2007 7:51 PM
Hello to the Esperanza crew! I have been enjoying your dispatches -- thank you for the updates. When you have a break from tracking the whaling fleet, check out the blog of Wayne Pacelle (of The Humane Society of the United States). Today he weighed in on this unconscionable hunt; you can see that at http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2007/11/japan-whales.html.
Posted by: Meghan | November 20, 2007 8:31 PM
Wow! The Government of Japan is so sneaky! What next? A submarine to kill whales from under the water in order to hide their "science" from the world?
Posted by: Lisa | November 20, 2007 10:07 PM
Keep up the hard work, you WILL find them!
Posted by: whitney | November 20, 2007 10:31 PM
Just wanted to wish you all well and happy hunting the hunters! Erik Nelson
Posted by: Erik | November 20, 2007 10:39 PM
Thats a shame.
dont loose hope guys, were with you!
Posted by: Justin | November 20, 2007 11:25 PM
Do You have a clear picture of Nishin Maru, we would like to welcome it the way it deserves when it rests in my place.
Best regards
Posted by: Mata | November 20, 2007 11:40 PM
Nobody dares to post a comment...
The Japanese realy want to hide what they are doing!
You got foold? I wouldn't do it any better. So no problemo from my point of view!
Posted by: Adriaan | November 20, 2007 11:52 PM
Obviously the Japanese are very sneaky in their hunt. I sure hope you guys can stop this killing!...with alt the mega rich people out there, it would be nice if whal watching vessels/cruise ships could assist in the chase and publically humiliate the arogance of a nation!
Posted by: William | November 21, 2007 3:10 AM
Hey they may have slipped you for now, but just the fact they have to go to such elaborate extremes to get away from you means you are making them work hard already....a long way away from Antarctica...
Fair sailing guys
Posted by: Benn | November 21, 2007 3:27 AM
Keep it up guys! Make their lives hell until they stop their killing.
Posted by: Plow | November 21, 2007 7:45 AM
It's a pity the whaling fleet managed to evade you like that. Still, the fact that they need to resort to such tricks to prevent you from following them means that you are really beginning to bother them. So you are making a difference. Don't get discouraged, keep looking and with a little luck you will find them. I really hope you do!
Posted by: Myrto | November 21, 2007 9:04 AM
im constantly watching the live webcam on the Esperanza...and have posted the link to thousands of people....many thousands have boycotted japanese products.. just wish i could be out there helping as well, to save as many whales as we all could....
Posted by: kelly taylor | November 21, 2007 11:24 AM
Hi all,
I've been following your progress since this started, and publishing the latest news on my own blog, you have a lot of support and my own effort is trying to make more people aware that this is not just a greenpeace fight, everyone needs to do their bit.
I was very surprised at Japan's comments referring to groups as "environmental terrorists", funny as if whales could speak that's probably exactly how they would refer to the Japanese.
Great work guys, i'm following this blog daily.
Tony:)
Posted by: Tony Lewis | November 21, 2007 2:05 PM
Sneaking like a thief obviously.
Hope they trip or bump in the dark while sneaking.LOL
Posted by: jener | November 21, 2007 5:51 PM
Don't forget to help the sea shepherd with coordinates if you do find the whaling fleet. you all need to work together and put Greenpeace's "image issues" aside. quit bickering and get to work.
Posted by: help | November 21, 2007 9:13 PM
Hi!
Can we have an update please on how you are going to find the japanese whaling fleet ? or how likely it is you can find them?
I know nothing about sea navigation so Im guessing now they slipped away its like finding a needle in a haystack ?
hopefully they'll put out a distress signal for rescue because they've realised they need psychiatric help and need to return home urgently! (with your help)
I'm getting sponsors for my whale trail page by wearing something coloured red every day until the end of the season....anyone in the UK please sponsor my page! fanks!
Posted by: georgie | November 22, 2007 8:07 PM
Can't we ask Google to update Google Earth in that area so we can all see you and the fleet?
Google could help save the whales.
I don't know how they get new pics for Google Earth but if they have to buy new ones from NASA maybe we could pass the hat around. But then again Google has lots of cash ...
They must be somewhere about here
http://wapurl.co.uk/?KO6YD4D
Posted by: Nick | November 26, 2007 3:26 AM
God speed Esparanza, they may run but they cannot hide.
Posted by: Sylvia Shaw | November 27, 2007 11:51 AM
In response to the enquiry from Mata here is a link to an image of the Nisshin Maru.
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/02/15/nisshin_maru_wideweb__470x281,0.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/whaling-ship-in-fire-emergency/2007/02/15/1171405329747.html&h=281&w=470&sz=18&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=LDhorIL3ynQNFM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnisshin%2Bmaru%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Posted by: Sylvia Shaw | November 27, 2007 1:01 PM
I orana from Tahiti
and thank you Silvia.
Posted by: Mata | December 5, 2007 6:05 AM