so the RNZAF Orions are now searching the area... interesting, probably just trying to see if they can pick up the aussie and japanese subs. Funny thing about Paul Watson is he rubbishes Greenpeace for their propaganda photos etc of whales being harpooned, but yet he doesn't have a comment page like Greenpeace does hahahhahaha that cracks me up hey Paul what about free speech? Paul you cant talk about how awesome you are for ever, dont forget your target market is a little bit smarter than the those who follow the demise of B Spears etc. P.S Canon make sub-standard cameras anyway go minolta or olympus!FLIR sensors on the Orions use Olympus lenses.

Toyota wets himself over taking a stand against its government, Canon wets himself over taking a stand against its government, and Greenpeace wets himself over threatening them with an appeal for an international boycott - which could at last loosen their timid tongues.

Hey Greenpeace, don't go on playing "Mr. Scaredy Pants"! Attack them in their only sensitive spot: their export! Get into your heads that they don't understand any other language!

Become aware that you're grappling with the Japanese scientific research poachers for 22 years now! It is high time to stop coasting around in the Southern Ocean year for year together with the Japanese! Please finish this waste of your resources, which are indeed your donator's resources!

In my above comment, naturally, I didn't mean that you leave the Japanese whalers alone in the Southern Ocean next year but that you deter them from going there at all! So force the pace against Toyota and Canon, as a beginning!

And besides, I want to propose you to turn your bridge cam into a coordinates cam, because the bridge isn't such exciting. Just set it to macro mode and direct it to your GPS display, please. I think your donators are entitled to see where in the world you use up their fuel, full speed ahead.

What are you waiting for?
Are you waiting for the extinction of the whales?
Are you waiting for some nation to help you with a military fleet?
In your webcams page is written:
"Seen enough? Take Action!".
Haven't you seen enough? Haven't you taken enough pictures to show to the world?
The world will not wake up until the tragedy (of the extintion) become! Like the global climate change!
Please take acion!
Greenpeace must shut down the whaling. Not Canon. Not the australian Governament. You are the protectors of Mother Earth.

REPLY:
We focus on the whaling issue and how to stop it, in the Southern Ocean, in the political arena and in Japan. I don't really understand your comment I'm afraid - are you suggesting everybody else should just leave it to Greenpeace?/Iréne

I had a dream that Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace made a truce and made a landmark agreement. One group would sit in wait in Japan and tail the whalers from day on so there is no time lost looking for them. The other group waits in port and heads out on a schedule to relieve the tail ship which heads back to refuel and return in time to relieve to cover the late part of the season. By doing so the whole season is covered instead of two competing organizations running out of fuel at the same time and letting the whalers have the entire late season to kill as they wish. I know both organizations don't agree on all levels but you both want to save the whales. Compromise on tactics, both side need to give a little and find middle ground. Now even the most hard-headed person can see the incredible merit of this plan. If you guys really want to save the whales you will find a way to stop bickering, find middle ground, and save the whales. Otherwise you they are just going to wait you out year after year and hunt after you run low on fuel. The world is watching, make it happen.

Great graphic composite with the two 'weapons' facing off. I'm glad you made the camera bigger. ...and thanks Irene for giving us a chance to sign this petition.
You guys are hitting the mainstream now, and hope you all in the blog here will consider some hopeful and promising statements by Greenpeace's Executive Director, Gerd Leipold yesterday from Reuters/UK - http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKL2363296420080123?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

It would be helpful if those environmenatl organisations which are in partnership with Canon e.g. WWF did some writing on behalf of whales. They ask their members to write on a variety of issues, why not this?

REPLY:

Maybe they should! /Iréne

Why don't Greenpeace concentrate on saving whales instead of blaming everyone else. If the Esperanza had gotten in between the Oriental Bluebird and Nisshin Maru then the Nisshin may be out of fuel by now. Dead in the water. Instead Greenpeace used it for a photo-op - presumably using Canon cameras.

REPLY:
Blaming who - what are you on about? We decided that the risk of a spill was too big - we are an environmental organisation, remember? Yes, we have several Canon cameras onboard. /Iréne

Good morning all and thank you once again for the intense and dangerous work you are undertaking on behalf of the Whales. It breaks my heart to see these magnificent creatures being slaughtered.
Jetske is one hell of a brave lady; we need more like her and her counterparts on board the Esperanza to stand up for these beautiful Whales. Please know that so many people are behind you all and applaud your bravery and the work each of you are doing.

Relentless public awareness is the key.

I send blessings of peace, love and thanks to you daily.

Dianne

P.S. the Shaman in me prays the Whales of the Southern Oceans will get together and swoosh their tales around the Japanese boats creating a current of ocean that will steer them safely back to Japan.

this killing of the whales is cruel!!!!!!!!!!
IT MUST BE STOPPED!!!!

Right on, Irene!
The more people that write to companies like Canon, the more they will realise the liability that whaling is becoming to Japan's economic future. In a sluggish economy like Japan, many companies are re-thinking their priorities, so now is a very good time to be writing. I encourage everyone to take the time to write.
Phillip
Ibaraki
Japan

I've sent my message to Mr. Mitarai. I am a second dan in a traditional Japanese style of Karate called Shotokan. I know that the leadership of many of Japan's martial arts like Karate, Sumo, Judo and Kendo are national heroes. Could I suggest that Greenpeace, with it's contact in Japan, contact some of these people to see if they would join a "Japan Masters against Whaling" style of campaign.

I swore I wouldn't come back because of Greenpeace's attitude toward Sea Shepherd, but I can't resist... on the Canon issue, now that the CEO has so far refused to take a stand against whaling... just curious, where does NIKON stand on the issue??? Hurry up, quick, find out! I'm in the market for a new camera!

REPLY:

Why don't you send a letter to Nikon and ask? Take care
/Iréne

As you are for sure running out of fuel before the Japanese whaling vessels, wouldn't it be better to let Sea Shepherd step in while you go back to re-fuel?
You can then go back and let Sea Shepherd to back for fuel.
This way you can always have one vessel with the Japanese whalers.
I think most of us would like to see them blocked throughout the season, not only a part of it.

Alas, Piichetz, as good and practical as that sounds, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting.....the whalers will bide their time, wait for the fuel to run out, wait for the Australian Customs to go home, and then resume whaling. The good folk of Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd will continue to mystify their supporters!

Such continual bickering and negativity... not one good work for the 2 weeks that Greenpeace Esperanza has been tailing the fleet PREVENTING whale deaths...if the folk in here who continue on this silly childish sea shepherd V Greenpeace crap ACTUALLY GOT INVOLVED... then perhaps both organizations could afford to stay in the southern ocean a lot longer ... but alas your all mostly "armchair" greenies and voice your disgust etc in blogs...the answer??? get off ya backsides and go PROTEST against whaling just like that brave 14 year old girl Sophie did in the UK... Be a Voice ....

Hi Tom,
in November, the Esperanza had indeed sit in wait for the whaling fleet in Japan in order to tail them, but if my memory serves me right, they have slept through the whalers' nocturnal departure ...

Matthew, that's not true - the fleet turned off their AIS coming out of port, so we we had to track them through dozens of radar blips in a busy shipping channel. It wasn't helped by the fact that they had several navy/coastguard ships acting as decoys - we had only one ship, so there's only so many decoys/real ships we can chase!

vi ringrazio per tutto quello che state facendo,le balene, come i delfini,... come tutti gli animali sono esseri straordinari, per fortuna ci siete voi!!!!!provo una grande emozione tutte le volte che vedo le vostre azioni, perchè appartenete a quella razza speciale di chi mette in pratica ciò che dice

Join this anti-whaling facebook group and you will see how much the general public wanted Greenpeace to share the coordinates of the Japanese fleet with Sea Shepherd.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7251222651

its an anti-whaling facebook group that has over 100,000 members!