As a Species We Are Insane

Originally published under the title:

Best read in conjunction with the post above.

A Short Conversation With Paul Watson or, Mankind Is a Bollocks

The more I get to know this fellow, Paul Watson, the more he is my kind of bloke. I particularly like his take on the Jesoids, if they worried about this life a bit more and not the next, the world might be a better place.

And the auld feller, Farley Mowat, he ain't too far behind the door either.

And Teddy is back.

A short conversation between Farley Mowat and Paul Watson at Cape Breton Island Nona Scotia.

From the documentary A Pirate For The Sea.

Transcript by Teddy.

FM: I’ll tell you what I think is going to happen, I’m convinced of this. I don’t like to be convinced of it because I’m a living organism, I’m full of optimism of life, but I see the next great extinction which will then be the sixth in line since life appeared on this planet. We will be the cause and the recipient of this extinction. But in the process of course, everything else is probably going to get screwed up. How do you feel?


PW: No, I agree with that completely, that we are the last surviving species of hominid and we haven’t done too well so far, and now we are about to take down hundreds of thousands of species with us. We have created this mythology where everything revolves around us. That we are the centre of creation, that it doesn’t really matter what we do to the rest of the world. The other problem of course is, a large percentage of humanity is living this pie in the sky fantasy where they believe real life begins when they die and they go to some afterlife somewhere so that….


FM: It doesn’t matter a hell of a lot what you do here.


PW: Yeah, the planet’s expendable.


FM: Yep yep.


PW: In fact I’ve actually had some Christians come to me and say, you know you’re interfering with God’s plan. That God has ordained that these resources are here to be used while we’re here, and Jesus is going to be upset if we don’t use these resources he’s provided for us.











FM: Individuals must be relatively selfish, err in order that their species will survive, and the species must be selfish, but these things are very very relative and must be coordinated, must be taken into context with all other forms of life. If you separate them out as we have done and say, we are the only animal, the only form of life that is entitled to this self interest, we may pursue it as far as we choose, we must pursue it as far as we choose, then that is the recipe for suicide.


PW: As a species we are insane we’ve…


FM: We’re not insane a political? sense, we are out of control; in my opinion. Our whole structure is out of control, we don’t know what the hell we’re doing but we’re doing it as fast as we bloody well can.


PW: Right.


FM: Ah well, perhaps there’s hope for us in heaven.


PW: Laughs

Pual Watson on Democracy Now + Shark Finning in Taiwan

Captain Paul Watson is presently released from a German court on a quarter of a million dollars bond.

As hard as it might be to comprehend, fifty million sharks, valued in the billions of dollars, are taken annually by the shark finning industry.

Little wonder that Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd Conservation society have enemies. And let us not forget the Japanese, you can bet the farm that they will be up to their necks in this transparent piece of political chicanery.

For further reading: Don't Fuck With Teddy Blogspot

Captain Paul Watson, founder of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, has been released on bail in Germany following his arrest for possible extradition to Costa Rica on decade-old charges stemming from a confrontation with shark fin poachers. Sea Shepherd continues to maintain that Watson’s arrest was politically motivated and is calling on its supporters to come together in a day of action on Wednesday when the Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla visits Germany. Watson joins us from Frankfurt. “We’ve never injured anybody,” Watson says. “The most powerful weapon in the world as far as I’m concerned is the camera, so we go into battle armed with cameras...Right now 19 million sharks a year are being destroyed to feed the shark fin industry in Asia. And that means the fins are cut off of these animals and they’re thrown back into the ocean, and this is what we filmed off of Guatemala and this is what we intervened against — a highly illegal operation.” [Transcript to come. Check back soon.]

The post below previously posted here.

Sharks piled high, rows of fins: Photos reveal breadth of killings in Taiwan

By Juliet Eilperin
10/19/2011

Documenting the extent to which Taiwan is scouring the seas for sharks, the Pew Environment Group released a series of images Wednesday that capture that nation’s impact on global fisheries.

Shark fishing boats in Taiwan. ( Shawn Heinrichs for the Pew Environment Group) A series of photos and accompanying video suggest that Tawain, which reports the fourth-largest shark catch in the world, is an even greater player in the international shark trade than previously thought. The images capture imperiled shark species, such as scalloped hammerhead and oceanic whitetip, being prepared to be sold.

“These images present a snapshot of the immense scale of shark-fishing operations and show the devastation resulting from the lack of science-based management of sharks,“ said Matt Rand, director of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group. “Unfortunately, since there are no limits on the number of these animals that can be killed in the open ocean, this activity can continue unabated.” Scientists estimate the global shark fin trade kills between 26 million and 73 million sharks a year. Sharks have become an increasingly priority for enviornmentalists because of the rising prices of shark fins. California recently banned shark fin soup to curb the trade and a number of countries have created shark sancturaries to protect the animals from overfishing. Those measures have not stopped the trade. In Colombia, this week, the Guardian reports that divers discovered a huge shark massacre in a shark sanctuary of the cost of an islaned called Malpelo.

Taiwanese officials, contacted in Washington, emphasized that the catch Pew documented complied with both Taiwanese and international law. Only three shark species — whale, basking and white sharks — have international trade protections, and there are no global limits on shark fishing.

Grace Lin, deputy director of the economic division at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office, said her country has a national action plan for sharks in place and is working to protect whale sharks, which swim in Taiwan’s waters. She added that as of Jan. 1 vessels will have to land sharks with fins attached, a move aimed at curbing the fin trade.

“We are aware of this,” Lin said of the massive shark trade in her nation.

Shark fins at a processing warehouse in Taiwan.

The U.S.-based environmental Pew Environment Group expressed concern over new photos that seem to show the killing of large numbers of "biologically vulnerable" sharks by fishermen in Taiwan

Shark fins

The remains of sharks after their fins have been removed.

A shark processing plant in Taiwan. (Shawn Heinrichs for the Pew Environment Group) WaPo

Sea Shepherd Intercepts the Japanese Whaling Fleet with Drones

Oh I do like your style boys, drones indeed. Drive on!

And fair play to Bayshore Recycling Corp (BRC) and Moran Office of Maritime and Port Security (MOMPS) for making this possible. Good on you.

Sea Shepherd Intercepts the Japanese Whaling Fleet with Drones

Japanese Security Ships Move In On the Steve Irwin
December 24, 2011


The Sea Shepherd crew has intercepted the Japanese whaling fleet on Christmas Day, a thousand miles north of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

The Sea Shepherd ship, Steve Irwin, deployed a drone to successfully locate and photograph the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru on December 24th. Once the pursuit began, three Japanese harpoon/security ships moved in on the Steve Irwin to shield the Nisshin Maru to allow it to escape.

This time however the Japanese tactic of tailing the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker will not work because the drones, one on the Steve Irwin and the other on the Bob Barker, can track and follow the Nisshin Maru and can relay the positions back to the Sea Shepherd ships.

“We can cover hundreds of miles with these drones and they have proven to be valuable assets for this campaign,” said Captain Paul Watson on board the Steve Irwin.

The drone named Nicole Montecalvo was donated to the Steve Irwin by Bayshore Recycling of New Jersey, and Moran Office of Maritime and Port Security, also of New Jersey.

Captain Watson having received reports from fishermen when the Japanese ship passed through the Lombok Strait waited south of the strait at a distance of 500 miles off the southwest coast of Western Australia. Sea Shepherd caught the whalers at 37 degrees South, far above the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. More and photo's.

SeaShepherd.Org Rename Fleet

Why do I get the impression that The International Fund for Animal Welfare might be a tad more disposed towards this bear rather than this one?


Patience.

Japan urged to abandon outdated whaling policy
30 September 2011

LONDON, England -- The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is disappointed but not surprised that Japan's whaling fleet is reportedly planning a return to Antarctica later this year to kill more whales for its dying market.

Following Japanese media reports today that whaling will continue with around US$27 million in additional government security budget to protect the fleet, Patrick Ramage, Director of IFAW's Global Whale Program, said: 'I'd bet this is whaling's last gasp. The industry is out of gas and crashing. This move is more about pride than profit, more about politics and prerogatives of the Japanese Fisheries Agency than it is about public support.'

IFAW opposes whaling because it is cruel and unnecessary; there is simply no humane way to kill a whale. Footage of Japanese whaling analysed by IFAW scientists has shown whales can take more than half an hour to die. Whaling is also uneconomic, whereas whale watching offers a humane and profitable alternative to the cruelty of whaling, generating around US$2.1 billion annually for coastal communities.

Ramage added: 'If true as reported, this decision doesn't change the basic facts: whaling is an economic loser that makes no more sense for post-tsunami Japan than it did before the tragedy. The government bureaucrats are throwing good money after bad to pursue whales in a sanctuary.

Patience I tell ye!

'Meanwhile, the good people of Japan have lost their yen for whale meat and coastal communities around the country are pursuing profits from whale watching. The future lies with them. That Japan will quit the Southern Ocean seems certain. But Tokyo will determine when and how they will retreat, not Canberra, Auckland or Washington.'

IFAW urges Japan to reconsider its decision to continue whaling in the pristine Southern Ocean Sanctuary, in defiance of global opposition and several international laws.

Despite the worldwide ban on commercial whaling, Japan hunts whales in Antarctica under the loophole of 'scientific whaling,' which in reality is commercial whaling by another name. There is no science in scientific whaling; in fact non-lethal research is providing us with all the data we need to unlock the secrets of these incredible mammals.

Last November, the Japanese fleet headed for Antarctica to train its harpoons on around 1,000 whales. However, under pressure from many fronts, Japan called an early halt to its whaling season and headed back to port having killed less than half of its self-allocated kill quota.

The Australian government has presented a case against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean to the International Court of Justice. IFAW calls on all governments to take the strongest diplomatic action possible against Japan and demand that it ends its whaling programme now. IFAW

''Many Fronts'' not very gracious of them is it? All things considered.

Please support Sea Shepherd Org. Go on, send them a few quid, or become a regular donator. They'll even send you a t-shirt and some decals for your car, but that's nothing compared to the feel good factor you will carry around with you.





Previous:

Greenpeace: Money Well Spent?

Greenpeace. So What You Are Saying Effectively, Is, That You Are A Waste Of Fucking Time?

Oi! You Lot, Yes You Greenpeace, Will You Fucking Stop!

h/t Dive Spot

Steve Irwin Released - A Letter From Paul Watson

The Steve Irwin is Free, Thanks to Thousands of Donations!

Dear Teddy,

Sea Shepherd supporters rock!

Due to the generosity of our supporters around the world, we have raised over USD$735,000 to save our flagship Steve Irwin—less than two weeks after the launch of our SOS! - Save Our Ship fundraising campaign! Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible for us to fund a bond to release the vessel from detainment! Together, we will continue to make a difference.

As many of you are aware, on July 15, our flagship vessel the Steve Irwin was detained in the Scottish Shetland Islands pending our ability to fund a bond we estimated to be in the amount of USD$1,411,692.87. The detainment was ordered by British courts due to a civil lawsuit brought against us by Maltese fishing company Fish and Fish Ltd.

The British court set the bond today at £520,000 (approximately USD$846,290). Thankfully, we were able to post the bond earlier today, and the Steve Irwin will soon depart to the Faeroes for Operation Ferocious Isles. The Steve Irwin will join the vessel Brigitte Bardot and her crew, who are already onsite defending pilot whales.

I sincerely thank everyone who donated to help Save Our Ship. Your help enabled us to Free the Steve. However, despite everyone’s best efforts we didn't quite raise the entire amount and had to cut into our already scarce budget to meet the bond amount and Free the Steve. We face the ongoing costs of Operation Ferocious Isles, the transit of our vessels from the northern hemisphere to the southern for Operation Divine Wind, and then the cost of that Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign as well. We are all on the same crew, despite our different roles and varying locations. We all feel that inner drive to protect innocent lives and ecosystems, and I know many of you have given what you can— but please keep your donations coming in. Without your help, we cannot continue this important work.

We are in a war to save our oceans from ourselves, and if we lose, we all lose because if the oceans die, we all die – it’s as simple as that. Thank-you!


For Our Oceans and for the Steve Irwin,
Captain Paul Watson
Founder and President

Previous: Steve Irwin Desperately Needs Our Help

Steve Irwin Desperately Needs Our Help

Would you please join me in sending a desperately needed donation to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Thank you.

Emergency SOS from Captain Paul Watson: Save Our Ship!

Captain Paul Watson has a personal message for you. Please watch now!

I am writing to you from the ship, in Lerwick, Scotland: I need your help to free our flagship vessel, the Steve Irwin.

On the afternoon of Friday, July 15, the Steve Irwin was detained in the Scottish Shetland Islands by the British courts due to a civil lawsuit brought against us by Maltese fishing company, Fish and Fish Limited. They are claiming damages for the bluefin tuna we rescued from their nets in June 2010, fish that we believe were illegally caught after the season has closed, without an inspector onboard, or any paperwork documenting the legality of their catch.

We have a legal firm representing us, and believe we have the necessary evidence to support our case. This lawsuit will also give us the opportunity to expose what we allege to be illegal activities by Fish and Fish and we will be aggressively defending the case on this basis. The protection of the endangered bluefin is vitally important to our oceans, and to humanity, because if the oceans die…we die.

Now, unless we post a bond for USD$1,411,692.87, the Steve Irwin will be held indefinitely and possibly sold. This would not only be a financial hardship for Sea Shepherd, but more importantly, it could prevent us from reaching the Faeroe Islands to protect pilot whales and threaten our ability to defend whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary from the Japanese whaling fleet this December.

I urge you to help Save Our Ship today! We must urgently raise USD$1,411,692.87 to post bond. Gifts are coming in, but we have a long way to go. I urge you to send the largest gift you can today – your gift is incredibly important and will make a difference by helping us save the lives of endangered whales.

You've already helped save thousands of whales and untold numbers of other marine creatures, but unless we get our ship back soon, whales will die tragic deaths because of our inability to move this ship and protect them.

Please make a donation to save the Steve Irwin so we can return to sea and do what we do best – defend life in our oceans.

Never has the need for your help and support been any greater.

Thank you,

For our Oceans and for the Steve Irwin,

Captain Paul Watson

Photo David Gifford.

Paul Watson: To Stand With You Sir, The Honour Is Completely Mine

And ain't it just, Captain Paul Wilson, a remarkable human being.

If I could have found a photo of you from taken from behind, or if I had a similar one of Teddy, you would Captain Sir Paul Watson by now. But alas, both are like the proverbial rocking horse whatsit, so you'll have to wait until Betty gives you one, good heavens man you deserving enough. Not that I suppose you would be over impressed with such a gong I'm sure; but there you go.

Upped on this blog because I have just upped a post on t'other one and I would like it to stay on the front page for a spell.



This is the accompanying video.

Dear Teddy,

We did it! This week, we drove the entire Japanese whaling fleet from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. They are on their way home!

But we did not do it alone. We did it with you! Sea Shepherd is more than the ships and crew that operate them.

Yes, the crew is important - men and women from around the world from all walks of life who volunteer their time and skills and risk their lives to defend life in the seas. They are, of course, a very important reason for the success of our missions. They are the people who directly confront the killers on the high seas. It is their passion that makes Sea Shepherd all that we can be.
video thanks from captain watson

The crew on the ships could not function without our onshore crew, who make up our office staff and our many shore-based volunteers. Our onshore crewmembers are in a very real sense just as important as those who go to sea. They make budgets, answer phones, process donations, conduct legal research, respond to media inquiries, create merchandise, organize benefits like bake sales and art auctions, man information tables, prepare the ships in port, solicit donations of food and services for the ships--and so much more.

But, the foundation of what we are and what we do lies firmly upon the shoulders of our supporters from all around the world. Your financial backing puts the resources into our hands that feed our crew, put gas in the tank and paint on our hull, keep our engines running, and our safety and navigational requirements in tip top shape.

It is this trinity of sea crew, onshore crew, and financial support crew that keeps Sea Shepherd at sea and keeps the harpoons away from the whales, the clubs away from the seals, the longlines and driftnets away from the fish, turtles, and sharks, and the knives away from the dolphins.

Sea Shepherd is all of us who care about our oceans and are willing to stand up and ACT, in whatever way we are able, in defense of the wondrous diversity of life in our fragile oceans.

We are all Shepherds of the Sea and those who are not should be, because the stark reality is that if our oceans die, we die! Together we fight not just for the whales, sharks, seals, sea-birds, turtles, and fish, together we fight for our own survival.

Together we are a force for good, a force for change, a force for ecological sanity, and a force to be reckoned with!

We will be honored if you would continue to stand with us as we imminently face battles on other fronts - bluefin tuna overfishing in the Mediterranean, pilot whale slaughter in the Faeroes, dolphin killing in Taiji, poaching in the Galapagos, and more.

To all the Shepherds of the Sea that made it possible for us to drive the whale killers from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, I think I can speak for all the citizens of the sea in saying "Thank-you."

For the oceans,
Captain Paul Watson

Captain Paul Watson

Founder and President

• Click here to make a donation
• Click here to read about the whalers leaving the Southern Oceans.

See comments.

A Whale Cry For Help. Steve Irwin Re-Fuelling Bill $192,000

Foto Barbara Veiga


Go on,give yourself a,"all warm and fuzzy feeling" treat the old Steve Irwin to a sup of diesel.
And for the record. Just as the old man says in his email, I wouldn't ask you to do anything I wouldn't do myself; for shame and for the whales I wouldn't.






This is an, "as it came email" well perhaps not quite addressed to teddy, appealing for help with the re-fuelling of the Steve Irwin before she heads back down to the Southern Ocean for what has been the most successful and unsuccessful seasons ever. Success for the good guys, quite the opposite for the cruel and heartless bastards and their whale "research."

Dear XXX, TEDDY, I'm writing to you today from the Southern Ocean, as my crew and I head north to New Zealand, to ask for your help to refuel our flagship the Steve Irwin so that we can go back to the sanctuary and keep the illegal Japanese whaling operations shut down for the entire season. Last year, we were able to save 528 whales, which is more than the whalers were able to kill, but this year we have almost completely shut them down. So far the Japanese kill figures are very close to zero. We intercepted and then tailed their refueling and resupply vessel for three weeks, thus cutting off their ability to extend their operations. As my crew and I head north, the Bob Barker and the Gojira remain in pursuit of the whaling fleet, keeping them on the move and preventing them from whaling. Maintaining three ships, a helicopter, and 88 crewmembers in the Southern Ocean is enormously expensive. When you donate a dollar to Sea Shepherd, nearly all of it is used primarily to keep our ships and our crews in the field where they can make a difference. This approach keeps us small, but more importantly - it keeps us effective! The Steve Irwin needs to purchase 240 tons of marine diesel fuel. It costs about USD$800 for a ton of fuel, so this means we need to raise over $192,000 to fill the tanks and enable us to return. Whatever you can donate will make a difference! Reducing the kill quota to very close to zero is an enduring investment. To start this off, I have donated $5000 towards this effort myself. Just as I would never ask any of my crew to do anything I would not do myself, I will not ask any of our supporters to donate without donating myself. Your support in keeping our ships and crew at sea is the only guarantee that the whales have of survival and to be free from cruel slaughter by the ruthless killing machines from Japan. Your efforts will help us abolish whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Please donate today to get us fueled-up! Thank-you for investing in life, in our oceans, and in our efforts to police the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. For the oceans, Captain Paul Watson Founder and President

800 pixels below, not always the easiest to find.

Why Sea Shepherd Org Is In The Southern Ocean. Watch Times Square Video Ad Here

And then you will know.

Please do all you can to support Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The ONLY organisation actively involved in stopping the Slaughter of whales in Antarctica.





Foto Barbara Veiga

Sea Shepherd Sails into Times Square with Their First Outdoor Advertising Campaign
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Next time you find yourself walking through the heart of Times Square on 42nd Street, look up at the ‘CBS Spectacular’ big screen now boasting Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s first outdoor advertising campaign. The state-of-the-art, full motion digital billboard highlights the marine wildlife conservation organization’s anti-whaling campaign for which they are best known, partly due to the success of the popular Animal Planet television series Whale Wars, which will debut in its fourth season later this year. Whale Wars chronicles Sea Shepherd’s activities to end whaling in the Southern Ocean.

“Sea Shepherd wanted to do something completely unprecedented to create awareness of our whale defense campaign this year,” said Founder and President Captain Paul Watson. “We’ve long had a strong support base in New York, so when this opportunity came up we decided to use it to share our mission, raise funds for our Antarctic campaign, and capture the hearts of New Yorkers and international tourists alike. The image of a breathtaking whale breach followed by a harpoon exploding into a whale’s back, sends a powerful message to passersby in a visual language that we can all understand.”

Sea Shepherd is the only non-profit direct action conservation organization that actively patrols the planet’s oceans to defend marine wildlife and their habitats and uphold international conservation laws. Sea Shepherd is currently in the middle of their seventh Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign, appropriately titled Operation No Compromise.

“We are officially halfway through this year’s campaign, and funds are more important now than ever. We need to raise enough money to purchase fuel and provisions to keep our fleet of three ships at sea, to ensure that we can remain in the Southern Ocean through the end of the whaling season in March,” said Captain Watson.

The goal is to stop illegal whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, period. Operation No Compromise has already been deemed a success, as Captain Watson believes Sea Shepherd’s intervention will result in a dramatic decrease of whale deaths by the illegal Japanese fleet, perhaps by as much as 80 percent.

As Captain Watson often reminds us, “If the oceans die, we die.” SSCS

And please to remember.

Much more at http://dontfuckwithteddy.blogspot.com/

Ist Teddy's Neue Unterwasser boat to join Meer Hirten?

I'm not too sure about the translation.

Update: But what I am sure about, Babylon is malware, download it at your peril.



Header: "Is Teddy's new underwater boat to join Sea Shepherds?"

Greenpeace: Money Well Spent?

I have "borrowed this post from Cyber Whale Warrior, Holise E Cleveland III.

He says it better than I could hope to, and in posting the full article here it enables me to get the links out as requested, and it enables Teddy to get his message out again regarding Greenpeace.

Teddy has by the way, has just signed up for a Wordpress domain aptly named, Don't Fuck With Teddy (.wordpress.com) He has the thing set to private for the moment, but I'm sure he will be up and running shortly.

What Holise E Cleveland III, no less, has to say about Greenpeace was brought home to me recently when watching an episode of Whale wars. The Steve Irwin and the Sea Shepherds were steaming all over the Southern Ocean trying to locate the Japanese whaling fleet, but all to no avail.

The location of that fleet was apparently known to Greenpeace, who were themselves in the South Atlantic, doing what, I don't know, poncing about as usual would be my only guess. A request from the Steve Irwin for Greenpeace to share this information with the Shepherds, was met only by radio silence. No such silence from Himself though, as he called Greenpeace all the cocksucking names under the sun.

As Teddy says: wankers. Pussy cat wankers in fact.

But before you head on down the page, read this, sourced from the first link.

Where is Greenpeace?
Commentary by Captain Paul Watson
Thursday, December 09, 2010

Greenpeace has not sent a ship down to the Southern Ocean to defend the whales since 2007, but I wish they would. The more ships down there opposing the illegal activities of the Japanese whaling fleet - the better. Greenpeace has the ships, and they certainly have the resources, and supposedly they are against whaling, so where are their ships?

And where is Greenpeace when it comes to defending the dolphins at Taiji? Nowhere to be found! They have an office and staff in Japan but not a single Greenpeacer has gone to the Cove.

And where is Greenpeace when it comes to defending the pilot whales in the Faeroe Islands? Nowhere to be found!

Iceland? Not there. Not to be found in Norway either!

They gave up defending seals in Canada decades ago.

So why does much of the public think that Greenpeace is leading the fight to save the whales, dolphins and seals? It might have something to do with where Greenpeace is spending its money:

Promotional mailings and Internet appeals! They need your money in order to ask more people for more money.

Now I don’t begrudge Greenpeace and their right to do things their way but when I am stopped on the streets in Melbourne last March and asked to donate money to send a Greenpeace ship down to Antarctica to defend the whales, I was course very inquisitive. The couple with the clipboards in hand did not recognize me, so I asked when was the last time Greenpeace had a ship in the Southern Ocean?

They told me that two Greenpeace ships had just returned from saving whales.

“You mean the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker?” I asked.

“Yes,” they answered.

“Really,” I replied, “I believe those are Sea Shepherd ships.”

“Yes,” the woman said, “but Sea Shepherd is part of Greenpeace.”

I looked at her and calmly said, “No, it is not.”

Defensively she said, “Yes it is!”

It was then I introduced myself as the Captain of the Steve Irwin and the founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. She suddenly looked a little frightened and said, “I just work for Greenpeace and they told me to say what I said.”



If this was a something that happened this once, it could be seen as a mistake but other members of my crew have had similar conversations with Greenpeace canvassers on the streets of Paris, Washington D.C., and Perth, Western Australia.

And today I received the following internet message from Greenpeace:

I have taken the liberty of adding my editorial comments (in italics). more, lots more.

Gambling With Greenpeace

In the SSCS December 9th issue of 2010, Where Is Greenpeace?, Captain Paul Watson states how many Greenpeace volunteers are claiming that Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is their organization. Greenpeace isn’t doing squat in the Southern Ocean, yet they are soliciting funds for it! I have even seen where the media supports this farce. This video here is one example.

In January 3, 2011 we read how Wikileaks Reveals Sea Shepherd Is A Serious Concern to Japanese Illegal Whaling Operations. Greenpeace and the Japanese whalers are basically on the same side. No wonder there’s no Greenpeace in the Southern Ocean! As of January 11, Sea Shepherd has openly requested the support of just one Greenpeace ship. Frankly, I just don’t see it happening. Greenpeace will not risk upsetting the whalers, which is the same reason Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard will not deploy a single vessel.

People need to know what’s happening with their money, or what’s not happening with their money. Many like to “give at the office” because it makes them feel good that they are doing something for this world. Well, how would it make them feel if they knew the truth? Wouldn’t you like to know if it was your money? A serious injustice to people’s good intentions is being perpetrated here. So, please, get these links out. Email them to everyone you can. Post them on every facebook wall and forum. Send them to every media source and tweet them like there’s no tomorrow. Because that is what we are really fighting for: tomorrow! Saving the world costs money. I don’t know about you, but I want my money to actually make a difference!

Where Is Greenpeace?

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-101209-1.html

Wikileaks Reveals Sea Shepherd Is A Serious Concern to Japanese Illegal Whaling Operations

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-110103-1.html

Sea Shepherd Requests the Support of a Greenpeace Ship

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-110111-2.html

Gambling With Greenpeace

Sea Shepherd News: Hunting the Hunters

Sea Shepherd News

Hunting the Hunters Through Ice and Storms
Report from Captain Paul Watson
Friday, January 28, 2011

It is difficult to describe the sea, weather conditions, and the obstacles we face each day while in our pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet. The vastness of this Southern Ocean is awesome. The unpredictability of the weather is a constant surprise, and the ice, well, the ice is even more unpredictable than the weather.

This morning we found ourselves surrounded by large floes where the ice charts say there are no floes to be found. Miles away, the Bob Barker was also encumbered by the barrier of ice. And once again, the Nisshin Maru is on the loose. Not whaling, but out of our sight, and once again we renew our efforts to hunt it down. Fortunately the Gojira will be back in place within a few days, and it will be free to search for the whalers as a scout ship without a tail.

The Steve Irwin must return to land for fuel. We have delayed longer than we should have, and being jammed into ice is no comfort with fuel reserves running low. We still have the Yushin Maru No. 2 on our stern.

The Bob Barker also has a tail, which keeps us from approaching the Nisshin Maru because these tails simply relay our coordinates ahead allowing the factory ship to stay out of our way.

The Nancy Burnet helicopter gives us an advantage, but only when it can fly. Weather conditions prevent us from flying for over 50 percent of the time. All and all, it is a formidable challenge, but so far this season has been an incredible success. more SSCS

~ ~ ~

There are some heartless bastards on this planet.

€1,000 (Euros)
For the first successful conviction of a fisherman using a dog or cat as shark bait and €200 for each conviction thereafter

Dogs and cats are also involved in an assault on nature, this time as victims and as bait. On the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean, fishermen have been using live dogs and cats as bait for sharks. more SSCS

Steve Irwin Needs a Sup Sea Shepherds Head For Wellington

The Steve Irwin Disengages for Refuelling
Sea Shepherd News
Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin has no alternative but to disengage from further pursuit of the Nisshin Maru. The Steve Irwin will now head for Wellington, New Zealand to refuel and then will return to the Southern Ocean.

“We have run our fuel levels down to the point that we have no choice but to disengage,” said Captain Paul Watson.

The Bob Barker will continue to pursue the whaling fleet. The Gojira is en route back to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary from Hobart, Australia.

“Our continuous disruption, the constant fleeing of the factory ship, and the fact that two of three harpoon vessels have been taken off from whaling duties to tail Sea Shepherd for a month have significantly damaged the ability of the Japanese whaling fleet to conduct their operations down here in the sanctuary,” said captain of the Bob Barker Alex Cornelissen. “We will hound them until the end of the season. This whale sanctuary must be defended from these greedy poachers.”

“I am confident that the crews of the Bob Barker and the Gojira can keep the pressure on the whalers while we refuel and resupply,” said Captain Watson. “I’ve got two excellent captains and two incredibly passionate crews on those two vessels. The whales will remain in good hands while we are gone.”

It is a seven-day voyage to New Zealand, and seven days back, plus approximately two days in port. The Steve Irwin should be back in the Southern Ocean by mid February. The whaling season will last through mid to late March.

The whalers have become increasingly desperate in recent days, and have entered large heavy fields of ice to lose the Sea Shepherd ships.

“No matter where they go, we will follow them, and we will be relentless in our pursuit. It is a vast ocean down here fraught with dangers from weather and ice and with no recourse for assistance, if needed. We recognize these dangers and we recognize that this is a difficult campaign against a ruthless opposition. We have no alternative but to do all that we can to save as many whales as we can and to defend what is designated by law as a sanctuary for whales,” said Captain Watson. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Only in America Blogging For Whales

In order that I may give the plight that faces our big fat friends in the sea
the attention it deserves, I have decided to make Only in America, for the main part, a single issue blog, a blog for whales and other threatened creatures of the sea. And for the other stuff, perhaps just a daily round-up of links that may be of interest.

I shall still keep the other blog current, no doubt continuing to make posts about the asinine and absurd demented rantings of that lunatic fringe of losers, disgrace to the species, the contemptible cultists of Young Earth Creationism.

And if you should struggle to understand the degree of contempt that I hold for the whaling Nation of Japan, then you could never possibly comprehend the contempt I reserve these idiots.

Besides, I have unfinished business there.


Two short videos that I first posted in February 2007, only brought to my attention due to a little re-tagging of various posts. The first entitled, Amazingly Friendly Whale, and the second, Antarctic Whale Defence Campaign, includes words of wisdom from Captain Paul Watson, some wonderful footage of these magnificent creatures, and, sad to say, the horrors of a whale kill by the Japanese.

But let me make one thing quite clear, xenophobia is not in my DNA, not in the slightest; but I'm afraid it's the big brush application when it comes down to this lot. These pricks sail under the Japanese flag, tar one, tar all.









Bugger and damnation! I've used the wrong Teddy. Teddy two swords, that's what you get for buggering about in the small hours. Later. Mutter chunner grumble bollocks.


And let me say how delightful it is to have put that other stuff behind me, it's like a heavy dark cloud has lifted.

“This whaling fleet belongs to us now – lock, stock, and smoking harpoon gun.”

What a great header and what a great, and undoubtedly the best season so far, for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. As ever, tireless in its efforts to stop the slaughter of innocents in the South Atlantic. Could this be the last of the season ever? Read more of Captain Paul Watson in the second article. …hopefully it will be the last.

This latest report from 70 Degrees South. - At 70 Degrees South there is no God*

Sea Shepherd News

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Sea Shepherd Successfully finds the Nisshin Maru Position: 70 Degrees 45 Minutes South 171 Degrees 45 Minutes West

After a 26-day pursuit covering over 4,000 miles, the Steve Irwin caught up with the Nisshin Maru at 1800 hours on January 25th, 2011 AEST.

“We finally have this serial killing death ship where we want them, and from here on in, we intend to ride their ass until the end of the whaling season,” said Captain Paul Watson from onboard the Steve Irwin. “This whaling fleet belongs to us now – lock, stock, and smoking harpoon gun.”

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships the Steve Irwin, Bob Barker, and Gojira originally found the Japanese whaling fleet on December 31st, 2010 before the whalers had an opportunity to kill a single whale. Unfortunately, two of the harpoon vessels blocked the approach to the Nisshin Maru and the factory ship was able to flee with the faster harpoon vessels tailing the two larger Sea Shepherd ships to relay Sea Shepherd movements to the fleeing Nisshin Maru. The Gojira was prevented from immediately pursuing the Nisshin Maru due to risky ice conditions.

The Gojira shot ahead of the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker as the Nisshin Maru fled westward. On January 10th, the Gojira encountered the refueling and supply ship the Sun Laurel. On January 12th, the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin caught up with the tanker and began to tail the Korean-owned vessel allowing the Gojira to continue westward in pursuit of the Nisshin Maru.

The Sun Laurel headed north and east to put as much distance between the factory ship and themselves as they could. The Sea Shepherd ships followed knowing it was essential to cut off the supplies to the whaling fleet. Two of the three harpoon vessels followed and for 23 days we had confirmation that these two vessels had not taken a single whale. More Sea Shepherd News

A more comprehensive report of the situation as of Sunday 23/01/11

Sea Shepherd News
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Halfway Through Operation No Compromise
Report from Captain Paul Watson

This is Day 54 of Operation No Compromise and Day 25 since Sea Shepherd Conservation Society intercepted the Japanese whaling fleet. We are about halfway through the campaign, with approximately another 54 days to go until the Antarctic winter begins to evict the whalers from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and another season of slaughter will be over…hopefully it will be the last.

Despite that this is going to be the most successful year yet for Sea Shepherd’s mission and whale kill quotas will be lower than ever before, the fact remains that this is a very difficult and complex campaign taking place over hundreds of thousands of square miles in adverse weather conditions, amidst icebergs and floes. It involves coordinating three vessels, a helicopter, and 88 crewmembers. It also involves complex logistics like refueling, provisioning, repairs, aerial and ice surveys, communications, and numerous other details.

It is never an easy task and not quite as simplistic as many of our detractors seem to think it is. Our campaigns are major Antarctic expeditions in every possible way. They are grander in terms of ships, crew, and equipment than any of the famous Shackleton, Scott, or Amundsen expeditions of nearly a century ago.

On the very positive side during this campaign, we were able to locate the Japanese whaling fleet before they killed a single whale. We were able to intercept the Sun Laurel refueling vessel to cut off supplies and fuel to the Nisshin Maru and the rest of her whaling fleet. Most importantly of all, we have kept two of the three harpoon vessels out of whaling operations completely, while the third continues to run along with the Nisshin Maru.

We have chased the whaling fleet for over 4,000 miles for the last 24 days. Are whales being killed? Possibly, but not many.

We have not yet located the Nisshin Maru, but we usually do not do so until February of each campaign. Last year we did not find the factory ship until almost mid February, and we were still able to save more whales than the whalers were able to kill. More Sea Shepherd News

*Pedro Monteiro, far right.
At 50 Degrees South there is no law.
At 60 Degrees South there is no hope.
At 70 Degrees South there is no God.
One laid back bugger if ever there were.

Teddy Joins Sea Shepherd For a Bit of Direct Action

We've seen a few campaigns together have Teddy and I. He first joined me when the batshit crazies were clamouring to chop the head off that poor old Doris for calling a mate of Ted's, Mohammed. What was it the Old Man said, "As a species we are insane" And some!

Updated below, as and when.

Peter Hammarstedt. I have much respect for this young fellow-me-lad, from what I've seen of him.

Pete Bethune, he can have a bit too.

The all can in actual fact, every last one of them. To step on a boat like that, heading where it's heading, takes bottle. And to do so as a lubber, a lubber whose sum total of previous experience was perhaps an hour on the boating lake, takes a special kind of bottle. Respect to them all.

And no little amount for this fellow below, Chris Aultman, helicopter pilot, I hardly need spell out the dangers he faces flying a poxy little machine in those temperatures and over water to boot.
But if I say that of him, what can I say about the cameraman? Other than perhaps, "now that's what I call a passenger."

No doubt I'll get round to them all one by one, I wonder how Ted feels about flying, hmm....

Chris Aultman, helicopter pilot.

Never one to mince words.

He's a bugger is our Ted, he makes that Pete Bethune look like a pussy kit.

Teddy two swords, a slight hiccup in the design department.