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Sea Shepherd Interrupts Illegal Whale Slaughter (WHALE WARS)
Sea Shepherd ^ | 2/9/11 | Sea Shepherd

Posted on 02/09/2011 11:51:05 AM PST by Dengar01

The Sea Shepherd scout vessel Gojira found the illegal Japanese whaling ship Sea Shepherd calls the Cetacean Death Star at 2115 NZST on February 9th. The Nisshin Maru was caught in the process of unlawfully flensing a whale on their aft deck at the position of 74 degrees 16 minutes south and 149 degrees 2 minutes west.

The Gojira immediately gave chase as the Nisshin Maru attempted to escape by entering a field of ice. The Gojira attempted to block the huge factory ship to buy time for the Bob Barker to arrive from some 28 miles away. Captain Locky MacLean engaged the Nisshin Maru in a skirmish, and notified the Japanese whalers that they were not to continue their illegal whaling.

The Nisshin Maru seemed to be engaged in flensing operations at the time it was discovered. Work lights illuminated the deck as water was being flushed over the sides and brown-red stains were visible along the aft deck of the vessel around the scuppers/ drain holes, while black smoke bellowed from the factory smoke stack.

Crewmembers observe the Nisshin Maru from the bow of the Bob Barker. Photo: Gary StokesCrewmembers observe the Nisshin Maru from the bow of the Bob Barker. Photo: Gary StokesThe Gojira was stopped in an area of growlers and floe ice as the Nisshin Maru proceeded to bear down on her. Despite several VHF calls to alter course, the Nisshin Maru closed in on the Gojira. When the Nisshin Maru was 40 meters away, Captain MacLean fired a flare to signal the Nisshin Maru to alter course. The Japanese factory ship altered course to starboard, as the Gojira slid 20 meters down her port side.

At 0220 on February 10th, the Nisshin Maru and one of the harpoon boats entered thick pack ice after several hours of zigzagging through loose floe ice. The Gojira kept up skirting the ice edge, meeting the Nisshin Maru on the far side of each floe using her speed advantage.

The Nisshin Maru proceeded to the south towards an area of pack ice. It appeared as if the Gojira was about to lose the factory ship in the thick ice when the Bob Barker arrived just in time to take over the pursuit.

At 0400 hours, the Bob Barker placed itself immediately aft to the stern slipway of the Nisshin Maru to block any further attempts to offload dead whales. The Bob Barker is now easily pursuing the Nisshin Maru through thick pack ice with the Gojira continuing to skirt around the ice looking for harpoon vessels.

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin departed from Wellington, New Zealand at 1800 hours on February 9th and is expected to meet up with the Sea Shepherd fleet and the Japanese whaling fleet in about five days.

The Bob Barker needs to hold position on the stern of the Nisshin Maru until the Steve Irwin can assist it. By blocking the stern slipway, the factory ship is unable to load dead whales from the harpoon vessels, allowing Sea Shepherd to effectively shut down their illegal whaling operations.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: japan; paulwatson; seashepherd; whalewars
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To: DaxtonBrown
You posted:

[No sympathy for those who kill whales.]

Nor for those who eat cows.

I was responding to that. Sounds like something your average vegan would say. Sorry if I got confused.

141 posted on 02/19/2011 6:47:22 AM PST by Cyber Liberty (Win The Future = Whiskey Tango Foxtrot)
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To: at bay

Once again you show you have absolutely no idea of how a ship at sea should be run. I took one look at those idiots and am sure it’s not a question of IF, but WHEN. Stick that one in your basement, toots. Their mission is irrelevant to the point I’ve made that they are in WAY over their heads and will end up as fish food eventually.


142 posted on 02/19/2011 5:08:01 PM PST by OCCASparky (Steely-eyed killer of the deep.)
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To: OCCASparky

Moronsky,

you might want to give yourself a reality check lest you appear even more ignorant:

SEA SHEPHERD WON!


143 posted on 02/19/2011 10:15:20 PM PST by at bay (My father was born with 28 ounces of flesh in 1924 then went on to become Mr. (Glenn) Holland.)
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To: at bay

I’ve seen both and really not much difference. Both are food and utility resources.


144 posted on 02/20/2011 10:00:02 PM PST by packrat35 (America is rapidly becoming a police state that East Germany could be proud of!)
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To: A CA Guy

Sea Shepard people are terrorists, so by supporting them, you support terrorism...


145 posted on 02/20/2011 10:00:54 PM PST by packrat35 (America is rapidly becoming a police state that East Germany could be proud of!)
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