Sea Shepherd Advocate

Closing the Doors to Sea Shepherd Advocate

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:49:33 -0700

Hello, followers and occasional readers.

I have been a Sea Shepherd supporter for quite some time and, as you know, have written about things related to them for a while hereon Sea Shepherd Advocate. But other parts of my life have taken precedence over this site so I am letting it go.

It’s hard to let go of something you’ve invested so much time into, but life is taking me elsewhere so it’s the right decision. I am still a supporter of Sea Shepherd and will follow their campaigns, only now I’ll be less of a participant and more of a spectator.

If someone out there is interested in taking over the domain to continue the work in helping Sea Shepherd I am open to considering a transfer. Please contact me using the “speak your mind” link and let me know why you’d be a good candidate to continue running the site. I’m not interested in handing over the domain to just anyone because there are a number of regular readers and followers who deserve that consideration.

Thanks for your support.

Cheers.

Erwin Vermeulen Ordered to be Released

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:50:12 -0800

Erwin Vermeulen Ordered to be Released:

Sea Shepherd activist and Cove Guardian Erwin Vermeulen, who was arrested for allegedly pushing a Japanese fisherman in Taiji, has been afforded a release order by a Japanese judge. This is great news for Sea Shepherd but primarily awesome for Erwin and his family. Congratulations, Erwin!

228 marine mammals of varying species (dolphins, whales, seals,...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:39:31 -0800

228 marine mammals of varying species (dolphins, whales, seals, etc.) are in need of rescue each year on the shorelines of Cape Cod. Yet in five weeks 179 dolphins (and dolphins alone) have been discovered stranded in these shallow waters, beaches, and mud flats, unable to swim back to sea. And no one seems to know why.

Professionals can point to no significant changes in tidal conditions or health conditions (scientists are tagging them and checking their health) as a cause. However, dolphins do travel/live in large groups which means whatever is causing the mass stranding is forcing a large number of them into the horrible situation.

Volunteers are working around the clock on the rescues, which is awesome. Yet of the 179 discovered only 71 were alive. Of those 53 were successfully released back into safe waters. Thankfully, there are people who are willing to pause their own lives to help get these dolphins survive. We can only hope professionals will discover the origin of the problem and be able to resolve it sooner than later.

USDA Poisons Millions of Birds to Death

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:17:18 -0800

USDA Poisons Millions of Birds to Death:

Every once in a while I find something which isn’t related to Sea Shepherd but that I’m confident is important to share with Sea Shepherd fans because it’s related to the well being of animals and consequently is relevant indirectly. This is one of those occasions.

Over the past few years there have been an increasing number of reports of mass bird deaths. And of course the media is quick to write it off as freak occurrences of mother nature and even apocalyptic foreshadowing. I—like many others I’m sure—was confident this had nothing to do with odd turns in the road and everything to do with sadistic humans wanting to change something. And as it turns out, this was the case.

The United States Department of Agriculture has publicly admitted to poisoning millions of birds. And they have been doing so for quite some time. The reason? Because birds were shitting in open containers of feed meal. So rather than suggesting that farmers cover their feed meal containers they agreed to the genocide of many species of birds.

Humans never cease to amaze me at just how sadistic they can be.

Brigitte Bardot Crew Safe and Sound

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:14:33 -0800

Brigitte Bardot Crew Safe and Sound:

This morning Sea Shepherd announced that the crew of the Brigitte Bardot is now safe and sound. They and their vessel are being shepherded (I can use puns if I want to) back to port where they will work feverishly to repair the hull which was damaged by a rogue wave.

Sea Shepherd is going to lose some ground monitoring Japanese whalers with two ships out of commission. However, the good news is that the Bob Barker is in direct pursuit of the whalers they discovered early in their campaign. What’s more, the Bob Barker is Sea Shepherd’s ice-class vessel, meaning they can confidently chase whalers into growler-infested waters if necessary.

Brigitte Bardot Severely Damaged, Sends Distress Call

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:28:22 -0800

Brigitte Bardot Severely Damaged, Sends Distress Call:

While in pursuit of Japanese whalers the Sea Shepherd vessel Brigitte Bardot was severely damaged by a rogue wave which cracked its hull. It has been taking on water while the storm continues to bombard it with waves, and the Steve Irwin is racing 240 miles toward the ship and its crew in response to their distress call.

Brigitte Bardot captain Jonathan Miles Renecle is confident the ship will stay afloat until the Steve Irwin arrives. However, based on the photographs they posted of the tied up hull I think there is cause for alarm. The entire crew of ten would certainly perish if left in the water for even a short period of time.

What’s more, what does this mean for the campaign? Can Operation Divine Wind meet its objectives without the Brigitte Bardot? Can it be quickly repaired and put back into this campaign?

This is a huge blow to the campaign. But most importantly, I hope for the best for the stranded crew. Here’s to a speedy rescue via the Steve Irwin. Hang on, folks!

A brief note from Captain Paul Watson aboard the Steve Irwin en...

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:55:00 -0800

A brief note from Captain Paul Watson aboard the Steve Irwin en route to the Southern Ocean for Operation Divine Wind.

This video is beyond beautiful and I am left speechless. How...

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:06:31 -0800

This video is beyond beautiful and I am left speechless. How many people besides Michael Fishbach (the narrator/savior in this video) can say they directly saved a Humpback whale with their bare hands? Wow.

Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace Go Toe-to-Toe

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:14:00 -0800

Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace Go Toe-to-Toe:

Things have never been cordial between Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace (at least I can’t recall a time). But the fire is super hot right now. Greenpeace is accusing Sea Shepherd of being disgraceful for calling out Japan on spending Tsunami relief funds on whaling.

Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, had some words for Japan’s inexcusable dispersion of relief funds to the whaling industry:

Not only is the whaling industry unable to survive without large increases in government handouts, now it’s siphoning money away from the victims of the March 11 triple disaster—at a time when they need it most. This is a new low for the shameful whaling industry and the callous politicians who support it.

Shortly thereafter he said Sea Shepherd’s same position was “really disgraceful.” Is that disgraceful like when Greenpeace tried whale meat in the name of their campaign? Or disgraceful like when Greenpeace protected whalers from Sea Shepherd?

All I know is that Sea Shepherd puts their lives on the line every winter in a true venture to save whales and, in turn, the human race. Greenpeace, as Paul Watson puts it:

They raise some $40 million dollars a year on their anti-whaling campaigns and all they do is produce mail-outs asking for funds. They have not sent a ship to the Southern Ocean to hang banners for years.

Your Message on a Butyric Acid Bottle

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:20:36 -0800

Your Message on a Butyric Acid Bottle:

This is absolutely beautiful. Sea Shepherd is affording their supporters an opportunity to have their personal messages printed on the bottles of butyric acid they’ll be throwing at Japanese whalers this winter.

Sure, many bottles crash on the sides of ships. And even if they do land on deck they likely won’t be read. But it’s an awesome idea all the same. What’s more, if you believe in the power of words, having powerful messages printed on these bottles is enough, even if they aren’t read by the whalers.

Ravers Kill Dolphins in Captivity

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:28:03 -0800

Ravers Kill Dolphins in Captivity:

Switzerland is home to a dolphinarium called Connyland. The only dolphinarium left in the country, in fact. Recently they hosted a rave on their grounds for whatever insane reason.

Animal activists warned that the loud music would pose a threat to the cetaceans’ sensitive hearing and immune systems, yet the park allowed the rave to occur anyway. Shortly thereafter two of their dolphins died slow and painful deaths.

Keeper Nadja Gasser recounted the event:

The death was very drawn out and painful. The death went on for over an hour. It was horrendous. I have not been able to sleep since. He was drifting under the water and was clearly in trouble and so we jumped into the water. We tried to hold him. He was shaking all over and was foaming at the mouth. Eventually we got him out of the water. His tongue was hanging out. He could hardly breath. He was given adrenalin, but it didn’t help. After an hour the dolphin died.

An investigation is underway, but everything points to narcotics being ingested by the dolphins. Narcotics which were thrown into their enclosure during the rave.

There is a petition at change.org demanding the closure of Connyland. I encourage you to read the petition letter and support it with your signature.

And So It Begins. Again!

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:33:05 -0800

And So It Begins. Again!:

Today, Japanese whalers have left harbor for another winter of slaughter in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. And therefore Operation Devine Wind begins.

But there is more to this story. A new element which makes it infinitely more disgusting than the whaling itself. The Japanese government is issuing $28 million in earthquake recovery funds to the whalers! Yes, you heard me right. The money people around the world shared with Japan to help them get back on their feet is being used for whaling.

ABC news reports:

The Japan Fisheries Agency says the trip’s use of $28 million from the earthquake recovery fund is legitimate, because one of the towns devastated by the March earthquake and tsunami was a whaling port.

Legitimate? Because one of the towns hit was a whaling port? FUCK! YOU!

I am one of the millions of people who donated their hard-earned money to help Japanese citizens rebuild their lives. And now, as it turns out, I have inadvertently helped to fund this winter’s whaling campaign.

I am beyond words to express how absolutely absurd this is. Let’s examine the enormity of this decision:

That’s $28 million that won’t be used to rebuild schools, hospitals, and homes; to help rebuild the Japanese economy; or even to research, improve, and build new electricity solutions that can withstand future natural disasters.
This is a huge “fuck you very much” to everyone who donated to disaster funds. “While we appreciate your money to help rebuild our country, we’re going to go ahead and use it to continue our whaling industry which is disapproved by most of you who donated money.”
Japan’s whaling industry has no funding because there’s little support and few who care about its survival. So while this thievery enables them to have a campaign this winter, it’s but a desperate attempt to keep a dying industry alive. Come next winter they will again be scrambling for funding. Especially because this winter Sea Shepherd will most definitely again kill their quota.
When the next natural disaster hits Japan, many will be reluctant to donate money, concerned about how it will be spent. This will screw Japanese citizens in their time of need next time around like they’re being screwed right now.

So thank you, Japan. You have officially cheated your citizens out of trust, money, and support. Disgusting.

Captain Paul Watson shares some information about the dolphin...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:49:00 -0800

Captain Paul Watson shares some information about the dolphin massacres in Taiji and becoming a Sea Shepherd Cove Guardian. The production is a mite strange switching from dark music to happy music then back to the dark music again, but it’s an excellent introduction to those interested in becoming Cove Guardians.

Sea Shepherd’s Bob Barker chef William Laurent provides a tour...

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:37:39 -0800

Sea Shepherd’s Bob Barker chef William Laurent provides a tour of his galley, talks about his decision to be vegan, and shares some of his creative cooking techniques, all while making some vegan bread.

"A manly man don’t want it piled high with vegetables! He would call that a sissy pizza."

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:07:34 -0800

“A manly man don’t want it piled high with vegetables! He would call that a sissy pizza.”

- Herman Cain when asked about his thoughts on pizza. (I’m a sissy man who likes his sissy pizza.)

Jane Goodall on dolphin captivity. Her stance shouldn’t surprise...

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:40:23 -0800

Jane Goodall on dolphin captivity. Her stance shouldn’t surprise anyone but it’s nice to hear her chime in all the same.

A surfer and a couple of kayakers almost get in the way of...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:03:02 -0800

A surfer and a couple of kayakers almost get in the way of whales feeding on sardines off the coast of Santa Cruz. This must have been as exhilarating as it was frightening for them.

Both the humans and the whales were fortunate here. The whales would have likely hurled at the horrible taste of those disgusting humans.

Life Aboard a Sea Shepherd Vessel: Ship Manager, Andrea Gorden

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:01:34 -0700

Life Aboard a Sea Shepherd Vessel: Ship Manager, Andrea Gorden:

The Sydney Morning Herald has published an excellent article about what it’s like to be aboard a Sea Shepherd vessel on a campaign. Therein is a video with Bob Barker Ship Manager Andrea Gorden who discusses the forthcoming Operation Divine Wind campaign.

From this article I learned that the Bob Barker houses stickers that read “it takes a pirate to catch a pirate.” So good.

Operation Divine Wind Needs Funding

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:02:09 -0700

Operation Divine Wind Needs Funding:

As Japan gears up to spend $27 million on security for their whaling season—even after announcing they would call it quits—Sea Shepherd’s Operation Divine Wind is working hard to raise funds to ensure they can counter the efforts of Japanese whalers.

If you ever wanted to support Sea Shepherd monetarily, now is the time.

There is a crew of saviors working to help Blue Penguins who are...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:53:51 -0700

There is a crew of saviors working to help Blue Penguins who are suffering as part of the Rena oil spill. Apparently the beaches are being cleaned up but the surrounding rocks are not. And this is where the Blue Penguins reside. This video shows the crew gathering penguins they will clean up and return to the site.

One segment, beginning at 1:18, is particularly heartbreaking. There are two penguins in a nest with their egg. The crew has to make a decision about how to handle these penguins because if they’re not cleaned they’ll “suffer the fate” of the oil but if they remove them the chick will definitely die. They decide to leave the penguin who is nearly oil free and only take the one who is saturated in oil. So they’re separating mates who, as we know, are bound for life.

It’s tragic, really. And the entire scenario originated with the irresponsibility of humans.