Whale Wars/Sea Shepard

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Mr.Completely

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Whale Wars/Sea Shepherd

Has anyone been watching or watched any of the Whale Wars TV show?

If so what are your thoughts?

Has just been a hot topic of late amoungst friends and was wondering what the views of some keen mariners were?

Mr.C
 
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It is on The discovery channel on tuesdays at 10pm. This is the second series and has shown 4/5 episodes this season I think, not entirely sure if old episodes are online however.
 
It's a good watch but a bit more planning would be a good idea. The boating skills of the first mate is something else I would not get on a boat in dry dock with him. But good luck to them.
 
Mr.Completely said:
Has anyone been watching or watched and of the Whale Wars TV show?

If so what are your thoughts?

Has just been a hot topic of late amoungst friends and was wondering what the views of some keen mariners was?

Mr.C
Click to expand...
Yes, been watching it. It's made for TV so it's quite slow at times with a lot of padding, but I enjoy watching it. As to some of the decisions taken, I would question the seamanship of some of the crew and the first mate should be kicked off the ship at next port. Some very basic errors have been made, and one can't help but feel they have been lucky to avoid serious mishaps, especially the ribs.

On the morality of whaling, that's a two sided coin, to us it seems obvious that it's crazy the japs were allowed to continue under the manufactured cover story of "research", but on the other there is a clash of cultures and we can't see how the japs feel this is an intrinsic part of their culture, much like horse racing is in ours.

They were very lucky to get out of the ice flows a few weeks back. It makes 50mins of selleable TV, but the plot is weak and it's slow moving. Throwing stink bombs at the decks of the whaling ships is hardly effecting their catch ratio, except perhaps in the minds of the well intentioned if not slightly deluded crew members who have been conned into thinking it is making a numeric effect. The effect of TV on the other hand is another matter, and that is what this is all about. Bad seamanship all round though.
 
I've been watching it and although I understand their cause I find myself agreeing with the point of view that how they go about their crusade is akin to terrorism.

I would rather that the whales were not killed (I find it horrible) however I also find the killing of cows and sheep rather disturbing. Having said that I am more than happy to eat them! Different cultures have different views.

The Sea Sheppard's strategy of ramming other ships whilst in the middle of the freezing cold sea is just to dangerous a thing to be allowed.

Can you imagine if you were fishing of the back of your boat and some nut case vegetarian decided to throw stink bombs on your deck and then try to ram you - all because they believe the mackerel is sacred?

The crew are probably the most incapable bunch you are ever likely to come across, have you seen them launching the Ribs!!!! I am not a betting man however if I were I would bet that at some point someone is going to get killed..

Having said that the program is hugely entertaining television!!
 
Aigua said:
The Sea Sheppard's strategy of ramming other ships whilst in the middle of the freezing cold sea is just to dangerous a thing to be allowed.

Can you imagine if you were fishing of the back of your boat and some nut case vegetarian decided to throw stink bombs on your deck and then try to ram you - all because they believe the mackerel is sacred?
Click to expand...

Totally agree with your whole post, but this comment was inspired! I think the talk of not knowing the other culture is very valid.

The incompetancy is just magnificant at points, I did also hear "Captain" Paul Watson was evicted from Greenpeace for being too extreme, which might explain some of their reasoning.

I don't know if you saw them turn over a rib trying to haul it aboard at too great a speed oceanfroggie last season I believe. Or if anyone would like some mild entertainment here is two brilliant adverts for them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Sz8uH0k-Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXQq78lvKrU
 
Mr.Completely said:
Has anyone been watching or watched any of the Whale Wars TV show?

If so what are your thoughts?

Has just been a hot topic of late amoungst friends and was wondering what the views of some keen mariners were?

Mr.C
Click to expand...

My view is that the whole thing is deeply hypocritical. These people piously lecture us mere mortals about our carbon footprint and yet they gallivant off round the world in ships and RIBs spewing out huge amounts of CO2. Basically it's OK for them to do this but not for me to drive my 4x4 to work. Anyone calculated the carbon footprint of their operation and the film crew? Please don't say they offset it by planting a few trees
 
A little bit of training - navigation, boat handling, seamanship etc etc wouldn't go a miss. The southern oceans seems a dumb place to start learning how to drive and handle ribs.

Last week they were driving full chat over some pretty big seas, the guy on the helm was just holding onto the steering wheel, no hand on the throttles...Surprise surprise, they go off a big wave, land heavily and the guys girlfriend goes into the dash like a sack of spuds!

As to getting the Steve Irwin caught in an ice flow!?! If the hull was moving that much, I'd be in the chopper learning to fly it!...How irresponsible can you get taking a boat with no ice classification into icey waters?

I think the trailer says it all

With a cause, without a clue!
 
The level of numptyishness of this lot makes for great viewing.
"Captain" Watson seems to emerge yawning from his bunk occasionally and oversee the fiasco with little input other than offering up another ill advised jaunt in the RIB.
The deck "crew" are just tragic. They need to watch some footage of the Whale Catchers in the 'fifties delivering whales to the factory ships to see some real small ship handling. Regardless of our present views on whaling, the endeavours of the whaling fleets were remarkable feats of organisation and seamanship in the most extreme conditions. (so good that they effectively killed the golden goose in a few short decades)
They seem to have a legion of "Leading Hands" "Bosuns" and "Quartermasters" but not a single competent professional seaman!
I'm sure they're all well meaning, but they need to get their tree hugging hippy butts onto the deck of a North Sea Anchor Cranker in January to learn the difference between helping out on Daddy's yacht and being a real ships decky!
 
After getting back to home port yesterday, after a nearly 950 mile voyage down the Australian East Coast, in amongst the southern migration of the Humpback whale, you cannot help but being impressed by the pure size and grace of these creatures.

Our country has a real affiliation with these creatures, whether you are a tree-hugger or not. Whale watching is a major tourism contributor in the coastal towns of our east coast.

The Steve Irwin usually runs out of Hobart (Tas.) or Melbourne (Vic.) into the southern ocean, and appear strongly supported by the local folk. As for the reference to terrorists, from this end, the japanese whalers are viewed as the bad guys.

The southern ocean ain't no playground, btw.
 
There is no doubt the whale conservation cause is totally worthy, it's just when one looks beyond the tv entertainment value, the way they are going about it is more likely to loose them support. They seem a bunch of incompetant crazies part staffed in many cases by gap years seeking purpose, who get quickly disillusioned by the carry on. There is a better way to keep whaling under control. Interesting TV but the more I watch the more I think they are nutters, avoiding disaster through shere luck.
 
whale wars

this show should be taken off the air besides of pussy footing arounf they DO NOTHING to help the whales OHOH there close ship breaks out of gas too windy
i stongly think they should all get day jobs.
 
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