Whale Wars Scoreboard 2010: Whalers 2 v Sea Shepherd 1

This is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Sea Shepherd campaigns ever! Whale Wars viewers must be licking their lips in anticipation for Season 3 of the unpredictable reality TV series.

We have prepared an overview of the battle results so far....

1 Point for Japanese whaling fleet: Security ship keeps the Steve Irwin away from the whalers for the first month

3 days into operation Waltzing Matilda, the Steve Irwin went back to Hobart to re-fuel and stock up on supplies after not being able to locate and engage the whalers.  It will now take them another week to enter back into the battle fields.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 kept the Steve Irwin from closing in on the main body of the whaling fleet by relaying real time data on the position of the Steve Irwin.

December 10, 2009: Three days into the voyage of the Steve Irwin and the Sea Shepherd crew picked up a Japanese tail - Japanese whaling fleet security ship.  The  Shonan Maru No. 2 (a harpoon vessel) was waiting outside the Australian 200 mile limit to pick up the departing Steve Irwin. The Steve Irwin's position was relayed to them by a spotter aircraft.

However, Sea Shepherd can still claim some victory as their strategy is to bankrupt the whalers who are already in deep debt: "The Japanese whalers are spending a great deal of money, first locating the Steve Irwin by air and then directing the Shonan Maru No.2 to the coordinates of the Sea Shepherd vessel."

1 Point for Sea Shepherd: Ambush whalers with the Bob Barker Vessel

Captain Paul Watson pulls an ace out of his sleeve - it has come out of nowhere! Sea Shepherd ambushed the whalers with a new addition to the Sea Shepherd fleet. The long range fast ice class Bob Barker will be able to stay on station for three solid months without refuelling.

Via a confidential mission in Mauritius, Africa, for the last 6 months Sea Shepherd have been locating, purchasing and fitting-out a new ship to add to the fleet - all without being noticed.

Quote from SeaShepherd.org:

"The 1,200-ton Norwegian built Antarctic harpoon vessel caught up with the Japanese whaling fleet at 0300 Hours on Wednesday, January 6th, in the area of Commonwealth Bay off the Adelie Coast. The Norwegian flag cracked in the chill Antarctic air as the silhouette of the whaler gave every indication that the ship was sent to support the Japanese whalers.

The Japanese could be forgiven for thinking that the pro-whaling Norwegians had sent a ship to support their illegal whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. But any excitement turned to disappointment quickly as the Norwegian flag was hauled down and the black and white skull with crossed Trident and Shepherd's crook was raised to announce the arrival of the Bob Barker, the latest ship acquired for the Sea Shepherd ocean defense fleet. "

1 Point for Japanese whaling fleet: Whalers Ram Sea Shepherd Ship Ady Gil

The headlines say it all:

‘Famed trimaran is sinking in the Southern Ocean'

‘Six crewmembers Rescued by the Sea Shepherd Ship Bob Barker'

Quote from SeaShepherd.org:

"In an unprovoked attack captured on film, the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2 deliberately rammed and caused catastrophic damage to the Sea Shepherd trimaran Ady Gil.

Six crew crewmembers, four from New Zealand, one from Australia, and one from the Netherlands were immediately rescued by the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker. None of the crew Ady Gil crew were injured."

The Ady Gil has now sunk. On January 8, 2010 at 17:20 (GMT) the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Bob Barker reported the last known position of another Sea Shepherd vessel, the Ady Gil, to the Australian Rescue Coordination Center (ARCC).

What Next??

This campaign is far from over!

As Captain Paul Watson says, "when you are prepared to give your life to save Whales, any threat from the Japanese whalers is trivial."

Captain Paul Watson is itching to get back into battle. He has almost reached the battle ground once again! And when he finds the whaling fleet, anything can, and probably will happen!