George Guimarães, animal rights activist

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In the previous issue of the Journal of Vegetarians I reported directly to the readers of the ship Steve Irwin Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on the progress of the intervention campaign against whaling. Now back to Brazil, bring the news about the rest of the day on board and the completion of the campaign.

Sea Shepherd is an organization working for the conservation of the oceans and their mode of action is via direct intervention in the activities that offend marine life. The campaign of which I had the privilege to participate as a volunteer is to stage the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary where the Japanese whaling fleet is present up to kill 1.000 whales every year. For seven consecutive years, fleet of Sea Shepherd opposes doing this activity is also present, which ends up generating direct confrontations between the two fleets. This season, counted with whalers 5 Sea Shepherd ships and three ships and a helicopter. The Steve Irwin is the main ship of the Sea Shepherd fleet, where Captain Paul Watson leads the entire fleet and where I spent 46 days working as a volunteer for tasks related to the bridge deck and Command.

Those who wish to know more details about this history and fleet, wants to kindly read the article "Front War by Frost Whales " in Issue # 53. When this article was written, had already located the whaling fleet three weeks ago and since then chased. The last ship to be found outside the tanker (responsible for replenishing the Japanese fleet) and the only ship that was missing was to be located the factory ship (where whales are processed after death). You can also catch up on all the experience of the campaign reading my blog Diary http://guerragelida.blogspot.com or by accessing the website of Sea Shepherd www.seashepherd.org.

After a few days escorting the tanker away from the Whale Sanctuary me through storms with winds of 90 km / h e ondas 12 meters, Steve Irwin made a maneuver that allowed the ship outwit arpoeiro already followed us a few days ago with the task of informing our coordinates to the factory ship, making it impossible mission to find you in the vastness of the ocean. To realize a leak, it was necessary to enter into a new storm, now with winds 120 km / h e ondas 15 meters, crew made life even more difficult and the risk of being aboard a mission like this, where help may be days shipping, became even more evident. The risk provou up productive, as to mislead the ship arpoeiro, was possible to continue the search for the factory ship.

The area for which sailed in the days that followed was filled with growlers (huge slabs of ice floating), which represents a major risk to the Steve Irwin and his crew as the ship was not designed to navigate in ice. In previous years, the hull of the ship was open to the clash against these ice sheets that have strength similar to concrete and can be larger than a house. An opening in the hull can result in a fatality for the entire crew.

After early, to 5 the morning of 25 January, decola the helicopter from the Steve Irwin started looking hair Navier factory, o Nishinmaru. Taking off several times during the day to sweep the area in search of the factory vessel, was late in the afternoon that the helicopter brought the news, I heard on the radio during my break: "The helicopter got visual confirmation of Nishinmaru". A wave of euphoria swept the crew, hoped soon to see the factory ship close, prepare to block its activity. This was the moment for which everyone expected. The factory ship was 35 miles away, still far to be reached. The important thing is that we knew where he was. Now would be a matter of time until it reaches.

The ship arpoeiro (Yushinmaru) was quick to locate the Steve Irwin, going to the monitor, which would make it more difficult for our approach. Taken in an area of ​​icebergs and growlers, the radar is capable of detecting a ship at a great distance. Therefore, the best tool still the helicopter continued to take off to make sure the position of the factory ship, Our larger target. Around 8 night, the factory ship, in a desperate act, began to sail amidst an area with ice concentration greater. The aerial photos produced aboard the helicopter showed that the Steve Irwin could not navigate the same area. The Steve Irwin sought to surround him on the other side of the ice field (that stretched for hundreds of miles). With teams helicopter and extremely worn Deck, because they are working for 19 hours without a break, monitoring air had to be stopped around midnight because any error in the operation could cause a fatality and minds could no longer be so attentive as was needed.

The following day, had lost the factory ship. The Gojira was undergoing repairs in Australia and therefore can not assist in the search. The Bob Barker was a few days away, it just left chasing the tanker. To assist in the search, was launched from the Steve Irwin a weather balloon with camera and radar, but produced no fruit. With the ship arpoeiro in our rear and navigating through the ice, our chances to find the factory ship were small.

At this moment, has begun a hunting operation to remove the ship arpoeiro, which would give us some advantage to resume search. The boat was launched on Delta water supplies needed (bottles with butyric acid, smoke bombs, chords to seize the ship propeller arpoeiro) and the helicopter was flying. As there was the time my shift at the Bridge, unite me to the team's Deck to follow the action closely. Realizing our approach maneuver, arpoeiro the ship headed for an area of ​​ice closed, precluding the approaching boat Delta due to their limited ice navigation. But Steve Irwin followed breaking the ice, saw that it was stained with red paint that was torn from the hull. The noise impact against dozens of tons of ice cracking beneath your feet is impressive. The hope was that, fleeing amid the ice, the ship is arpoeiro encurralasse unable to pass. However, they went inland ice. As the capacity of arpoeiro ship speed is greater than the Steve Irwin, the chase was abandoned after an hour and returned to find the factory ship, which is the best we could do at that point.

The other ships of the Sea Shepherd fleet would soon come to the region and the Steve Irwin and his crew were preparing to head back to the harbor in New Zealand for refueling, because our fuel reserves and supplies are approaching the limit. Throughout the history of Sea Shepherd, this was the longest period of navigation Steve Irwin, which was a total of 46 days sailing. After the 5th week, since we had no fresh fruit or vegetable. Fruits in syrup or strawberry jam were the closest to a fruit "fresh" on board and there would still be a couple more weeks until returning to port. The bath was restricted to a bath 3 minutes each 3 days and the routine began to affect the morale of all. What was encouraged us know that although we are not achieving an efficiency of 100% in reducing hunting, it was reduced by at least 70% since the whaling fleet was constantly occupied with the Sea Shepherd fleet and their actions.

Indeed, we headed back to the mainland and on 5 February arrived at the port. It was time to say goodbye mission aboard the Steve Irwin and others also landed, being replaced by new volunteers. We had a warm welcome from local activists, who welcomed us with fresh fruit! Unsatisfied, My first stop was in a market where the sight of shelves stuffed with fresh fruits and vegetables gave me a sense of what would be the vision of paradise!

While the Steve Irwin was replenished with fuel, supplies and new volunteers, Bob Barker and the Gojira continuing in the Antarctic region by seeking factory ship. On 9 February, the factory ship was located by Gojira, which soon was joined the Bob Barker and the intervention was initiated in their activities, blocking its loading ramp of dead whales. On 17 February, the Japanese government ordered the whaling fleet returned to Japan. The reason, as described by a Fisheries Agency official in communication with the Japanese factory ship: "There is no despistarmos vessels Sea Shepherd!”. Other official statements from the Japanese government made it clear that the reason for the withdrawal of the whaling fleet was the presence of the Sea Shepherd fleet and their interventions.

Having hunted with low efficiency during the 40 while they were in the area and being forced to return home more than a month ahead of schedule, the Japanese fleet suffered the biggest loss in its history. As Bales, on the other hand, had the greatest victory. Preliminary figures indicate that they hunted only 15% quota established (to pay the costs of the expedition, they must hunt 50% quota established). Never before they returned home to weakened and never before Sea Shepherd returned so strengthened. Captain Paul Watson has promised to return to Antarctica next year if necessary, but what we all really want is that the government of Japan to leave this archaic activity and unite

The many other nations, to inve killing, work to preserve the lives of these magnificent animals. There will come a day when we can celebrate the accession of many nations to the perception of the deserved respect for all life forms. Per hour, that victory point serves to inspire us to continue fighting for the rights of all animals.