New ‘Whale Wars’ TV Series Documents Anti-Whaling Activists
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a direct action animal rights organization led by Captain Paul Watson, will get some well-deserved attention in an upcoming seven-part Animal Planet television series titled “Whale Wars,” set to premier November 7th.
The group formed in 1977 after Watson, one of the founders of Greenpeace, became frustrated with the seminal environmental group’s hesitation to engage in direct action. Since then the group has faced down whalers year-after-year by literally chasing their ships around the open seas.
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Unlike most direct action activism, Watson insists that Sea Shepherd’s anti-whaling campaigns are entirely legal. He cites international treaties under the International Whaling Commission that state that any human has the right to interfere with illegal poaching or whaling. While the laws exist, Watson says that Sea Shepherd are the only ones enforcing them. He has been arrested numerous times across the globe but has never been convicted of any wrongdoing.
Last winter, the crew prevented the Japanese from killing at least 300 whales, but not without a fight. The television show documents all the action, including a dramatic hostage situation, flash grenades, gunfire, and full-throttled chases through to antarctic seas. Quite frankly, I wish I had cable.
This teaser gives you a taste of what to expect:
Looking for more on Sea Shepherd? Check out some related posts:
- Greenpeace vs. Sea Shepherd: An Unfortunate Conflict
- Japan Plans to Arrest Sea Shepherd Crew
- Sea Shepherd Now has Former US Navy Lieutenant Onboard
- Animal Planet, Daryl Hannah Join Sea Shepherd Crew For More Whale Wars
- “Madagascar Two” Movie Inaccurate According to Sea Shepherd
- Australia, Greenpeace Opt Out of This Winter’s ‘Whale Wars’
- Japan Accuses Animal Planet of EcoTerrorism Prior to “Whale Wars” Premiere
Image Credit: Paul Watson via Wiki Commons
I’m all for the mission of saving whales. But I would NEVER get on a boat with Peter Brown! For having been on a ship for decades, he’s the most incompetent man I’ve ever seen. Last season he slacked off holding the bow line causing the tender to capsize, and this year he can’t understand basic navigational instructions allowing the ship to slam into icebergs. Somebody throw him off the boat!
I’ve been going to sea for 25 years. At 44 years of age all I can say is that it is truly comendable to be willing to die for what it is you beleive in, think
world military, but to be a total jack ass about the
way you do it, deserves you every bit of grief you experience before you die doing it. These people are fools
If anything, this show works against itself. Instead of possibly promoting an anti-whaling surge within the hearts of people, it will probably just cause people to lose all respect for these self proclaimed “warriors” and their mission. First of all, the ship “Steve Irwin” is 30 plus years old, using outdated equipment and constantly faulty mechanics, the Steve Irwin is a disaster that has happened and is waiting to happen again. It is not designed for ice fields even though a good portion of her sailing is done in antarctic ice infested waters. Second of all, her crew, is anything but cut out for the job. Most of them are classic super liberal hippies, most with no sea fairing experience. They constantly preach their anti-whaling stance yet only briefly do we see choice members engaged in direct confrontation with the whaling boats. Third of all, Captain Watson. Still active in his cause, he is truly the president bush of the anti-whaling hippie sect. Using his incompetence, he guides his crew into “battle” with whaling ships, often using devastating techniques such as stink bombs and putting a crew member on a ship. Captain Watson is far from a captain and far from sea worthy, often guiding the Steve Irwin into suicide missions from the comfort of his bed. Even in the worst of situations we see messengers running back and forth between the deck and Watson’s cabin. All in all, the Steve Irwin and its crew are equivalent to a small boy trying to stop a parade.
what a waste of time and money. i watched last year and there was no clear evidence that these stupid hippies saved even one whale. someone is making money off of this and it surely is not the whales.
i think if they what to have any chance of saving whales they should drop peter brown off on the nearest iceburg.
Whats the fastest whale in the Southern Seas?
A.) Minke Whale
B.) Fin Whale
C.) Blue Whale
Ans.
The one with the harpoon in its back.
I think that all of the crew members have a true passion about saving whales. But having this passion doesn’t mean that they would make a good crew. It seems like a bunch of inexperienced deckhands as well as a captain. Good thought, bad execution.
I’ve been looking for a place to post a comment on this show and this seems like as good a place as any.
I have been watching this show with my 12 year old son and both of us repeatedly come up with the same comments.
We think that what the Steve Irwin is doing is admirable and at it’s core is the right thing. BUT, they are a floating Cluster-F8&K in how they do it.
It actually makes me angry to see how much they bumble and stumble their way into each encounter with the whalers. One mistake after another in poorly thought out methodology, poorly executed procedures, and in a few cases flat out incompetence in leadership. The 1st mate is an a$$hole who shouldn’t be anywhere near the bridge of a ship much less leading people on a turn at the helm.
Maybe a half dozen of this years current crew (at least the ones so far that are shown on the program because of creative editing by the producers) seem to have a clue what they are doing. The rest look like fools that have their own personal issues to work out. I am sure that the supporting volunteers that are crewing the ship are all there out of true beliefs in the core of the mission, but they are being led by a group of incompetent morons. But if I was stuck in the belly of a ship trying to keep from becoming the next titanic, I’d be pissed as hell at the idiot who got my zero rated ship into an iceflow.
If only these guys actually got themselves organized and “trained”, they might actually be effective. Istead of getting lost for a day or two in an iceflow and wasting fuel and other resources trying to make up for dumb a$$ mistakes, they might actually have the time to do something to help the whales. Instead they barely make it to harass one of the fleet ships and then have to turn to go back to refuel.
I’d consider donating if it didn’t seem like I would be pissing my money away on a bunch of fools.
Anyway, I hope this does keep going and improves. Maybe they will learn from their mistakes and get better. Either way, I am still watching.
I have to agree with the other assessments of Peter Brown… He pisses me off more each week…. Also they are working with 30 year old equipment… What kind of environmental damage are they doing with the old engine technology…. Does anyone know if there are individual e-mails available for the crew,,, I would like to contact them directly!
What incompetence on the bridge of the Steve Irwin! The First Mate better start to understand ice maps! While the Sea Sheperds are to be commended, the way those people operate that ship scares the living daylights out of me. What a bunch of “Keystone Cops” running around. Just unbelievable. Quite frankly, they are their own worst enemy, not the Japanese whalers. That ship almost went down in that ice field where it had NO business being. The only person with any sense I could see was the ex-naval officer Jane Taylor and what she is doing with inept bridge crew, is beyond me.