Sea Shepherds sank Ady Gil

In that respect arm the whalers with RPG's. When the sea shephards "accidently" ram them then just fire a few in through the bridge windows, or when they sit on the bow tossing jars of acid and other noxious chemicals then just lob a grenade or two to remind them to stand clear.

It does go both ways.

The fact is that in this conflict both sides are wrong. Neither side can claim the moral high ground. I don't think the "research" claim that the Japaneese whalers try to make is defensible. They're harvesting a crop under the guise of research to get around international agreements. The international community should stand up and take action as spelled out in those agreements.

At the same time, if any who would defend Watson's actions ask yourself if he pulled any of those maneuvers around your vessel would you be so forgiving. I know, you're not whaling. But can you really defend such poor seamanship? Under what other circumstances would you defend a captain who knowingly took a non-ice rated boat into known icing conditions? Under what other circumstances would you defend a captain who expressed his displeasure with your actions by attempting to disable your vessel? Or board it? Or entangle your props? I cannot imagine any other circumstance where anyone on this board would suggest that these were or are appropriate actions. I'm sure we would all right consider Watson's actions piracy and express our righteous indignation that any government would grant him a license.

They're both wrong.

As soon as you turn a non-violent protest into a violent fight you cross a line that can't be retreated from and you are viewed differently. The whalers lost this round as soon as they cut the bow off the Ady Gil, no matter what the provocation, and they took it from the port side no less. That was a huge mistake from a PR standpoint. Sea Sheperd knows where the line is. They charge right up to it. But so far they've been smart enough not to cross it.

Nycap123

Would you not think this crosses a line?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXQq78lvKrU


BTW I am not pro whaling. I enjoy the hell out of the humpbacks when they breach and have made trips into Prince William Sound with the wife just to watch the dolphins play with the bow wake.

Do you realize that you've just described the U.S.C.G. in dealing with drug runners as well as Sea Shepherd dealing with whalers? Only difference is that the C.G. is ready, willing and able to take it a big step further.

Well that and the U.S.C.G. is backed by U.S. Law

I'm sure Sea Shepherd will tell you that they are backed by international law:
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling,
and that this is no time for complacency: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042206570.html

They are not a recognized law enforcement or military authority.
If I remember reading right they are also unflagged which would make them..... pirates?

That said

How is the weather there? We have had nothing but 5-30 foot seas and freezing spray here, totally going through boat withdrawls

Good debate. 5 to 30? That's some spread. Over here it's a choppy 4', sunny and mid 60's. Good day for the Harley.

If you are going to post that kind of thing you should at least provide a citation to the source.

Considering the vessels routinely make port calls this is hardly a condition that could apply to them.

I was CG in New Hampshire.
USCGC Tamaroa. We patrolled from Nova Scotia to Caymen Islands.
I miss the Southern part of the patrols.

Spent way many weeks off your shores also.

We have had nothing but low pressure systems on after another.

Not to digress but there should be other ways of getting your point accross rather than violence (well except for the vessels being boarded thread in the Bayliner owners forum. where as my answer there is the next sound you hear will be 230 grains of lead breaking the sound barrier)

The wife watched the natives in Barrow last year as they pulled 3 bowheads from the water on shore and butchered them, community wise. Quite a sight.
She brougnt back mass photos, but no muktuk (thankfully)

Uhhh

www.seashepard.org
"Pirates of Compassion Sail into Hostile Waters
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Farley Mowat is now officially a pirate vessel.

We are at sea without a flag, in search of illegal whaling operations in hostile and remote waters at the bottom of the world. The Farley Mowat cleared Australian Customs in Hobart, Tasmania on December 29, 2006 only hours before the nation of Belize struck our flag."

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-070105-1.html

Really? The only difference between the USCG and Paul Watson is WHAT?!?

With all due respect, your comment is careless. Watson is not backed by any government and has no law enforcement powers or other authority in any nation. And to call the ramming of the whaling ship "good seamanship" is also foolish. Again, I dare say that if you were the recipient of such activity your position would be expressed with righteous indignation at the foolish actions of the captain of the ramming boat. ANYTHING could have happened at a result of the ramming. Either or both vessels could have sustained a serious breach. Not shown in the clip is the close proximity of the Japanese sailors who were on the catwalk where the Steve Irwin collided. Any of them could have easily been injured or thrown overboard during the collision. Where in the COLREGS do you find allowances for such actions? My recollection is the mandate to take any action necessary to avoid collisions. Maybe I need to get a new copy?

Not sure where the flagging issue stands. The Dutch warned Watson that he would lose the right to sail under their flag if they continued to throw objects at the whalers from the Irwin. Then, an episode or two later, they did it again. I never heard anything more about it and have since refused to watch the idiot parade.

Check the date on this, mutt...it's from 2007.

This seems to be a more recent discussion of the flag issue. Perhaps someone can help with a translation? (Tried Bablefish but no luck)

http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/verden/1.6937309

And this article states that the Bob Barker was, until recently, flagged out of Togo

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3879821

luckylg,
1) You failed to recognize a light hearted debate.
2) "The only difference between the USCG and Paul Watson is WHAT?!?"
You misread the passage. There was no comparison between Watson and the USCG. The comparrison was of the tactic used.
3) Ramming has been a tactic of naval battles for as far back as there have been naval battles. And if you're going to put quotes around words please use the actual words. I said it was "some pretty good boat handling by both captains." There is a big difference between "boat handling" and "seamanship".

According to World Shipping Register the Bob Barker is registered in Togo and the Steve Irwin in The Netherlands. The Farley Mowat has been seized by the Canadian Government in 2008. (http://www.seashepherd.org/who-we-are/the-fleet.html)

The Norwegian article only states that the crew on the Bob Barker flew the Norwegian flag when approaching the whaling ship and exchanged it for the Jolly Roger when in full sight of the whaler.

HEY, we never rammed anything intentionally!!!
Well except for the mayor of Seward AK when he broke the exclusion zone around the USS Alaska back in 87, but that was a gentle nudge to shore where he was arrested.

We nudged a few docks but never rammed

We did fly a Pirate Flag once coming into Boston Harbor. Same day we hung the "show us your *****" sign on the bow (just before the blessing of the fleet) Lots of sail boats with bikini gals.

Geez, no wonder we were banned from so many places!

Stunt

Just a stupid stunt that could have cost his crew their lives. I fully understand the cause they support but at no time is anybodies life worth the risk. He had no right of way to the vessel that hit him, yet continued knowing he had to give right of way to the vessel he was headed for. Just a publicity stunt that could have had an unimaginable injury to someone or lost lives. Unacceptable as a captain!