Sea Shepherd’s Ady Gil Having A Rough Time Joining The Party

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by Michael dEstries December 15, 2009
Categories: Animals, Causes.

ady gil, sea shepherd

You know all that cool whizzbang anti-whaling tech we profiled earlier? Turns out it’s something of a pain in the ass for the crew of the Ady Gil.

The Sea Shepherd’s latest sleek addition to its fleet has had to return to Hobart, Tasmania twice due to a circle-jerk of technological failures. On the first attempt, its Iridium Satellite device failed while heading out to sea — basically leaving them helpless to communicate with the MV Steve Irwin. After a replacement part was flown in, the Ady Gil headed out again — and promptly had its $6,000 broadband radar system smashed by a giant 16ft. wave.

“The trouble is the boat is a wavepiercer and when you go through waves you get a lot of load on top,” Captain Pete Bethune told an Australian newspaper. “But I have been around the world three times and haven’t had this problem, so I am surprised. We had a different radar on for three years and this new one sits slightly taller than the old one, so it is under more load. It’s a boat and these things do happen on boats.”

Thankfully, a new radar system has been donated by Australian company Simrad Electronics. The Ady Gil is sitting still, however, until the New Zealand government allows them to pass through its waters. “I was given assurances that it was imminent but I believe there’s still nothing come through from the New Zealand Government so legally we’re not allowed to go beneath the 60th parallel and I think that’s what Paul Watson is waiting on before he gives us instructions to leave,” Bethune said.

Stay tuned.


Categories: Animals, Causes.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • http://www.empire-solar.com Richard

    This looks like an aquatic version of the batmobile.

  • v-fib

    This is unbelievable:

    Japan’s whaling fleet has been expanded to four harpooning vessels (Yushin Maru 2, Yushin Maru 3, Shonan Maru, Shonan Maru 2), a factory ship (Nissin Maru), a supply ship, a spotting vessel and two “security vessels”. No doubt the refuelling vessel (Oriental bluebird) will come down mid-season to refuel the ships and take some of the meat. They used a spotter plane to find the Steve Irwin.

    The Japanese are expected to hunt in Australian Antarctic Territory waters this summer (a declared whale sanctuary).

    This must be costing millions of tax payers dollars. Millions and millions. No cutbacks because of the GFC? All for what? Some face saving for a dying industry where there is zero demand. Unbelievable.

    • horace

      For a minute there I thought you meant GM and Chrysler…

  • sea shepherd supporter

    With every new ship, there are bugs that needs to be fixed before it could be the best…

    What Sea Shepherd should get is the USS Iowa (battle ship mothballed near San Francisco), remove and melt down the guns and use the steel to reinforce the hull and name it the “SSCS Migaloo” :-)

    • http://www.ecorazzi.com Michael d'Estries

      Brilliant idea! Ha!

  • sidewinder

    Japan is NOT doing whale research! Real research can be done on biopsies, observations and scats. Despite the IWC foolishly allowing lethal and unnecessary research, commercial whaling is still banned. Japan is doing commercial whaling and this is easily proved, and they are illegally planning to enter our Antarctic territory and our whale sanctuary. The crew should be arrested and the ships impounded. Why don’t we have a government ready to do what they promised before being elected? Kevin Rudd should be enforcing our Antarctic claim, not surrendering to Japan.

    Read more: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1519369.php/Hatoyama-urges-Australian-response-to-sabotage-of-Japanese-whaling#ixzz0ZpPLJmO9

  • boycott

    japs are brutal butchers illegally whaling in a sanctuary. That is up there with poaching. Its high crime on the high seas what they are doing.

    If the Japanese government does not listen to reason, then boycott all Japanese imports and do not send any raw materials to them. Perhaps then the Japanese government might listen to the heads of Toyota, Canon, Mitsubishi, etc. This is a great time for Australian unions to black-ban all Japanese imports in protest.

    funny thing is, they are feeding the meat to their dogs. yeah – dog food.

    I’m sure thats in the history books. Whaling is a Japanese tradition, it’s in our heritage! YEAH right scum bags. Its in our culture to hunt whales for dog food. A cherished tradition.

    You only started whaling after WW2 when u were all but wiped out and were starving. terrorist scum

    • mike kowalchuk

      wright on brother i could not have said it better my self.

    • Last Samurai

      Yeah, great idea, then you can drive your GM car and take pictures with your Kodak digital camera. I’m not saying us Americans don’t have good technology, we have the best. But it’s all used for killing people. But we have to draw the line somewhere, Japanese said no more wars and Americans said, “Hey, let’s distract everyone with the environment while we level whole countries.” Doesn’t bombing kill animals, too? What about the water pollution from burned cities?

  • thames

    Japan’s flotilla of ships (2 Naval / Coast guard escorts as well?) is just an absolute environment disgrace. They dump tons of waste into the ocean down there. They refuel inside the Antartic Exclusion zone and not to mention the butchering of whales in a whale sanctuary. We do not even know if they only take Minke whales. They could be slaughtering all sorts, even endangered whales for all we know. Since they probably under report and cook the books. Remember that DNS testing they did (under cover buyers of various whale meat samples from markets in Japan) ?? They found Blue, Right, Fin, Bow Head, Sperm and Humpback whale species. That says they are harvesting any whale they come across.

  • ricky

    As long as Japanese whalers continue to slaughter whales, I will continue to boycott Japanese products…and Japanese companies.
    Simple as that.
    If the world at large would adapt this strategy, the Japanese government would bring whaling to a dramatic halt.
    The Japanes make a HUGE effort to convince the world that they are environmentally engaged in a positive manner, but the truth is that they destroy more of the natural world than most any other nation.
    They are shameless, and dishonorable, and should be made to pay economically.
    The one thing Japanese like more than Whale, and tuna, etc is MONEY

    • Last Samurai

      It might be easier to go to Japan and talk to the youth, like a campaign. It would be interesting to see a dialog with the people that have the more say in Japan’s policies. Japanese people can change Japanese laws much faster than a handful of screaming foreigners. Think about it, when was the last time Americans listened to the virtues of Islam? No matter how much America is attacked no one is changing the American constitution. Attacks and sanctions have very little positive effect.

  • paul

    Paul Watson should take a leaf out of the French book of negotiation and give these whaling scum bags the Rainbow Warrior treatment. Either that or a well placed torpedo and put this fleet at the bottom of the Southern ocean. I’m sure they would save face and refuse to be rescued.

    • don miguelo

      I understand the frustration there but we should never stoop to that level. Besides that the tactics of force are a never-ending cycle. We can’t just annihilate, more will come back, like a hydra. The Sea Shepard is trying to use a more effective route- direct international spotlight and economic interference, like what happened with “The Cove”, to eradicate these unforgivable whale murders.

      I hear ya man, but I just can’t let us slip down to that level.

      • mia

        Yeah.. cause throwing glass bottles of acid at people is non-violent and causes peace?

        Oh wait, ramming ships with people on them in antarctic waters is peaceful?

        Oh wait, using Limpett Mines to blow up harboured ships is peaceful?

        These arrogant ec0-terrorists who hurt the people they disagree with will cause no good in the world.

      • Rod

        The Sea Shepherd haven’t hurt no one yet. Search the Sea Shepherd Cons Soc history and see for yourself. Yes They have sunk/scuttled 9 whaling ships (and good on them for doing so)!
        The whalers are illegal poachers.
        Do you not understand this basic fact, Governent turn a blind eye to keep exports/imports ticking over?
        Capt Paul Watson operates within the ‘legal’ limits.

  • Pingback: Australia To Japan: End Whaling By June Or We’ll See You In Court « ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

  • mike kowalchuk

    i have got to say mia very weak minded,just kill everything is that your answer.

  • Pingback: Finally: Stealth Boat Ady Gil En Route To Join Sea Shepherd « ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

  • Pingback: Finally: Stealth Boat Ady Gil En Route To Join Sea Shepherd | Sustainability Times

  • nugget

    Hi, I’ve heard that Ady Gils ship engineer is currently injured and not on the boat after a festive mishap in Hobart?

    • scottie dog

      The ships Engineer is not on the boat ? can any one confirm this please as he is a good friend of mine ! and after the slaughtering pigs ramming the Ady Gils i am looking for news of him .

  • Peter 4000

    The ship has been destroyed by the Japanese!
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6977316.ece

    • Grip on Reality

      YEAAAAA!

  • w

    Ady Guilty was destroyed itself.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_KnBKriGog

  • Funnybone

    Nice. Japan doing its part in the fight against piracy and terrorism. Banzai!

  • David Davidson

    lol boat got creamed

    • Rod

      It wil end up the best advertising for the sea shepherd.
      Ramming the Ady Gil was dumb (I bet the captain of the Mauru has been fired).
      The ignorant whalers have only ‘thrown a rock at a hornets nest’! …. prepare to run.
      (whales rule!)

  • Death to Eco-terrorist

    I love the taste of whale meat in the morning! It tastes like…..victory!

    • don miguelo

      DTE-Trollerist:

      Good luck with your lame stand-up routine while you ingest those PCB’s and dioxins, then! EAT UP!

      • Death to Eco-terrorist

        I will, thanks. Gulp…slobber…..smack….(wipes whale blood from chin).

        Save the scary stories for your kids, doofus.

    • Rod

      you know there is also urine in the butyric acid. Must add a strange flavour of the meat you eat.

  • Sensible politics

    Re: “Death to Eco-terrorist”
    The sad fool has a very damaged emotional existance but people like that are very dangerous.
    Morons like “Death to Eco-terrorist” make it more and more important to act independently.
    It is a big hill to climb and hard but it is worth it.

    “Preserve us from those too stupid to feel pain.”

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