13. Overtaking
An overtaking vessel must keep out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. ‘Overtaking’ means approaching another vessel at more than 22.5 degrees abaft her beam, i.e. so that at night, the overtaking vessel would see only the stern light and neither of the sidelights of the vessel being overtaken.

Of course, I wasn’t actually there and camera angles can be deceptive, but more than 15 years of sea going experience leads me to this conclusion.

Yes I know that because Sea Shepherd is not military or law enforcement that they specifically DON’T have a right to enforce international law.

The Japanese whalers may be liars (although in general that is not illegal) but what proof do you have of their criminal activity, real proof not opinions. And they don’t and haven’t ever made profit. They get paid by the government to carry out research, their pay is set by contract and remains the same whether they get 100 whales or 1000.

‘The treaty specifically states:” All Treaty Nations will try to ensure that no one carries out any activity in Antarctica that is against the Treaty.” ‘ You are right but whaling isn’t against the treaty, so what is your point?

You may want to educate yourself. Try reading the actual Antarctic Treaty and see what it really says. The IWC charter, CITES, UN Law of the Sea and UN World Charter for Nature also may be good reading.

Do we ask the U.S. Navy Seals if they approached the pirates or enemy from the correct side when they enforce the law?

Do you think that because the Sea Shepherd is funded privately and is not a military vessel that they do not have the right to enforce international law? They do have the right to enforce and protect their interest in their environmental cause.

The Japanese Whaling Fleet is not a “RESEARCH” organization. They are liars and criminals; Looting, poaching, and profiting in the name of “RESEARCH.

I cannot believe the countries that signed the Antarctic Treaty allow this! The treaty specifically states:” All Treaty Nations will try to ensure that no one carries out any activity in Antarctica that is against the Treaty.”

Whaling for profit has been banned. Whaling is not research. Shame on the 42 countries that are allowing Japan to violate our environment this way. Admiral Paul Watson should be proud that he and his crew have exposed the activities of the Japanese Whaling Fleet.

Dave Flanagan
Virginia Beach, Virginia

If you have ever seen these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat I would have to think even you would find it abhorrent witnessing them harpooned, drown in their own blood and dragged onto a slaughter ship; all to produce meat that no one really wants to buy anyway.

The time for this brutality is over.

Or do you get off on it?

It is just as valid to claim that since the Japanese whaling is clearly commercial rather than scientific in nature it violates the IWC ban… OR that even if it WERE scientific research it would still be in violation of the IWC establishment of that area as a whale sanctuary… OR that even if the Japanese were free to ignore the IWC despite being signatories to its charter that the area is off Antarctic land claimed by Australia and thus within their ‘exclusive economic zone’ and illegal for other countries to perform whale hunts in.

AT BEST the claim of ‘legal catching of marine animals’ is a cynical fiction. By any reasonable standard it is simply a lie.

As to ‘rules’ of maritime traffic. I wasn’t talking about rules. I was talking about causes. The YM3 put itself on a collision course with the BB. A collision occurred. Ergo, the YM3 caused that collision. After all, we aren’t talking about busy shipping lanes here where two boats are accidentally on intercepting courses due to the high traffic through a narrow area… it’s the bloody Antarctic ocean. No other ships around for hundreds of miles. There was no accidental overlap of courses… and I simply do not believe any claim that it is all fine and dandy proper maritime conduct for one ship to go out of its way to deliberately aim at another ship. That’s inherently absurd.

Oh dear.

I am not sure I can take your word anymore.

Not all Americans are inbreed crinial loser’s like the anti-whaler terrorists!

My educated guess is the United States is going to put a better leash around these goof ball anti-whalers VERY SOON!

I also enjoy reading many, many large media outlets making a mockery of the anti-whalers protecting the minke whales “which is not on the verge of extinction”.

Seriously, I don’t argue with these anti-whaler nut jobs due to their brainwashed responses and oh, a very important fact; their leader Paul Watson is a crook! Too funny.

Anti-whalers, enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, the government is about to shut your ridiculous antics down!

Though, I’ll reiterate, anti-whaler followers are sheep of a criminal, raking in the dough due to their attention mongering ways. If they really wanted to save near extinct creature they’d pull a lot more respect, but as they are now, they simply look like fools in the majorities eyes…sheep. Anyone with any kind of intellect sees straight through these sheep. I mean, hating on a race due to their meat preference on an animal that is not close to extinction is simply simple minded foolery.

I highly respect the SSCS’s strength of conviction and their determination to go protest in the Southern Ocean, but I am disgusted with the methods they use to accomplish their goals. I believe all people have the right to peacefully protest, but not the right to physically attack another person. You can’t throw things at people from a picket line, so you shouldn’t be able to do it in the Southern Ocean.

If you’re going to call yourselves pirates, then be pirates. If the whalers sideswipe you, then don’t cry about it – get even. Ram the bejeezus out of the whalers and be proud of it – don’t they call it “Whale Wars”? Certainly don’t go crying to the media every time you take a bump from the whalers that you could have easily avoided; it makes you look as lame as a player taking a blatant dive at the World Cup.