Sea Shepherd Unveils It's New Anti-Whaling Vessel - SSS Sam Simon

[Mayhem]

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and...sam-simon-is-unveiled-in-hobart-tasmania-1471

After months of speculation, anticipation and the announcement that Los Angeles-based philanthropist and co-creator of TV’s “The Simpsons,” Sam Simon, had donated funds for the purchase of a ship, Sea Shepherd's new Antarctic patrol ship, the SSS Sam Simon, was unveiled today in the port of Hobart, Tasmania, docked at Macquarie Wharf 1.

Her 56-meter hull painted bright white with a classic Sea Shepherd Conservation Society logo on her sides, and displaying a large “S” on her tall black smokestack, the Sam Simon has clearly received several months of careful preparation prior to Sea Shepherd's most ambitious Antarctic campaign yet.

Registered in Melbourne, Australia, the Sam Simon carries a crew of 24 international volunteers, ready to brave the Southern Ocean to seek out and shut down the illegal Japanese whaling fleet.

The vessel, retired from service by the Japanese Government in 2010, has since been laid up in Shimonoseki, Japan, alongside the very ships Sea Shepherd will confront this season.

Originally built as Seifu Maru in 1993 by IHI shipyard in Tokyo, to a high standard with no expense spared by the Japanese Government, the ice-strengthened steel vessel was operated by the Maizuru Meteorogical Observatory, a department of the Japan Meteorological Agency, out of Kyoto Prefecture.

While Sea Shepherd and most of the world agrees that the word “research” has no place in the Institute of Cetacean Research’s (ICR's) whaling program, Seifu Maru was indeed responsible for a considerable amount of real ocean current data contributing to Japan's western North Pacific Whaling Program (JARPN).

Captain of the Sam Simon, Locky Maclean, stated: “After months of secrecy, it is such a great feeling to finally be able to fly the Sea Shepherd flag from the main mast, and yes, Sea Shepherd now owns a real Japanese research ship!”

With four vessels departing for the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, Sea Shepherd's Operation Zero Tolerance aims to find the Japanese whaling fleet and chase it out of the Antarctic Treaty Zone without a single whale killed. It is Sea Shepherd's most ambitious campaign, and the culmination of a decade's conservation work in the Antarctic, which has drastically reduced the amount of whales killed by Japan's ICR.

Japan's ICR has set itself a quota of nearly one thousand minke and 50 fin whales to be culled during the 2012/2013 Australian summer in Antarctica.

The Sam Simon will be open for public tours Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Hobart prior to departing for the Southern Ocean next week.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[sean miguel]

Go get'em!

 

[bobjustbob]

Whale meat is yummy. Ever try any?

 

[Rey C.]

The prop foulers, stink bombs and paint grenades they use are pretty cool. But I'd like to see the Sea Shepherds use some torpedoes... ya know, research torpedoes.

The Japanese kill whales and dolphins for research. "Oh, uh, well, we sank your ship... for research. That baby sure did go down fast, huh?" :dunno:

 

[ApolloBalboa]

Whale meat is yummy. Ever try any?

Have you seriously tried it, or was that meant to be a joke? Where would you get to eat something like that, and what's it taste like?

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Have you seriously tried it, or was that meant to be a joke? Where would you get to eat something like that, and what's it taste like?

I had it when I was in 1st grade (1970ish), a teacher brought a can of it in. Don't remember any details, just a little piece of meat, on a saltine.

 

[mjk39]

Whale meat is yummy. Ever try any?

Japanese people know what's his taste?

What a waste of money, all only for one of the most ridiculous and embarrassing nation of the entire world.

 

[PlumpRump]

Paul Watson is a top ranking douche. I hope all of the whales in the world spontaneously die to spite him.

 

[bobjustbob]

I had it when I was in 1st grade (1970ish), a teacher brought a can of it in. Don't remember any details, just a little piece of meat, on a saltine.

Same here. Middle school science teacher brought it in. It was kind of sweet. Also had us try chocolate covered grasshoppers and fried ants.

 

[Rey C.]

I guess I've eaten several things that might be considered a little bit "exotic", alligator probably being the most out there. I've never tried whale or dolphin though. Can't say I've ever had the desire (even if I knew where to find it). But if I ever have the means, I'm thinking that I might like to take a couple of bites out of a Japanese person... who has just eaten some whale meat. Wonder how that would taste? Whale flavored human? Hmm...

There was a movie years ago about some super rich guys who hunted and ate people. I mean, if you want to go exotic, then by gawd, go full Monty exotic! Amirite? :yesyes:

 

[Mayhem]