14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, February 9, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) ship Gojira found the Japanese factory ship in charge of processing the whales caught by three harpoon vessels operating illegally in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
With the Steve Irwin in New Zealand for refueling and resupply, and with the Bob Barker still trying to cover the distance the factory shop Nisshin Maru put between them, the Gojira was the only SSCS boat left to continue chasing down the “Cetacean Death Star.”
Using its advanced technology and speed for an advantage, the small vessel was able to track down and catch up with the Japanese vessel as it was trying to escape by entering an ice field.
Given that the Gojira is very lightweight, and therefore incapable of breaking thick ice, Captain Locky MacLean decided not to put his boat through the ice fields. Instead, he maneuvered around the shelfs, and caught up with the Nisshin Maru on the other side.
The main Japanese ship was discovered at 2115 NZST (New Zealand Standard Time) on February 9, at 74 degrees 16 minutes south and 149 degrees 2 minutes west, the SSCS announces in a statement.
When the Gojira arrived, the crew on the whaling ship was apparently engaged in flensing a whale, as evidenced by the brown-red stains on its aft deck, the work lights illuminating the vessel, and the black smoke coming out of its smoke stack.
Gojira immediately engaged the vessel, with the sole purpose of delaying its departure enough for the larger and better-equipped MV Bob Barker to catch up. During the skirmish, the small craft was again jeopardized by the factory ship, which headed straight for it.
“The Gojira was stopped in an area of growlers and floe ice as the Nisshin Maru proceeded to bear down on her. Despite several VHF calls to alter course, the Nisshin Maru closed in on the Gojira,” the SSCS press release states.
“When the Nisshin Maru was 40 meters away, Captain MacLean fired a flare to signal the Nisshin Maru to alter course. The Japanese factory ship altered course to starboard, as the Gojira slid 20 meters down her port side,” it adds.
Early this morning, at 0220 NZST, the Japanese factory ship and one of its harpoon boats entered ice fields, in an attempt to shake the Sea Shepherd vessel. They were however unable to outmaneuver the lighter and faster Gojira.
By 0400 hours, the Bob Barker had caught up with the illegal whaling fleet, and maneuvered into a position that does not allow for the Nisshin Maru crew to get rid of dead whales.
Despite traveling through thick pack ice, the Bob Barker can now easily tail the Nisshin Maru. Gojira has disengaged the hunt, and is currently scouting about for the other two Japanese harpoon boats.
In the mean time, the Steve Irwin left port in Wellington yesterdday, at 1800 hours, and is currently heading to cut off the Japanese vessels. It will rejoin the SSCS fleet in about 5 days.
When the SSCS flagship reaches its destination, the Nisshin Maru will be blocked from all attempts to load dead whales onto its deck. Its aft ramp is the only way to get the massive animals on board.