In the latest battle at sea, the whaling industry and the anti-whaling protest industry continue to up the stakes.  In recent years, the fights between ships have become physical.  The anti-whaling protest groups, like the Sea Shepherd Conservation society, use their boats to block the paths of anti-whaling ships, lob stink bombs, and lay down ropes and other lines to snag and damage the propellers of whaling ships.  The whalers use high pressure hoses to blast the protest ships away.  It’s only natural that, eventually, this game of cat and mouse will have disastrous consequences.

The Ady Gil, a trimaran purchased by a millionaire and donated to the Sea Shepherd organization, was in conflict with Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru in the waters off Antarctica when the collision happened.  The Ady Gil says they were deliberately rammed; the Shonan Maru says the Ady Gil deliberately moved into their path.  Odds are it was both.

Either way, the Ady Gil was left severely damaged and crew had to be rescued by the Sea Shepherd Bob Barker.  (Yes, it’s named after the animal rights activist game-show host.) Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt in the clash, at least this time.

Tags: battles at sea, whaling ship hits anti-whaling protest ship, Ady Gil, Bob Barker, Sea Shepherd, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Shonan Maru, whaling, Institute of Cetacean Research

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