Maligned as much for bad seamanship as they are for their over-the-top self-promotion, we admit to a serious soft spot for the Sea Shepherds. Their methods are borderline piracy and their leader is a confirmed fruitcake, but no organization has done more to highlight the ridiculous fuckery on the high seas that is commercial (ahem…scientific) whaling. We know marine mammals have incredible capacity for many of the same emotions and relationships we do and yet we continue to permit them to be slaughtered, imprisoned, and forced to jump for their dinner to the delight of millions of ignorant obese kids.
So it’s good to see a nice PR win for the Shepherds with this humpback rescue, where they get to teach the world the dangers of gillnets while showing off one of the world’s true maritime gems – the Gulf of California.
The writing is on the wall for the nasty company that’s made billions in blood money from Shamu and his friends, but it’s easy to put pressure on a place with a physical address. For better or for worse, Watson and his group are the only ones making sure the world knows what happens on the high seas. Meet their new ship here.
