Engineer’s Blog
David Nickarz, tenth engineer
Monday, February 9, 2009
The engineer’s lot is to sit in the engine room during a confrontation. We have to keep a close eye on the gauges and engines while the rest of the crew are on deck and the bridge watching the action. If there is a collision, we have the added fear of a possible hull breach where icy cold water from the Ross Sea could shower down on us in the engine room.
After our collision with the Yushin Maru 3 on February 6th we did have a hull breach. Our crew scrambled around below decks looking for any water coming in, but luckily it was well above the water line. Our ship suffered a hole in the anchor well that spanned two decks. After the fine work of our best welders, it was fixed in no time.
I know I wasn’t alone in losing sleep over this last week. We started the month with finding the fleet and confronting them over their illegal and immoral whaling. Our crew suffered minor injuries from objects thrown at them, powerful blasts from water cannons and unknown effects from the new weapons in the whaler’s arsenal—the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) and its unknown effects to our health.
We are in the most remote waters on Earth. We are here to do the job of unwilling governments to stop wilful lawbreakers and it’s not easy. Most of us are not professionals and some are first time sailors. We do our best and none of us regret a minute of our time defending the whales.
I want to make special mention of the five Minke whales that were slaughtered on our watch. Usually the whalers run from us when we show up, but this time they didn’t. We all feel deep sorrow for the loss of these gentle creatures. We tried our best and did everything we could, but we simply weren’t fast enough to stop the cruel harpoon boats before they got to you. This failure will remain in our hearts forever.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Back in the chase
Engine Room Blog
By David Nickarz, Tenth Engineer
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
We are now in our fourth day of chasing the Nisshin Maru—the factory whaling ship that has no business being in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary. We’re all pretty glad their running from us because that means no whales can be killed. The engineers have some more work to do with the increased speed of the chase, and we have to deal with the increased air pollution as well.
This is all worth the price if fewer whales are killed this season. During my shift in the engine room I make the time to take brief visits to the bridge. Sometimes the Nisshin Maru is a mile away and obscured by fog, and other times it is only tens of meters away with their water cannons on full bore. It kind of looks like they are wetting themselves with fear.
I hope the whalers feel even a small fraction of the fear that the whales have to endure. Hundreds of Minke whales and tens of Fin whales will have exploding harpoons enter their bodies and shards of metal thrust into their internal organs. These whales will never know why they are being slaughtered—for commercial gain, false science and national pride.
We had the privilege of watching Fin and Minke whales swim along side us as we chased their killers from the Ross Sea. It really is the least we can do.
By David Nickarz, Tenth Engineer
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
We are now in our fourth day of chasing the Nisshin Maru—the factory whaling ship that has no business being in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary. We’re all pretty glad their running from us because that means no whales can be killed. The engineers have some more work to do with the increased speed of the chase, and we have to deal with the increased air pollution as well.
This is all worth the price if fewer whales are killed this season. During my shift in the engine room I make the time to take brief visits to the bridge. Sometimes the Nisshin Maru is a mile away and obscured by fog, and other times it is only tens of meters away with their water cannons on full bore. It kind of looks like they are wetting themselves with fear.
I hope the whalers feel even a small fraction of the fear that the whales have to endure. Hundreds of Minke whales and tens of Fin whales will have exploding harpoons enter their bodies and shards of metal thrust into their internal organs. These whales will never know why they are being slaughtered—for commercial gain, false science and national pride.
We had the privilege of watching Fin and Minke whales swim along side us as we chased their killers from the Ross Sea. It really is the least we can do.
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