News
Japanese Whalers To Join in the Grindadrap in September
The Despicably Gory Japanese Faroese Bloody Cultural Exchange Program
Thanks to international pressure, the Faroese whalers need all the moral support they can get these days – and it looks like they will get that support in the form of a visit from some Japanese whalers.
Apparently the Japanese whalers want to show the Faroese how to deal with Sea Shepherd; not that they’ve had much success on that front themselves, considering the recent verdict by the International Court of Justice which has ruled their whaling operations have been unlawful.
The Japanese whalers have asked the Faroese if they can participate in the Grindadrap. They also want to invite some Faroese whalers to come to Japan to kill a few dolphins – you know, just for shits and giggles.
This will be interesting. How will the Faroese justify Japanese whalers killing pilot whales as part of their culture?
That’s a long way to come at great expense to get some whale meat. Of course the real reason for the trip is to indulge in their lust for killing.
Will the Faroes become the place for psychopaths to come to satisfy their perversions similar to peadophiles heading to Thailand to indulge in their particular nasty fantasy?
Have the Japanese whalers become so frustrated by being unable to kill all the whales that they wish to travel to the Faroe Islands to indulge in a blood sport?
Is this the start of a Japanese do it yourself whale kill tourist adventure? Come to the Faroe Islands and get your hands bloodied as you partake in a quaint custom of killing whales with the locals.
Will the Faroes become the Mecca of every sick whale-killing psychopath on the planet?
The Japanese whalers are due to arrive on September 4th. They will most likely feel right at home with the waters turning red with blood and the screams of dying cetaceans ringing in their ears.
They will feel at home with the fact that both the Japanese and the Faroese have the highest levels of methyl-mercury in their bodies. They could have a competition to see whose brains are the most diminished by mercury.
And of course they will feel right at home with the sight of so many Sea Shepherd volunteers sporting the Jolly Roger logo, the same logo that has made their lives miserable in the Southern Ocean and in Taiji, Japan.
A meeting of like-minded bloody cetacean killers in a gore splattered blood soaked cultural exchange program – isn’t that really special?
I can hear it now:
Japanese: We kill dolphins and whales. We love to kill dolphins and whales.
Faroese: Really? Wow, we love to kill dolphins and whales to.
Japanese: We must be brothers from another mother, so much in common.
Faroese: We hate Sea Shepherd.
Japanese: Wow, we hate Sea Shepherd too. What a coincidence. We should party.
Faroese: Great idea, lets go kill some pilot whales and some dolphins.
Japanese: Yes lets have some fun. We can kill whales together.
Faroese: Yes, maybe we can go to your country and kill dolphins later.
Japanese: That would be fun but Sea Shepherd takes all the fun away. They are crazy anti-killing people.
Faroese: Yes it’s incredible they are against killing whales and even cows. God hates them.
Japanese: Yes our Gods hate them too. They are very unGodlike. What’s the point of having animals if you can’t kill them?
Faroese: Yes, God gave us these whales to kill. Those Sea Shepherd crazy people are working against God’s will.
Japanese: The only good whale is a dead whale.
Faroese: Same goes for Sea Shepherd – evil people for wanting to save dolphins. How sick is that?
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
-
News3 months ago
Hone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
News3 months ago
World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023