Japanese whalers to face new enemy in 'Godzilla'

[coti]

Source: GrindTV.com

By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com

A controversial animal-rights group preparing to embark on its annual harassment campaign against Japanese whalers has stepped up its effort this season by enlisting the aid of ... Godzilla.

The swift and ominous-looking interceptor vessel has the moniker Gojira, named after the ferocious monster in the legendary Japanese film, which in English means Godzilla.

The 115-foot boat was launched by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on Monday in Fremantle, Australia, and has joined the larger vessels, Steve Irwin and Bob Barker, in Hobart. At midweek all three will begin their journey to Antarctic waters, where their crews will await the arrival of the Japanese whaling fleet.

Japan also means business. The whaling ships will carry armed members of the Japan Coast Guard to help prevent sabotage by the activists, according to the Japan Times.

(more)






Read more: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/22423/japanese+whalers+to+face+new+enemy+in+godzilla/

[Faygo Kid]

1. Somebody means business.

That's one imposing ship. In this case, they don't need to get a bigger boat.

[coti]

5. The Ady Gil was 78 feet, this one's 115. nt

[jobycom]

2. If they need cash, they can rent it to a future James Bond movie.

Looks perfect for the next battle with Quantum over a deep sea drilling shelf. Maybe combine it with Steve Berry's latest Cotton Malone book and have Quantum prove abiotic oil, or something. Somehow I can't see a movie built around James Bond saving a whale.

[ZombieHorde]

3. Cool looking boat. Looks like Batman's Batboat. nt

[Frisbee]

4. Sweet! n/t

[InvisibleTouch]

6. Happy to see they got a new boat!

Much luck and success to them.

[Ginto]

7. Don't like this.

Godzilla was the representation of the US inflicting nuclear terror on Japan. I like anti-whaling efforts, but I do not like this mascot.

[drmeow]

8. My attitude

" which are considered an important part of Japanese culture and tradition"

In that case they should use traditional methods and vessels:

[TheWraith]

9. I'm not a boat person, but looking at the design, I bet it can muster some speed.

I wonder what the turning radius is like.

[timo]

10. its gonna be sad

when the whalers ram that boat and leaf it trashed out like the last one

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. They'll have to catch it before they can ram it. nt

[timo]

18. well

they didnt have a problem scuttling that other boat and it was sure sleek and speedy

[time_has_come]

13. Or when "captain" Watson orders it to purposely get in front of the whalers...

and then lies about it.

[coti]

14. That's not what happened. You should just watch the episode of Whale Wars showing

the collision. It's extremely clear the collision wasn't intentional on Bethune's part, and almost as clear that the Japanese captain turned his ship directly into the Ady Gil as it sat in the water.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. Oh no...

there goes Tokyo

[John Kerry VonErich]

15. Do they have to use that crappy version image of Godzilla from the Broderick movie?

nt

[CJvR]

16. Those interceptors...

...are potentially very troublesome for the Japanese fleet. They can outrun even the harpoon ships making them impossible to neutralize by having a security ship shadow them and relay their positions. Still they are hardly something you should use to play chicken with a real steel hulled ships.

[hack89]

17. Speed and endurance do not go together

keeping it fueled is going to be a huge issue.

[timo]

19. ????

if they REALLY want to stop whaling and do something about it why not just open up the whalers hulls with a mini gun and some green tips?? I mean all this other stuff is just antics...and its not like the captain has never done things like that before, I think i read he has even done time for it.