Whale Warriors (6 photos)
All photos © Adam Lau
Crew members brace themselves on the bow of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship, MV Steve Irwin, as it plunges through Antarctic swells. Adam Lau, a student from San Francisco State University, documented the ship and it’s crew as they pursued and clashed with Japanese whaling vessels. Such ships are accused of hunting commercially under the guise of “scientific research.” While Sea Shepherd claims to be non-violent, its aggressive tactics have provoked criticism from other groups, making it the black sheep of the conservation movement.
Lau’s series is included in the PDN Photo Annual 2010 online gallery. The MV Steve Irwin and it’s crew are also the subject of the Animal Planet series Whale Wars.
A message left on the the bridge rail by crew after a whale sighting off Antarctica’s coast.
The crew hurls bottles of butyric acid at the Yūshin Maru No. 1, a Japanese harpoon ship, during a clash in Antarctica’s Ross Sea. “Rotten butter bombs” were aimed at the whaling ship’s deck in the hope of making work on board difficult, and tainting meat to be sold at market.
Cook Laura Dakin, right, peers out the galley window as crew member Eric Cheng weathers a snowstorm outside after a failed mission to pursue Japanese harpoon ship, the Yūshin Maru No. 3.
The crew in an inflatable fast boat, armed with bottles of rotten butter, are doused by water cannons from Japanese harpoon ship, the Yūshin Maru No. 1.
Crew Warren Werrett and Laurens De Groot nap on ropes on the deck.
Tags: Animal Planet, PDN Contest, PDN Photo Annual, Sea Shepherd, Whale Wars, whaling
June 4th, 2010 at 1:30 pm EEDT
WOW those are AMAZING!
June 4th, 2010 at 4:42 pm EEDT
Wow, WOW!
The first picture is truly amazing, can’t take my eyes away from it. The rest is great photodocumentary as well.
A talented photographer, for sure, and a brave one!
June 4th, 2010 at 7:14 pm EEDT
Get a job hippies!
June 4th, 2010 at 7:35 pm EEDT
powerful images!
June 5th, 2010 at 12:10 am EEDT
The first photo is a great photo, the rest of them are full of self serving eco-terrorists who should not be applauded.
June 5th, 2010 at 5:29 pm EEDT
Thanks for sharing these. These photographs do a wonderful job of sharing how challenging this work can be on so many levels. While I have some compassion for cultures who have been raised with this as an acceptable form of livelihood, I do hope that compassion will overcome and that viable alternatives will help lead us all to more sustainable and humane ways of life.
June 8th, 2010 at 11:28 pm EEDT
what an awesome pictures, nicely done
June 12th, 2010 at 8:21 pm EEDT
Powerful images, to be sure: but the Louisiana oil spill’s occupying my mind more right now.
June 12th, 2010 at 8:40 pm EEDT
Today’s whaling is sustainable.
Leave the whale eaters alone and stop marketing yuppie approved hate.
June 12th, 2010 at 8:46 pm EEDT
I wonder when are these eco terrorists going to use lethal force?
June 12th, 2010 at 9:15 pm EEDT
The photo is powerful. It is very amazing..
I can feel just like I am inside the photo.
Thanks for sharing :)
June 12th, 2010 at 10:59 pm EEDT
Haha @ Tom’s comment.
Probably some Japanese whale fisher
June 13th, 2010 at 1:14 am EEDT
WOW, really impressing. The first shot is GIANT.
June 13th, 2010 at 2:16 am EEDT
I wonder when this’ll start with beef-eaters?
June 13th, 2010 at 9:31 am EEDT
Awsome, keep up the good work!
June 13th, 2010 at 4:50 pm EEDT
AMAZING!!!
Thanks!
August 12th, 2010 at 12:21 am EEDT
Excellent work! Amazing pictures….it shows the beauty and power of our amazing ocean. As for the negative comments posted by those who are in favour of killing whales……next time I see your back-sides paddling in the sea, how about I harpoon you and see how you like it!!!!! With your attitudes, no wonder the planet’s many beautiful species are becoming extinct….and @ Tom: Get a life! These conversationists have a job and it’s more worthy of anything your small narrow mind can ever possibly conceive!
November 15th, 2010 at 1:51 am EEST
It is quite common that women usually have the desire to buy new jewelries
February 20th, 2011 at 10:48 pm EEST
I applaud their work and I am not a hippy….let the animals live….I wish I could be there to help….@tom is narrow minded…these mammals are smarter than him..!!