# Japanese whale whores **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 7, 2010, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021 "2010-01-07T12:27:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/121 "2010-01-08T17:26:46Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > lol…I posted the following on EVE forums: > > “The anti-whalers are going in to low sec to pew pew with the whalers (guess they didn’t read the patch notes where bumping mechanics were changed so ramming your inty into an Orca [see what I did there] doesn’t turn out as well as it once did).” 😃 Yes. As far as I am concerned it’s the fault of the pilot of the Ady Gil. They simply should not have ever been idle in the path of their adversary. Though while Inty is a good example, Orca only works because of the name. It was more like Inty vs Cruiser. ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/122 "2010-01-08T17:29:13Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Ooh, scary stuff. :rolleyes: Back in school some clever person came up with the brilliant idea of throwing a container of butyric acid from chemistry class into the corridor or onto some lockers. That place stank like rancid butter for days and some classes had to be moved to other classrooms. I remember this happening at least twice. Ugh, it’s not pleasant :). ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/123 "2010-01-08T17:29:48Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > IIRC from the show, they’re trying to get the butyric acid onto the whale being processed, since it will ruin the whale meat. Not so much to piss off the crew, though that’s a side benefit as well. Of course, they’re just as incompetent as that as anything else - rather than set up some kind of sling or slingshot, they just throw the bottles. That isn’t a result of incompetence. A slingshot is a fire-arm and as such can be construed as piracy in a way throwing the butyric acid isn’t. They could be using air cannons too. Which they did one time when Watson fired air-propelled signal flares at a boat they thought was trying to ram them. But the reason for not mechanically aiding the propulsion of the weapons is to skirt piracy laws, not because they are too stupid to think of mounting a ballista on the deck. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/124 "2010-01-08T17:38:49Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Though while Inty is a good example, Orca only works because of the name. It was more like Inty vs Cruiser. Size wise maybe but an Orca is an Industrial ship which these are. Figured it was close enough with the spin on the name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/125 "2010-01-08T17:40:22Z")
I was trying to find an article in a Japanese newspaper. I found this one from [Japan Times](http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100106x2.html), if anyone’s interested. As far as our Aussie buddies are concerned: > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, local media reports Wednesday said Japan has been chartering flights from Australia to monitor the location of the Sea Shepherd antiwhaling vessels in the Southern Ocean. > > Watson claimed the planes are being charted illegally by Glenn Inwood, the spokesman for the Institute of Cetacean Research. > > “We actually caught him in a bit of a bind because he misrepresented himself to the charter company saying he was a representative of the New Zealand government,” he told Kyodo News. > > Inwood, when asked about the allegation, answered, “No comment.” > > Acting Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Australia is seeking legal advice on the matter. > > “I make it very clear on behalf of the Australian Government we do not condone this action by the Japanese Government,” she said. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/126 "2010-01-08T17:48:34Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Size wise maybe but an Orca is an Industrial ship which these are. Figured it was close enough with the spin on the name. 🙂 The Orca would be the [Nisshin Maru](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisshin_Maru). Which is unironically, the factory ship that these spotter ships are trying to protect. The goal of every season is to get on the Nisshin Maru and stay on the Nisshin Maru for as long as they are able. I highly recommend watching at least Season 2 of the show for you specifically. There is a lot of maneuvering done, and it’s interesting to see how the amateur crew reacts to the maneuvers by the professional fleet. The whalers adapted to their tactics so that they were then able to whale right in front of the Sea Shepherds. To put it in perspective the fleet is organized like this: Nisshin Maru = Orca Yushin Maru 1, 2, and 3 = Mining Barge (The Harpoon Ships) Then there were spotter ships, I think Isshin Maru, there were I think two of these, can’t remember their title designations though. Now it seems like the Shonan Maru is a new ship, but maybe it’s one of the old spotter ships. As it has a designation of 2, maybe there are two of them, and they have upgraded to have ships meant to confront Sea Shepherds directly. This is what I was unsure of. So the Shonan Maru, as a ‘security’ vessel would be like the Thorax/Vexor that specifically defends the Orca and the Mining fleet. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/127 "2010-01-08T19:25:13Z")
I just watched the South Park ep, [Whale Whores](http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1311/) for free on their site. It’s pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/128 "2010-01-08T20:20:06Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > And if I’m dropping ink all over your work because I don’t like the fact that your “work” is illegal maybe you should get the hint and find new work. 🙂 Prepare to have your desk rammed by mine, damn hippie! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/129 "2010-01-08T23:17:33Z")
Am I the only one who – **without even being stoned at the time** – looked at the thread title and was whimsically amused at the reminder that the “wh” formation in English orthography has two different and equally correct pronunciations? Or experimented with alternatives? (“wale wars” . . . “hale hores” . . .) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/130 "2010-01-08T23:19:34Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > Otherwise known as ‘heroes’. And yes, I go through a sex change just to be able to have their children, if we had that technology. Not really germane to the point I was making, but, what the hell, why let that stop you? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/131 "2010-01-09T00:51:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Am I the only one who – **without even being stoned at the time** – looked at the thread title and was whimsically amused at the reminder that the “wh” formation in English orthography has two different and equally correct pronunciations? Or experimented with alternatives? (“wale wars” . . . “hale hores” . . .) Try saying “Cool Whip.” ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/132 "2010-01-09T00:56:26Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Am I the only one who – **without even being stoned at the time** – looked at the thread title and was whimsically amused at the reminder that the “wh” formation in English orthography has two different and equally correct pronunciations? Or experimented with alternatives? (“wale wars” . . . “hale hores” . . .) In Maori the “Wh” formation is prounounced like the letter “F”- Which makes the title read like “Japanese Fale Fores”, perhaps implying that Japan won’t be making a showing at the PGA this year. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/133 "2010-01-09T01:34:33Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Those Sea Shepherd idiots are going to get someone killed eventually. If they really want to stop Japanese whaling they should spend their efforts trying to change public opinion in Japan - eliminating the market for whale meat would stop the whaling far more effectively than continuously harassing large ships in dangerous waters. I also don’t like that this reality show is de facto encouraging this behavior. “Direct action” isn’t the way to stop whaling, its the way to get people killed. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/134 "2010-01-09T02:31:40Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Sorry but not seeing it this way. > > You want me to believe, had the Gil not moved, that the Japanese ship would have harmlessly passed a few meters in front of the other ship. Perhaps it would have but everyone else was supposed to know that? > > You want me to buy that the security ship pilot really did believe in their ninjaness to pull off such a thread-the-needle-in-high-seas-with-a-700-ton-ship maneuver and it is the other guy’s fault? It is unimaginable to think of being able to maneuver with such precision in such high seas in a ship that size unless you are God. > > Too much to swallow. > > Plus, I cannot fault the Ady Gil pilot. From his perspective he saw a monster ship turning in to him. He had to just hope they didn’t run him over? He should just have sat there and figured they wouldn’t do that? From his perspective I bet the other ship looked mighty big and menacing and headed straight for them. Not his bow even but for a good bit at them. Stand still in that situation? Gotta be kidding me. It looks like the Japanese ship intended to come extreamly close to the Ady Gil. If you have ever been Gutman lake at Panama then you would not think it would be hard for a pilot to think he could do that. I have seen 20,000 ton ships manuver around other ships with just a few feet clearance at around 20 knotts. But if I was sitting in the Ady Gil looking at the stem of a ship comming strait onto me, I would try to move as fast as I could. I would not be brave enough to think, no at the last moment he is going to turn away. I would hit the throttles past the stops to try and clear. They both were playing dangerous games and both dodged in the same direction. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/135 "2010-01-11T16:36:42Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > It looks like the Japanese ship intended to come extreamly close to the Ady Gil. If you have ever been Gutman lake at Panama then you would not think it would be hard for a pilot to think he could do that. I have seen 20,000 ton ships manuver around other ships with just a few feet clearance at around 20 knotts. > > But if I was sitting in the Ady Gil looking at the stem of a ship comming strait onto me, I would try to move as fast as I could. I would not be brave enough to think, no at the last moment he is going to turn away. I would hit the throttles past the stops to try and clear. > > They both were playing dangerous games and both dodged in the same direction. I find the notion of a 20,000 ton ship moving at 20 knots intentionally skirting other ships by mere feet to be a bit much to swallow. If such a thing happened it was a mistake and they got lucky. A ship like that would have a momentum of 205,600,000 kg\*m/s. Not what you would call amenable to superfine control. Add in for the Japanese case the ship was in high seas and high winds thus substantially complicating trying to pull off a near miss in a ship that big. Further, if the Japanese pilot was indeed so awesome with maneuvering his ship then surely he had to correctly expect the response of the other ship which would be to clear itself to avoid the collision. The only reasonable supposition of what the other guy would do, seeing the other ship turning in and bearing down on it, would be to go forward. So, reversing the turn in fact cut off that retreat rather than helped. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/136 "2010-01-11T17:38:08Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > …They both were playing dangerous game… Different degrees and levels of danger, though. One is risking legal action, the other is playing with his life and that of a bunch of others who trusted him with their lives and clearly never expected he would fuck up like that. Playing chicken is not the same as playing chicken-rhino. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/137 "2010-01-12T05:22:08Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I find the notion of a 20,000 ton ship moving at 20 knots intentionally skirting other ships by mere feet to be a bit much to swallow. If such a thing happened it was a mistake and they got lucky. A ship like that would have a momentum of 205,600,000 kg\*m/s. Not what you would call amenable to superfine control. > > . Ever go through the Panama Canal? The pilots do. That is one of two locations where the pilot has sole responsibility for conning a ship. It is somethng to see. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/138 "2010-01-12T05:32:53Z")
I’ve been through the Panama Canal and they use these big trolley thingies and lots of belaying lines for big ships. I’m not sure how applicable that is to a really big ship in heavy seas. Even crossing the big ass lake in the middle it seemed really calm to me… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/139 "2010-01-12T06:49:02Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I’ve been through the Panama Canal and they use these big trolley thingies and lots of belaying lines for big ships. I’m not sure how applicable that is to a really big ship in heavy seas. Even crossing the big ass lake in the middle it seemed really calm to me… > > -XT the donkeys are used only at the locks. In the canal and the lakes the ships are controled by the pilots. When you were in the lakes did you notice how close the pilots will come to another ship. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021/140 "2010-01-12T06:53:07Z")
Sure…but it was calm waters and no one was deliberately trying to cut in front of another with inches to spare. We even went out on smaller boats because one of the customers I had was doing underwater logging in the region, so we got to go out and see some of their facilities. -XT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-whale-whores/524021.md?page=8)