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April 2008
Yahoo!! - Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace vessels were in the face of Japan's whaling ships and saved nearly 400 whales from being killed this season
!!
PLUS - Romania has joined the IWC to vote against whaling!
This was in the Sydney Morning Herald. . . .
JAPAN'S whalers blamed "relentless interference" from environmentalists and Australia's official surveillance as they detailed the poor results of their Antarctic hunt.
Click Here for more information and images.
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28 Feb 2008
Schoolkids urged to eat whale meat!
JAPAN'S whaling researchers dumped 10 tonnes of unsold whale meat into primary school lunches, labelling the event "traditional school lunch week".
In a desperate attempt to revive the flagging market, the Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) supplied the research by-product to 254 Yokohama schools over two days last month, hoping to give their young palates a taste for whale meat.
Faced with a reported 3000 tonne inventory of unsold meat from last year's cull, the ICR contacted the Yokohama City Education committee, suggesting the department include research meat in their school lunches.
A total of 200,000 lunches of whale meat salad marinated in sesame sauce were served on January 21 and 22. Yokohama children have not eaten whale meat as part of school lunches in 26 years.
The ICR refused to comment on its controversial programs.
for more . . . . click here
My comment: So maybe whaling is about 'power' - something they lost at the end of World War II? Maybe if USA and Britain will allow them to have armed forces again - they might give up killing whales!
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7 Feb 2008
Shocking . . . two minke whales are hauled aboard a Japanese whaler.
Japanese authorities have denied reports the two were a mother and calf.
The newly elected Australian Labour Government are 'walking their talk! They obviously mean business and the first Government in the world to take 'real' action to stop Japan murdering the whales on our oceans! How refreshing!!
Click Here for more information and images.
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3 February 2008
Professional Wildlife Photographer 'Darren Jew' joins the WhaleSwim Team for 2008!
Winner of 2007 Canon/AIPP Australian Science, Environment and Nature Photographer of the Year.
We are very excited to have Darren as our Photography Tour Guide on our Whaleswim Team again!
Having been inspired to explore a career in nature photography by my father's travels in Antarctica, Darren now pursues a passion for capturing and sharing the wonder of the natural world. 
Darren guided our photography groups
in Tonga back in 2001 and 2002 seasons, so after a break of 5 years he is back to photograph the humpbacks and the beautiful marine environment around the vava'u islands. Back in 2002, Darren photographed the infamous humpback calf we named 'Solomon' - see Solomon in photos on the right - recognisable by his pure white pectoral fins.
We hope Solomon will return to Vava'u this coming season as he has now reached adulthood and ready to mate. Darren's website is www.darrenjew.com
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This small curious humpback calf swam right up to Sally, while its mother slept just 10 metres below!
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3 February 2008
WhaleSwim Adventures is on the front page of Sunday Telegraph 'Escape' section today!
Acting Editor of Escape, Sally Macmillan joined us in Vava'u Tonga in October 2008
and her amazing experiences with the Whales and in Vava'u are told, so dont miss it!
 Sally was with us and the whales for the first time in Vava'u back in 2003 and when we invited her to join us again in 2007, she jumped that the chance to join our 3-day tour based at the Blue Lagoon Resort out on the paradise island of Foeata.
Her story gives you the opportunity to know more about our extraordinary tours to swim with the humpback whales in Tonga. If you have missed it - watch for her story to appear in you local daily newspaper over the next few weeks.
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24 January 2008
We have a new adventure activity 'partner' in Vava'u!
Outriggers in Paradise!
Outriggers in Paradise specialises in guided island tours using traditional-style and modern outrigger canoes.
Julianne and Bruce ( a couple of great Aussies) set-up this much needed soft adventure business in 2007 - an opportunity to experience the beautiful paradise islands in Vava'u.
Whether you want to experience a 2 hour 'Sunset Tour', an 'Under the Tongan Stars Tour' (overnight), their 'Romance Under The Stars tour' for 2 nights or a 4 night 'Getaway Tour' - you can add it to your Whaleswim Adventure experience.
We have worked together on dates, so our tours fit together so you can experience both tours if you wish!
Contact Julianne & Bruce via their website http://www.outriggerstonga.com
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1 January 2008
Whaleswim Adventures on TV travel show "No Frontiers" in Ireland! 
The program went to air in Ireland tonight! If you were out celebrating the New Year then click here to watch it!
Kathryn Thomas (the Presenter), Gerald (Director) and Mark (cameraman) spent a week with us in Vava'u last October - they were great fun and very easy to work with.
Kathryn had a very special experience with a humpback mother and calf - she willl never forget it!
Watch the video clip at http://www.whaleswim.com/whaleswim/publicity.html
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22 December 2007
Yahoo!!!! Japan gives up plan for Humpback Slaughter!
.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/whale-watch/japan-spares-humpbacks/2007/12/21/1198175341941.html
. . . but let's keep protesting for the minke whales!
Here is how you can help:
Email the new Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.
The Japanese whaling fleet are currently on their way to the Antarctic slaughtering several species of whales illegally. They are expected to arrive in Australia's Antarctic waters by early January 2008. This slaughter is breaking both international and Australian treaties, laws and conventions.
In the leadup to the elections, the Labour party promised to be active in the process of preventing the Japanese from illegally killing whales in Australian waters. The Australian Government is the only government authority who can do something about this.
Please send an email to Kevin Rudd asking him to follow through with Labour's policy of keeping the Japanese from illegal whaling activity. This was a promise made in the lead up to the elections. Lets hope it's not the first promise the Labour party breaks.
Email:Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au
Postal Address:
PO Box 476A
Morningside, QLD, 4170
For further details on illegal Japanese whaling, and what you can do to help, please see:
www.seashepherd.org
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15 November 2007
WhaleSwim Tour dates are confirmed and Ready to Book for 2008!
HAVE MORE FUN IN A GROUP!
Most of our guests are independent travellers who have rarely joined a group tour!
All our guests are very pleasantly surprised when they experience our group tours! As an independent traveller myself (who has traveled to most parts the world on my own) I have never been on a group tour THEREFORE I was very conscious NOT to have the days structured.
HOWEVER, ATER I RAN MY VERY FIRST TOUR IN 1999 I realised that people who have the courage to swim with a 40-ton whale are not your average tourist!! They are brave, wildlife and nature lovers who are passionate about our oceans, our planet and all the creatures in it and on it!
We are blessed with great like-minded people from all over the world joining our tours each year, many will be life-time friends for us and of the other guests as they share such intimate and extraordinary encounters with the whales.
The other great thing about spending more than 1 or 2 days on the water with the whales is that you gain confidence with so much support around you and your encounters with the whales become even more profound.
Join us and other very special people to swim with the whales in beautiful Vava'u!
BOOK NOW! CLICK HERE
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31 October 2007
After another wonderful season with the magnificent Humpbacks . . . we are departing Vava'u
When the humpback leave for their feeding grounds, the WS Team return to our homes in Australia and New Zealand.
We are always so sad to leave the whales and this beautiful place! Especially to leave our 'local' members of our Team and our Tongan families'.
Kam and Veni - are great skippers and really care about the well being of the whales and that our guests have the best encounters possible. Nesi, and Ali - wonderful boat crew and Mapa and Edward, our taxi drivers - they do a great job moving our guests around, sometimes under difficult circumstances due to the many flight schedule changes.
It's a privilege to work with them all.
See you all next year!
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Al, Mark, Scott & Nic
Annah, Nome & Kam
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24 September 2007 
The 'Big Day-Out' for the WhaleSwim Team!
Today we charted a big catamaran to treat the Team and sailed out to a beautiful uninhabited island!
It was the only day we all had off together so Sione and Nesi cooked the umu and a small pig (at dawn) and we all sailed out of the harbour at 10am. By the time we got out to the island, the sun was shining - its was like being in a picture perfect South Pacific Island postcard!
We had a great day - thanks to you all for your dedication to the humpback whales and all of our guests!
  
Nic & Al The blue lagoon in paradise The catamaran
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17 September 2007
The Marine Sciences Students from New Zealand arrive. . . . .
Each season WhaleSwim Adventures sponsors several students for Bay of Plenty Polytechic for their end of year projects.
This year we have Josh Kim, Elizabeth and Kura and they are with us for 3.5 weeks and each student has a different project. Kim is researching local education about whales in schools, Josh is recording whale song and Kura and Elizabeth are researching the whale swimming tourism industry in Tonga.
They are in Vava'u til 10 October.
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24 July 2007
Entangled Humpback Whale in Vava'u!
Today we found a female humpback in distress from being entangled in a rope.
The rope was tightly entangled around her body and cutting into her blubber. Most of her body was covered in sea lice as she was unable to move fast enough to dislodge them - they were affecting her blood which added to her unhealthy state. Nic got into the water to take these photos to send to the entanglement experts around the world come decide on what to do.
IFAW very generously offered to finance the disentanglement team to fly into Vava'u, but by the following morning, she had disappeared and we did not see her again.
We all feel very sad today.
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12 July 2007
Just arrived in Vava'u for another season swimming with the humpback whales . .
Its so good to be back - can't wait to get out on the water with the whales!
Nic and I are the first of the team to arrive - lots off unpacking and setting up to do before the first group starts on 20th.
We hear there are lots of whales here and tomorrow we have our first day on the water. Yahoo!
Gotta go. . . we are off to the hospital to deliver the 543 pairs of reading glasses we have bought from New Zealand to donate ready for the overseas eye surgeons who are due here in 10 days time!
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