A fictional short story based on the words and life of Captain Paul Watson. A new captivating episode every Friday.
The Battle of the Coasts (Episode 1)
The air was filled with the smell of salt water rising in a fine spray from the crashing waves. It was one of those nights when the moon cast only a faint, silvery light over the ocean and the stars watched over us like silent sentinels. I stood at the railing of the small "Phyllis Cormack", a converted fishing boat just big enough to carry our crew and equipment. My heart was beating fast, my hands clutching the railing as if I needed to hold on to reality.
I knew what was coming: a direct confrontation with a whaler that had just violated the Antarctic protection zone.
The journey began a few days earlier in a harbour that could hardly be found on a map. There I had joined the crew of Greenpeace, a movement that was still young at the time, fuelled by the vision of changing the world. I was barely in my mid-twenties, filled with ideals and an unshakeable belief that each individual had the power to make a big difference. I didn't just want to talk. I wanted to act.
Our mission was clear: we wanted to stop the hunt for the mighty humpback whales that travelled through these waters every year, unaware that they were being hunted by people who thought they were profitable. It was an unequal battle - a small ship with a handful of determined environmentalists against the industrial might of the whaling fleet.
The first sight of the whaling ship was like a punch in the stomach. It was a giant, almost three times the size of our little "Phyllis Cormack". Its bow cut menacingly through the waves, while dark smoke rose from the funnel into the sky. The silhouette looked like a predator quietly preparing for its prey.
"There she is," someone mumbled behind me, but I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Reality hit me with full force. This wasn't a film or a newspaper story. This was real life. And these whales, gliding through the depths of the sea somewhere below us, knew nothing of the danger that awaited them.
Our plan was simple, at least in theory. We were going to stand between the harpoon and the whales, a living shield that would make killing impossible. It sounded brave - maybe even heroic - but the truth was that we were all scared.
The crew was a mixture of experienced activists and idealistic newcomers like me. Each of us knew that this was no exercise. One mistake could cost us our lives. And yet I felt I was in exactly the right place.
"Get ready!" Our captain's voice cut through the salty air. "We're going in."
The minutes leading up to the confrontation dragged on like hours. Our small crew prepared with a mixture of silence and hectic activity. Some secured cameras to gather evidence for the world. Others checked the communication devices. I stood there and watched the whaling ship get bigger and bigger the closer we got.
"Paul, we're counting on you." It was Bob, our photographer. His face was serious, but his eyes had a hint of confidence. I nodded. "We can do this," I mumbled more to myself than to him.
Then the time had come. The moment I will never forget.
The wailing of sirens tore through the night. We were so close now that I could make out the metallic details of the whaling ship - rust stains running across the hull like scars. And then I heard it: the thunderous roar of the harpoon, ready to take its deadly course.
"Go!" Our little boat shot forwards, directly into the harpoon's trajectory. Adrenalin coursed through my body. Everything seemed to slow down, every heartbeat like a drumbeat.
The harpoon fired. A metallic sound, followed by a silence so loud that it was almost physically palpable. But instead of hitting a whale, it hit the water with a deafening crash, just a few metres away from us. We had made it.
The whaler's crew were beside themselves. I saw men on deck gesticulating wildly, shouting curses as they tried to push us out of the way. But we stood firm, our little boat a silent but determined opponent.
"We've blocked them!" someone shouted. An air of triumph pervaded the tension. But the battle was far from over.
The whaling ship began to circle us in an attempt to dislodge us. The waves it created made our boat sway dangerously. Water splashed over the railing and I clung on, determined not to give way.
Hours passed. We knew we couldn't hold out forever. Our supplies were limited and the sea was a relentless opponent. But we had sent a message: These whales were not alone.
The next morning we saw the whaling ship turn away. It wasn't a final victory - we had only stopped the hunt for a moment. But at that moment I felt that we had achieved something significant.
Back in the harbour, I felt the exhaustion in every bone of my body. But when I saw the pictures Bob had taken - the harpoon hitting the water, our small crew holding out against all odds - I knew that this was just the beginning.
"Paul," Bob said to me, "you're one of us now." I nodded, a smile on my lips. "And I'm not going anywhere."
This first mission taught me that courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to act in spite of fear. It was the beginning of a journey that would change my life forever. And it was the moment I knew that I would dedicate my life to protecting the oceans.
Dhe legendary environmental activist Captain Paul Watson, co-founder of Greenpeace, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and founder of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was arrested in Greenland in July 2024. This was done at the request of the whaling nation Japan without an international or national arrest warrant and without there ever having been a judgement or even a trial. The Danish judiciary delayed the defence hearing month after month. Incriminating video footage that would exonerate Paul Watson beyond doubt was not released by the court for almost half a year. Paul Watson spent his 74th birthday in prison and was only released on 16 December 2024. The bland aftertaste of the blanket criminalisation of activism remains. Clearly a political issue, as the Danish Faroe Islands would have liked to see Watson die in a Japanese prison. It is unacceptable that people like Paul Watson should be extradited to an Asian whaling nation for allegedly causing minor damage to property when politicians have been lying to us with impunity on climate issues for half a century. For those of us who were there, who invested energy, time and a lot of money in Paul's rescue, it already feels like another adventure in Paul's heroic life, even though he has only been back in Paris for a week, at home with his wife and children. So that we never forget how important the fight for the earth is, I publish exciting short stories from Paul Watson's life from time to time. Of course, the storyboard is fictional, as I made it up. But it is based on Paul's stories, interviews, videos and reports. You can find all the sources in the list of sources.
1France24. (2024). Japan asks Denmark to extradite anti-whaling activist Paul Watson [Article]. Available at: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240801-japan-asks-denmark-to-extradite-anti-whaling-activist-paul-watson Accessed on 7 December 2024 2n-tv. (2024). Whaling opponent Paul Watson still imprisoned. Available at: https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Walfang-Gegner-Paul-Watson-noch-immer-in-Groenland-inhaftiert-FreePaulWatson-setzt-sich-fuer-Freilassung-ein-article25173640.html Accessed on 7 December 2024 3YouTube. (2023). Paul Watson: The Whale Warrior - A Pirate for the Sea [Video]. Available at: https://youtu.be/Fm2kMu8Jrs4 Accessed on 7 December 2024 4YouTube. (2023). Eco Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson - Documentary [Video]. Available at: https://youtu.be/dfWvnc,,Y1_ww Accessed on 7 December 2024 5ARTE. (2023). Paul Watson - Protector of the Oceans | Documentary HD | ARTE [Video]. Available at: https://youtu.be/2fVJyAE3J0M Accessed on 7 December 2024 6Frankfurter Allgemeine. (2014). International Court of Justice: Japan may no longer hunt whales in the Antarctic. Available at: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/internationaler-gerichtshof-japan-darf-in-der-antarktis-keine-wale-mehr-jagen-12872493.html Accessed on 7 December 2024 7Sea Shepherd Germany. (2024). Campaigns in the Faroe Islands - Sea Shepherd. Available at: https://sea-shepherd.de/kampagnen/kampagnen-auf-den-faroer-inseln Accessed on 7 December 2024 8YouTube, 15 YEARS LIABILITY for ANIMAL PROTECTORS?! Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson arrested | Robert Marc Lehmann from 20.08.202. Available at: https://youtu.be/qY4vM2tVSsk?t=75 Accessed on 2.12.2024 9YouTube. Joel V, CONFESS OF ECO TERRORIST 1. available at: https://youtu.be/7X7TfMY3g7g Accessed on 2.12.2024 10YouTube. Information Archive, Eco Pirate The Story Of Paul Watson - Documentary - 2011. available at: https://youtu.be/dfWvncY1_ww Accessed on 2.12.2024 11YouTube., INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE de Paul Watson - #QuelleEpoque 21 décembre 2024. available at: https://youtu.be/oFvN45XcRMk Accessed on 2 January 2025 12YouTube. Vakita, Paul Watson : l'interview en prison avec Hugo Clément from 09.12.2024. Available at: https://youtu.be/G7MKZovUp1s Accessed on 2 January 2025 13YouTube. Greenpeace: Pioneers of Environmental Activism | SLICE EARTH | FULL DOC from 04.05.2024. Available at: https://youtu.be/Pc28_flxAtg Accessed on 1 December 2024 14YouTube. A Decade of Change - Greenpeace in the 1970s [Documentary]uploaded on 16.12.2011. Available at: https://youtu.be/h5GUl7ZGwyk Accessed on 1 December 2024 15YouTube. Paul Watson The Whale Warrior A Pirate for the Sea. Available at: https://youtu.be/Fm2kMu8Jrs4b Accessed on 1 December 2024 16YouTube. Capt Paul Watson: Guardian of the Seas 1/2 Available at: https://youtu.be/PQdBjMHbDTc Accessed on 1 December 2024 17YouTube. Am Ende der Welt (2010) [Documentary] | Film (German). Available at: https://youtu.be/U1J58njPuAI Accessed on 1 December 2024 18YouTube. Weber State University, Paul Watson - "Sea Shepherd's Mission: Conservation". Available at: https://youtu.be/rQBnAs2aAN0 Accessed on 1 December 2024 19YouTube. TEDx Talks, TEDxSF - Captain Paul Watson - 4/27/10. available at: https://youtu.be/Y0XOx_UVRPo Accessed on 1 December 2024 20YouTube. TEDx Talks, If our oceans die, we die | Captain Paul Watson | TEDxNoosa from 25 June 2015. Available at: https://youtu.be/Bwgx9DaiE2g Accessed on 5 January 2025 21YouTube. Whale Wars - Confessions of an Eco Terrorist 1, 2011 Available at: https://youtu.be/7X7TfMY3g7g Accessed on 26 November 2024 22YouTube, Sharkwater - When sharks die. Available at: https://youtu.be/7LE3JHUPRJA Accessed on 30/06/2023 23YouTube. ARTEde, Paul Watson - Schützer der Meere | Doku HD | ARTE from 28.9.2024. Available at: https://youtu.be/2fVJyAE3J0M Accessed on 24 November 2024 24YouTube. Captain Paul Watson Foundation, Paul Watson: Exclusive Interview with Wild Actual from Anstalten Prison, Greenland. Available at: https://youtu.be/XX63OOV1moA Accessed on 23 November 2024 25Nachrichten.fr, Paul Watson still in custody: Agnès Pannier-Runacher demands release of the whale protector, 25.10.2024, https://nachrichten.fr/paul-watson-weiterhin-in-haft-agnes-pannier-runacher-fordert-freilassung-des-walschuetzers/ 26Martin Fritz, Sea Shepherd founder - Free Paul Watson, taz, 17.10.2024, https://taz.de/Sea-Shepherd-Gruender/%216040251/ 27Rolf Arndt, Activist Paul Watson still imprisoned, Activist Paul Watson still imprisoned, Dänische Allgemeine Zeitung, 2 October 2024, https://www.daz.dk/2024/10/02/aktivist-paul-watson-weiterhin-inhaftiert/ 28Danish Parliament Confirms Faroe Islands Tip-off Led to Paul Watson's Arrest, Captain Paul Watson Foundation, https://www.paulwatsonfoundation.org/danish-parliament-confirms-faroe-islands-tip-off-led-to-paul-watsons-arrest/ 29Whale conservationist Paul Watson remains in custody on Greenland, DiePresse, 4.9.2024, https://www.diepresse.com/18828121/walschuetzer-paul-watson-bleibt-auf-groenland-in-haft 30Sophie Bachet, A dilemma of law and ethics: Denmark to decide fate of imprisoned anti-whaling environmentalist Paul Watson, The Copenhagen Post, 3.9.2024, https://cphpost.dk/2024-09-03/news/a-dilemma-of-law-and-ethics-denmark-to-decide-fate-of-imprisoned-anti-whaling-environmentalist-paul-watson/ 31Nicolai Kampmann, Paul Watson will remain behind bars in Greenland until December, The Copenhagen Post, 13.11.2024, https://cphpost.dk/2024-11-13/news/round-up/paul-watson-will-remain-behind-bars-in-greenland-until-december/ 32Thomas Borchert, Denmark and the case of Paul Watson, Frankfurter Rundschau, 11 August 2024, https://www.fr.de/panorama/daenemark-und-der-fall-paul-watson-93236487.html 33Japan asks Denmark to extradite anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, France24, 1.8.2024, https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240801-japan-asks-denmark-to-extradite-anti-whaling-activist-paul-watson 34Greenland arrests environmental activist Paul Watson, WeLT, , 26.7.2024, https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/prominente/article252635096/Paul-Watson-Groenland-nimmt-Umweltaktivisten-fest-Haftbefehl-aus-Japan.html 35EU Öko Abschiebehaft, Patrick Ruppelt, published on Instagram on... damn, where can I find the date of a post on Instagram? The post was published on my blog on 29.7.2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/DAogVosupRT/ 36Patrick Ruppelt, That's why cow's milk is always cruelty to animals, 20/11/2024, https://paddys.de/darum-ist-kuhmilch-immer-tierquaelerei/ 37Mark Benecke, "Time is Up!" - Mark Benecke in the EU Parliament, Martin Sonneborn, 24 July 2024, https://youtu.be/Z_p9yYXZuCI 3810üPatrick Ruppelt, Canada, oh Canada, Where senses and mind meet, 8.11.2024, https://paddys.de/kanada-oh-kanada/ 39Sebastian Schuster, Animals and animal welfare in Japan, Japan my love, 14 October 2024, https://japanmeineliebe.de/2021/03/10/tiere-und-tierschutz-in-japan/ 40 Kyoko Hasegaw, Japan shows first commercial fin whale catch in 48 years, Japan Times, 11.9.2024, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/11/japan/commercial-fin-whale-catch/ 41Patrick Ruppelt, EU Öko Abschiebehaft, Where senses and reason meet, 29 July 2024, https://paddys.de/eu-oeko-abschiebehaft/ 42Japan hunts whales in the whale sanctuary], Greenpeace e.V., Background, https://www.greenpeace.de/biodiversitaet/meere/fischerei/japan-jagt-wale-walschutzgebiet 43Valentin Schatz, Whaling Convention without Japan - The end of hide-and-seek, Legal Tribune Online, Wolters Kluwer, 2 January 2019, https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/japan-austritt-walfangkonvention-voelkerrecht-moratorium-politik 44Patrick Ruppelt, DAS hat Japans Walfang mit deutscher Milch in Afrika zu tun, Where senses and reason meet, 15.10.2024, https://paddys.de/das-hat-japans-walfang-mit-deutscher-milch-in-afrika-zu-tun/ 45Japan hunts whales in the whale sanctuary], Greenpeace e.V., Background, https://www.greenpeace.de/biodiversitaet/meere/fischerei/japan-jagt-wale-walschutzgebiet 46International Court of Justice : Japan may no longer hunt whales in the Antarctic, Frankfurter Allgemeine, 31/03/2014, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/internationaler-gerichtshof-japan-darf-in-der-antarktis-keine-wale-mehr-jagen-12872493.html 47Katrin Matthes, Japan out of control? The fin whale quota disaster, 30.7.2024, https://de.whales.org/2024/07/30/das-desaster-um-die-finnwal-quote/ 48Bianca König, 31 July 2024, https://de.whales.org/2024/07/31/japan-jagt-finnwale/ 49Mars, NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/humans-to-mars/ 50Cedric Engels, Doctor Whatson, How will we live in 2050? Doctor Whatson: Live from the future, 21 April 2024, https://youtu.be/nKrvDNk5D84 51Our research and conservation projects, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), https://de.whales.org/wale-delfine/artenschutz-und-forschung/wdc-forschung-schutzprojekte/ 52International Court of Justice : Japan may no longer hunt whales in the Antarctic, Frankfurter Allgemeine, 31/03/2014, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/internationaler-gerichtshof-japan-darf-in-der-antarktis-keine-wale-mehr-jagen-12872493.html 53Selbstjustiz, die, Der deutsche Wortschatz von 1600 bis heute, DWDS - Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, https://www.dwds.de/wb/Selbstjustiz 54ARTEde, Sea Shepherd - Pursuit on the high seas | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE, 12.10.2024, https://youtu.be/dkPzZU-Dm3E 55Ten years in prison for Japanese whale conservationists?, Greenpeace Switzerland, 16 February 2010. https://www.greenpeace.ch/de/story/16118/zehn-jahre-gefaengnis-fuer-japanische-walschuetzer/ 56Sea Shepherd - Japanese arrest whaling opponents, stern, 12.3.2010, https://www.stern.de/panorama/wissen/natur/sea-shepherd-japaner-nehmen-walfanggegner-fest-3569918.html 57Paul Watson Controversial whale conservationist arrested in Greenland, 22.7.2024, https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/paul-watson-festgenommen-100.htm 58The structure of the government, https://old.visitfaroeislands.com/de/ueber-die-faeroeer-inseln/die-struktur-der-regierung/ 59Campaigns in the Faroe Islands - Sea Shepherd, https://sea-shepherd.de/kampagnen/kampagnen-auf-den-faroer-inseln/ 60Sea Shepherd, https://sea-shepherd.de/kampagnen/kampagnen-auf-den-faroer-inseln/ 61cpwfgermany - The Faroe Islands and Denmark must stop the grindagrap! https://www.instagram.com/cpwfgermany/reel/DAB0PNqNs8P/ 62Sabine Oelmann, Whaling opponent Paul Watson still imprisoned, ntv Panorama, 22 August 2024, https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Walfang-Gegner-Paul-Watson-noch-immer-in-Groenland-inhaftiert-FreePaulWatson-setzt-sich-fuer-Freilassung-ein-article25173640.html 63Patrick Ruppelt, in Held braucht deine Hilfe, Wo Sinne und Verstand aufeinander treffen, 17.11.202,4, https://paddys.de/ein-held-braucht-deine-hilfe/
