Japan embarks on annual whale hunt--can Sea Shepherd be far behind?

Whaling ships from Japan left today for Antarctic waters on an annual five-month voyage in pursuit of about 1,000 minke whales and a small number of endangered fin whales.

The seasonal hunts, during the Antarctic summer, are highly controversial. They're carried out in the name of research but the meat is sold in Japanese markets and restaurants and whatever research is conducted has been deemed questionable and unnecessary by many scientists outside Japan.

Australia and New Zealand, closest to the whaling region, have spoken out against the hunts, but to no avail.

Enter the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and its devoted captain, Paul Watson, who himself is controversial and labeled a terrorist by the Japanese. Sea Shepherd is making final preparations for "Operation Waltzing Matilda," its name for this year's harassment campaign against the whalers.

It will again involve a crew from Animal Planet for its popular "Whale Wars" series. The series has thrust Sea Shepherd into the spotlight and made a hero of Watson and his vegan crew, in the eyes of some. Watson has won many volunteer recruits because of the series.

But with another potentially violent and dangerous conflict soon to begin, Greenpeace International is claiming that an end to Japanese whaling is close on the  horizon because of the bad economy.

It reports that a government review committee has proposed substantial cuts in subsidies to various programs, including the whaling research program. Without government subsidies, Greenpeace maintains, "the whaling program would be doomed."

Time will tell. Meanwhile, exploding harpoons will tear into the flesh of unsuspecting cetaceans, water cannons will blast from ship to ship, bottles full of rancid butter will be heaved aboard the whaling vessels, and collisions might occur.

Watson will again be hailed and chastised; people seem to either cherish or despise him. He routinely brushes aside the criticism, saying that he's only interested in costing the whaling fleet money and saving as many whales as possible each year.

My guess is that he has come to enjoy the "Whale Wars" spotlight, also.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Sea Shepherd crew members are hosed by crewmen aboard a Japanese harpoon vessel during last year's effort to harass the whalers. Credit: Stephen Roest / Sea Shepherd

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Global sailor Jessica Watson becomes frustrated angler

Many are following Jessica Watson's journey around the world in a 34-foot pink sailboat. The 16-year-old Australian adventurer has maintained high spirits and a sense of humor since departing Sydney on Oct. 18, and is currently in the South Pacific inching closer to the equator.

Following her trip is fun and easy because Jessica has been good at providing updates and photos via her blog, which is well-maintained by her shore-based support team.

In her latest entry she talks about her frustrating efforts to catch fish, which would provide her with something fresh and healthy for dinner.

"Exciting news to report today," she writes. "I pulled the fishing line in to discover that I finally caught a fish! I'd love to tell you what it was, how big it was and how yummy it tasted, only someone (with rather big teeth!) got to it before me. Apart from a few bits of flesh left hanging on the lure, my beautiful fish had been gobbled up by something bigger. I can only keep trying!"

Her situation won't always be so pleasant, as she knows. Once she dips back down and enters the Southern Ocean the sea will become violent at times, and her sailing skills will be challenged. But for the time being, she seems to be enjoying herself aboard Ella's Pink Lady.

Outposts will provide periodic updates throughout her eight-month saga, so please check back soon.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Jessica Watson shows fishing lure and bits of flesh left after a bigger fish stole the smaller fish from her hooks. Credit: Jessica Watson

Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson responds to 'South Park' episode on Japanese whaling

I missed the now-famous "South Park" episode that premiered last week and offered a satirical portrayal of Japanese whaling and dolphin-killing tactics. But I did view a few short clips.

(Your thoughts? Was it insensitive or accurate? Did you laugh your head off?)

If you viewed the episode, you know that it opened with Stan and his family celebrating his birthday trying to swim with dolphins at the Denver Aquarium. But the party is interrupted when the Japanese dive in and attack the dolphins and turn the pool into a dolphin blood bath. Stan then takes up the cause and tries to bring the senseless slaughter to an end.

Of course, no such episode could be complete without controversial Captain Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which annually takes on Japanese whalers in the Antarctic (see above video and image below).

And I did not miss Watson's response to how he -- with his belly hanging exposed beneath his untucked shirt -- and his merry crew of vegan whale lovers were portrayed.

"My understanding is that the Japanese prime minister was not amused, and the whalers and dolphin killers are enraged at the way they were portrayed," Watson said. "That’s music to my ears. If the humorless whale killers and the bank-rollers of the dolphin killers did not like the show, then that’s all I need to applaud it."

Jessica Watson reaches 2,000-mile mark of solo global sailing voyage

Australian teen sailor Jessica Watson, 19 days into her planned voyage around the world, has reached the 2,000-mile mark as she sails to the north toward the equator.

She's currently passing the Tonga islands, heading toward American Samoa. After a brief sail north of the equator -- which she'll reach in about two weeks -- she'll pilot her 34-foot boat due south and then east toward South America and the treacherous Cape Horn, which she must negotiate before entering the Atlantic. Her eight-month journey will span 23,000 miles.

But that's getting ahead of the situation. Watson, 16, is enjoying remarkably smooth sailing and is ahead of her planned schedule of logging 100 miles a day.

Her only complaint is all the salt getting into her cabin. She wrote on her blog: "Every time I come in from being on deck, I seem to bring a lot of water with me. Also, despite all the effort we put into tracking them down before leaving, a few small leaks have made themselves known.... So I've been playing around with a tube of sealer and (fingers crossed), looks like I might have put a stop to some of them!"

Jessica celebrated reaching the 2,000-mile mark by baking chocolate cupcakes. 

-- Pete Thomas

Photo:  Jessica Watson leaving Sydney Harbor aboard Ella's Pink Lady on Oct. 18. She's trying to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world nonstop and unassisted. Credit: Brendon Thorne / Getty Images

Global sailor Jessica Watson tries hand at fishing, enjoys calm night under moon

Outtakes from a progress report posted Tuesday by Australia's Jessica Watson, 16, who is attempting to sail alone around the world, on her blog:

-- "It's been a quieter day today, a bit too quiet actually. For most of the day the wind has been a bit non-existent."

-- "I kept busy doing some schoolwork and I finally put the fishing line out. No luck catching anything but there's always tomorrow. I also didn't have much luck with school work. After completing the first English assignment I sent it off to discover that I'd opened the wrong bag and have been working on next year's assignments, oops!"

-- "To cheer myself up I had scrambled eggs for lunch, made with powdered eggs and cream, really yummy!"

-- "Last night I brought my sleeping bag out in the cockpit and managed to get a bit of sleep under the full moon. It was a pretty cool sight with the moonlight making the waves sparkle and lighting up the sails. I have to keep reminding myself to make the most of nights like this as things are certainly going to change when we head back south and into the Southern Ocean."

Watson, who is attempting her voyage alone and unassisted aboard a 34-foot sailboat, left Sydney on Oct. 18 and plans to be at sea for about eight months. Outposts will keep tabs on her odyssey and provide periodic updates.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Teenage adventurer Jessica Watson heads off on her solo global circumnavigation on her boat Ella's Pink Lady from Sydney's Middle Harbor on Oct. 18. Credit: EPA/Dean Lewins

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Surfers kayak for a month with humpback whales to raise awareness against whaling

Renowned Australian surfer Dave Rastovich and three others are nearing completion of a monthlong kayaking expedition with humpback whales and their calves in an attempt to bring attention to the dangers marine mammals face as they migrate past Australia en route to the Southern Ocean for the Antarctic summer.

Commercial fishing methods, industrial runoff, noise pollution, ship strikes and human interaction are some of the dangers. Other whales, notably minke whales, also are migrating and they'll soon be targeted by Japanese whalers, who in turn will be harassed by Capt. Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Rastovich, co-founder of the group Surfers for Cetaceans, spearheaded a 435-mile journey that includes San Diego's Chris Del Moro. Musician Will Conner and photographer Hilton Dawe are also part of the odyssey.

The crew, sailing aboard red trimaran kayaks, began Oct. 1 at Byron Bay and arrived today in Sydney Harbor. It will officially conclude its mission Thursday at nearby Bondi Beach. The campaign is called Transparentsea.

Said Rastovich: “The primary intention of our journey has been to highlight the plight of whales that are destined for the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets. As surfers, we have a direct connection with these amazing creatures and during the past 30 days, we’ve had the fortune of interacting with them, almost on a daily basis.
 
“Now we are calling on people to show their support and to join us in putting pressure on the Australian government, lead by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and our Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, to uphold their pre-election promise to challenge Japanese whaling in international court and to protect the Southern Ocean sanctuary.”

The surfer and his group plan to celebrate with Sea Shepherd crew members, who are in Australia preparing for their sixth campaign against the Japanese whalers. Japan's whaling effort is carried out under a research loophole in the wording of an international moratorium on whaling.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Transparentsea environmental campaigners protest the actions of Japanese whalers from aboard kayaks in Sydney Harbor. Credit: Fetch/Transparentsea

Abby Sunderland, 16, obtains boat for her around-the-world solo journey

*Corrected to reflect that Abby Sunderland, when this post went live, had not yet embarked from Rhode Island to Florida.

Abby Sunderland has obtained a 40-foot boat named Wild Eyes, which she hopes will carry her around the world swiftly and safely.

The 16-year-old from Thousand Oaks is on the East Coast with her brother Zac, who recently completed a solo-circumnavigation at the age of 17, and her father Laurence. They will sail Wild Eyes from Rhode Island to Florida -- about a weeklong trip -- and will have the vessel shipped to the West Coast.

Abby, who will attempt a nonstop, unassisted journey, much of it across the Southern Hemisphere, is hoping for an early December departure.

Meanwhile, Australia's Jessica Watson, also 16, is approaching the equator and the 1,500-mile mark aboard her 34-foot sailboat, Ella's Pink Lady, which is the color of a flamingo. She and Abby share the same goal: to become the youngest person to sail alone and unassisted around the world.

The journeys are expected to last up to eight months. Abby, who turned 16 two weeks ago, is younger than Watson so would become the record-holder if she's successful.

Jessica has enjoyed smooth and quick sailing these last few days, averaging 135 miles a day, and is  ahead of schedule. She wrote Thursday on her blog: "There's still a good-sized swell today but it's much longer and more gentle and the sun's even out at the moment, so I've been standing outside enjoying it.

"When we're in trough between two waves Ella's Pink Lady feels small and a little lost then up we go again to the top of the next swell, and with a good view out to the horizon. It's as if we're on top of the world. Then off rolls another wave giving us a little push along as it goes."

What both girls are attempting is amazing, considering the unpredictable whims of a rollicking ocean, and the length of time the sailors will spend alone, with only satellite phones and computers connecting them to civilization. They're 16, but they have big dreams. Hopefully, both will be able to fulfill them without too much trouble.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Abby Sunderland has recently acquired a sailboat--not the vessel shown in the photo--that she will attempt to pilot around the world. Credit: ©GizaraArts.Com

Sea Shepherd unveils futuristic vessel as weapon against Japanese whaling

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society held a fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday and unveiled the Ady Gil: a sleek and speedy trimaran that is expected to bolster the group's effort against Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean below Australia.

Formerly named Earthrace, the vessel is powered by biodiesel and can reach speeds of 50 knots and deflect harpoons. It was renamed to reflect its benefactor, Ady Gil, who helped acquire the futuristic-looking boat.

Sea Shepherd will launch its sixth campaign against the Japanese whalers in December from Australia, using the flagship Steve Irwin and the Ady Gil to disrupt efforts by whalers to kill and process minke and fin whales. 

It would be interesting to see the expressions on the faces of the whalers when they first glimpse the Ady Gil.

Japan hunts the whales annually in the Antarctic region using a research loophole in the wording of an international moratorium on whaling.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Earthrace, now named Ady Gil, will be used during Sea Shepherd's upcoming campaign against Japan's annual whaling effort. Credit: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Jessica Watson, 16, plans to leave next week on sailing voyage around the world

Jessica Watson's sojourn around the world, in a 34-foot pink sailboat, will begin as early as next week from Sydney, Australia. 

"She’s a really cute little boat and I’m so proud of her, but she’s really tough as well,” the adventurer said this week during a news conference regarding her controversial odyssey.

Jessica, 16, intends to become the youngest person to solo-circumnavigate the world in a sailboat. She will sail above New Zealand and into the Pacific and up toward the equator, then back down toward Cape Horn, which she calls "the big Everest of sailing."

If she successfully rounds the treacherous Cape passage she'll continue a southerly course back to Sydney.

But it won't be as easy as that; she will will get blasted by gargantuan waves and fierce winds and will, on many occasions, look out of place aboard her soft-hued vessel.

“I’ve got an amazing amount of equipment – we’ve got all sorts of satellite communication equipment and navigation gear and Panasonic Toughbook computers, so I’m in good company," she said.

But Jessica, although she's a skilled and experienced sailor, also suffers from seasickness. On Tuesday, after a five-day sea trial, she posted this statement on her blog: "Since I stepped off Ella’s Pink Lady yesterday afternoon my head has been spinning and I’ve been doing a bit of stumbling into things! Getting my land legs again has taken a while. I can’t image what I’m going to be like after eight months at sea, rather than five days!"

It does not require much of an imagination to conclude it'll be an adventure she'll never forget.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Jessica Watson sails her yacht Ella's Pink Lady past the Sydney Opera House during a media event earlier this week. Watson is attempting to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone and without stopping or receiving assistance. Photo by Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images

Sea Shepherd's frustrated Capt. Paul Watson lashes out at Australia

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's planned mission this winter against the Japanese whaling effort has hit a snag because Capt. Paul Watson and his first officer are experiencing visa issues and so far are not being allowed into Australia.

Outposts reported on this Monday. Australia is the strategic point of departure for Sea Shepherd, which annually hunts and harasses the Japanese harpoon and factory vessels as their crews seek to kill minke whales in the Antarctic region during its summer.

Watson claims politics are behind the stringent visa requirements he's being asked to comply with and on Tuesday posted a letter on the Sea Shepherd website blasting Australia's government for its stance on whaling and for trying to "sabotage" the Sea Shepherd campaign.

Here's the controversial captain's letter:

By Captain Paul Watson

Way back in October 2007, I had urged thousands of Australians to vote for Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett’s Labor Party. Why? Because they promised to get tough on illegal Japanese whaling. They promised to take Japan to court. They promised to send a ship down to the Southern Ocean to monitor the illegal activities. They had severely criticized the former Howard government for not doing enough.

Since then Rudd and Garrett have demonstrated that they have done far less for the whales than former Environment Minister Ian Campbell had done.

Whale wars saga begins with Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson under investigation

The hype has begun well in advance of another round of the annual war over whaling between the Japanese  and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The former group is preparing for its impending seasonal hunt of mostly minke whales, with a quota of about 1,000 specimens it says are being killed for research purposes. The latter group is preparing for "Operation Waltzing Matilda," which will try to thwart the Japanese effort in and near the Antarctic region during its summer season.

Of course, a crew from Animal Planet will accompany Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson, its famous -- or infamous, depending on your viewpoint -- captain, to gather footage for a third season of the popular "Whale Wars" series.

But will Watson's campaign actually get underway? The Brisbane Times is reporting that Watson's police and court records are being evaluated before he's allowed to enter Australia, which is the starting point for his annual campaigns.

Specifically, Watson, who holds a U.S. passport, is being reviewed because of Sea Shepherd claims that it sank whaling ships in Norway. 

Watson claims politics are behind all of this and is quoted as saying, ''I am not wanted on any warrants [and] I have never received a felony conviction.''

Ironically, the Australian government is trying to persuade Japan to halt its commercial whaling effort (research notwithstanding, the meat  is sold commercially). Japan, meanwhile, has been trying to persuade Australia to help prevent Sea Shepherd from disrupting its hunts and endangering the lives of its crews.

The Australian Federal Police is still reviewing seized video and ship records after last year's campaign, which was dramatic and confrontational. That investigation reportedly was prompted by complaints from Japan.

Watson had hoped to be with Sea Shepherd and its flagship vessel, Steve Irwin, this week as it begins a promotional tour of capital cities. He still plans on being along for the campaign, but it will be no waltz.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Capt. Paul Watson courtesy of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

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Australia's Jessica Watson passes sea trial, will soon set sail around the world

Should Jessica Watson be allowed to go? Does the 16-year-old Australian possess the sailing skills to negotiate her 34-foot boat around the world on a nonstop journey -- by herself?

Is the girl strong enough, mentally and physically, to deal with considerable hazards at sea, or the long, lonely calm stretches she's sure to face?

These are among questions being asked of the intrepid sailor who has just completed a five-day sea trial from Queensland to Sydney and will announce her departure date next week.

Watson probably will depart this month. Abby Sunderland, who turns 16 this month, hopes to begin a similar journey in November.

Abby's brother, Zac, and Britain's Mike Perham recently completed multi-stop around-the-world sailing adventures at the age of 17.

The girls -- Abby is from Thousand Oaks -- will be attempting to become the youngest ever to have sailed nonstop around the planet.

The Queensland government has suggested that Watson abandon her plans, but she'll proceed aboard Ella's Pink Lady, just as Sunderland will go if her family can raise money to buy her a boat.

Watson said she and her family "made the decision a long time ago that I was going, and the only thing left to do was prepare properly and make it safe."

I'm not sure sailing on a pink vessel is a safe choice for the Watson team, as it will announce to other mariners the presence of the fairer sex. But beyond that, she seems determined and capable, and she has the support of those who matter in her life, so who else is qualified to pass judgment?

The voyage is expected to last about 240 days. Here's hoping she makes it.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Jessica Watson arrives in Sydney aboard Ella's Pink Lady after a five-day sea trial in advance of her impending around-the-world sailing adventure. Credit: Dean Lewins / EPA

Sea Shepherd boat to tour Australia before mission against Japanese whaling

Capt. Paul Watson and his ragtag vegan crew are about 90 days from embarking on another controversial campaign against the Japanese whaling fleet in and near the Antarctic.

But early next month, to drum up support for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's sixth such mission, Watson will guide the group's flagship vessel, Steve Irwin, on a tour of Australian ports.

The vessel will open for tours and the crew will share stories about what these campaigns entail; perhaps they'll discuss the controversial methods employed while trying to spare whales from exploding harpoons--like tossing bottle of rancid butter at the whalers.

For those who live Down Under, tour dates are as follows: Sydney–Oct. 5-12 at Circular Quay; Hobart–Oct. 16-22 at Macquarie Wharf; Fremantle–Nov. 4-Dec. 7 at C Berth.

For anyone considering joining up with Sea Shepherd, here's the job description: "No pay, long hours, hard work, dangerous conditions, extreme weather. Guaranteed: Adventure, fulfillment, and the hardest work you will ever love. The experience of a lifetime."

These campaigns have gained widespread notoriety thanks to Animal Planet and its "Whale Wars" series. The shows take viewers along for the ride as the Sea Shepherd crew hunts down the Japanese fleet and disrupts hunts that annually target about 1,000 minke whales and a small number of endangered fin whales.

The series also has served as a valuable recruitment tool for Sea Shepherd, a group that seems to be either despised or admired. Critics point out that Japan's hunts are legal and that Watson's questionable antics will get someone killed. But supporters maintain that Japan is hunting whales via a research loophole in the wording of an international moratorium on whaling, and that profit, not research, drives the whaling effort. If most of the world is against whaling, why is Japan still slaughtering the intelligent mammals?

From the sidelines, these annual confrontations are entertaining, to say the least. That's why Animal Planet jumped aboard two campaigns ago. Season 1 was boring, Season 2 was action-packed and it's anyone's guess how Season 3 will turn out, but it will not be lacking in drama.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Steve Irwin docked in Hobart, Australia. Credit:  Adam Lau / Sea Shepherd

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Champion paddleboarder enjoys whale of a close encounter

Jamie Mitchell won't soon forget his encounter Tuesday with a humpback whale off New South Wales, Australia.

Mitchell, an eight-time World Paddleboarding champion and big-wave surfer, was aboard a standup paddleboard filming for his new television documentary project "Living in Liquid."

A pod of humpbacks approached and the whale in the photo above surfaced next to Mitchell, winner of the recent 32-mile Molokai-to-Oahu paddle race in Hawaii.

Humpbacks are among the most gregarious and curious cetacean species and often treat whale-watchers aboard boats to up-close encounters. About 13,000 humpbacks migrate each season along Australia's eastern seaboard. 

"They have amazing control in the water, so I relaxed and enjoyed the experience," said Mitchell, a Quiksilver-sponsored athlete. "I have an even greater respect for them now, they are so cool."

"Living in Liquid" will follow Mitchell's many waterborne challenges, from big-wave surfing to free-diving and paddleboarding. Presumably, the humpback footage will make the cut.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Jamie Mitchell stands in awe before the a humpback whale that approached him as he was paddling off Australia. Credit: Liam O'Brien/Jason Muir

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Japan's new government stands by whaling, not eager for bout with Sea Shepherd

Japan's new government this week urged Australia to help thwart the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's effort against whaling and at the same time implied that it supports the nation's longstanding tradition of hunting whales.

The conversation Tuesday at the United Nations was between Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who was appointed last week after Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was sworn into office, and Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith.

As one might expect, Smith answered that he'd like to resolve the issue through dialogue without straining relations. That could be construed to mean Australia, which is a whale-friendly nation, will not physically prevent Sea Shepherd from using Australia as a base for pursuing Japanese whaling vessels into Antarctic hunting grounds this winter (their summer).

If in fact Japan's new government supports the annual slaughter of about 1,000 minke whales -- that was Smith's perception -- it comes as distressing news to environmental groups around the world. The hunt is carried out within a loophole in a 1986 international moratorium against whaling. The loophole allows whales to be killed for research purposes, but whale meat is sold commercially.

Though few outside of Japan believe lethal research is necessary or legitimate, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research has posted some scientific findings on its website.

Meanwhile, Sea Shepherd is promising a stepped-up effort this season under the campaign slogan "Operation Waltzing Matilda." An Animal Planet crew will  be aboard filming for a third season of the popular series, "Whale Wars." 

Last year's record-setting series included dramatic footage of whale kills, vessel-ramming and tense confrontational measures and countermeasures. Surely, Sea Shepherd Capt. Paul Watson will be expected to provide more theatrics this time around.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Sea Shepherd crew members are blasted by water cannons from the Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru No. 1 as the Sea Shepherd helicopter flies alongside during last year's campaign against the Japanese effort. Credit: Stephen Roest / Sea Shepherd

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Abby Sunderland, 15, is seeking sponsors to help fund global sailing voyage

Zac Sunderland, 17, sailed around the world alone on a voyage that was not grandly sponsored and ended up burying his parents in debt.

Now it's Abby Sunderland's turn to test her mettle against the world's oceans, but a different tack is required: Her parents need more sponsors to help fund the 15-year-old's attempt to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone, nonstop and unassisted.

Notably, funding is needed for the purchase of a used Class 40 sailboat that Laurence Sunderland, the shipwright father, has tabbed as an ideal vessel for the daunting task of negotiating the Southern Ocean and especially the treacherous Cape Horn.

With good fortune the funding will be obtained and the Thousand Oaks teen can embark as planned in November, four months after her brother's 13-month odyssey ended. Otherwise Australia's Jessica Watson, 16, could end up in the record book as she, too, is planning a nonstop, unassisted journey, and hopes to depart this month aboard the 34-foot Ella's Pink Lady.

It was simply Pink Lady before Watson landed Ella Bache as a major sponsor.

In wake of Hurley Pro, world surfing title hunt looks like an Australian affair

If one thing became clear after Mick Fanning defeated Dane Reynolds to win the Hurley Pro on Saturday, it was that someone other than Kelly Slater will win the world title.

It also became reasonably clear that an Australian will win for only the second time since Mark Occhilupo claimed the crown in 1999 (Fanning won the title in 2007).

Fanning's triumph at Lower Trestles in San Clemente boosted him from No. 7 to No. 2 in the ASP World Tour rankings, behind fellow Aussie Joel Parkinson, who has won three of six contests this season and holds a commanding lead despite a third-round loss at the Hurley Pro.

(Surfers are allowed to throw out their two worst results.)

Slater's loss to Fanning in the semifinals gave him only the minutest of chances, as he improved from No. 8 to No. 6.

Ranked Nos. 3-5 are Brazil's Adriano de Souza (now living in south Orange County) and Florida twins C.J. and Damien Hobgood. All three are in the race but neither has an event victory this season and victories will be required down the stretch of whomever hopes to catch Parkinson and Fanning.

Said Fanning, who was paid $105,000 for his triumph: "I'm overwhelmed. I guess it’s more about building momentum again this year and getting the hunger back.”

Slater, 37, who started the season with three consecutive 17th-place finishes, has implied he will travel to France for the Quiksilver Pro at the end of the month. But whether he'll compete in the remaining events is anyone's guess.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Mick Fanning of Australia competes during the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing on July 26, 2009, in Huntington Beach, Calif. Credit: Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Abby Sunderland, 15, moving full speed ahead with plans to sail around the world

Abby Sunderland, who will turn 16 in October, has landed Shoe City as a major sponsor and is on course for a mid- to late-November departure for her solo voyage around the world.

She has the full support of her parents and, of course, older brother Zac, who in mid-July, at 17, completed his global odyssey, which lasted 13 months aboard a 36-foot Islander sailboat.

Abby, who has planned a nonstop excursion she hopes to complete in about six months, will travel more luxuriously, aboard a 40-foot Open-class boat outfitted for circumnavigations. She's traveling this week to the Caribbean to conduct sea trials in a boat currently named Ocean Warrior.

That seems an appropriate name for what she has planned: an adventure full of excitement but also possible trouble -- her journey will require negotiating the notorious Cape Horn, among other treacherous passages.

Shoe City seems to be thrilled. "We are proud to be a sponsor of this exciting adventure and look forward to the business benefits we are sure to receive through wide media coverage and great public following that youth sailing has garnered," Leedy Young, Shoe City owner and president, said in a news release.

The Sunderlands are confident other sponsors will come aboard because of the worldwide publicity Zac's campaign generated.

Meanwhile, across the globe, Jessica Watson, 16, of Australia, is proceeding with plans to sail around the world despite a recent collision with a 700-foot cargo freighter during sea trials. Watson expects to leave later this month aboard a 34-foot boat named Ella's Pink Lady.

Yes, her boat is shiny and pink. You've got to admire both girls' spirit.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Abby Sunderland by Al Seib/Los Angeles Times

Can Brett Simpson upset defending Hurley Pro champion Kelly Slater?

Will Brett Simpson the wild card upstage Kelly Slater the nine-time world champion and winner of the Hurley Pro for two years running?

Can Rob Machado, the iconic and wild-haired free surfer, also entered as a wild card, eliminate ASP World Tour ratings leader Joel Parkinson and help open the door for good pal Slater, who is ranked No. 8, to climb back into the world title picture?

These are among questions that will be answered when the third round of the competition resumes, perhaps as early as Tuesday morning, at Lower Trestles in San Clemente.

Simpson, who is ranked eighth on the World Qualifying Series circuit and hopeful of qualifying for the 2010 World Tour, is capable of posting high scores. But he's up against a living legend in Slater who, despite a slow start to the season, is back in top form and seemingly intent on making a statement.

Slater was so dominant during his first-round heat that he exchanged boards midway through for the purpose of experimentation, and still won easily and advanced directly to the third round.

Joel Parkinson, fellow Aussie surfers give Lower Trestles a Down Under feel

The Hurley Pro, the only ASP World Tour surfing contest held on the U.S. mainland, is in progress through Saturday at Lower Trestles in San Clemente.

That means there are a lot of Australians in town.

There are 19 Australians, far more than from any other country, on the elite tour's 45-man roster. Seven Australians are in the top 15 and one of them, Joel Parkinson, sits atop the leader board, seeking his first world title.

This should come as no surprise, given the island nation's passion for riding waves.

Says Parkinson: "As a kid you either surf or you play football--or you do both. Most of your footballers, they surf anyway. It's such a beach-going country, there are whole families out there. You go down to the beach and you don't  just see young guys surfing. You see families out there--moms, dads, everyone's out."

Surprisingly, only four surfers from Hawaii are on tour. Nine, including nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, are from the mainland U.S.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Joel Parkinson, one of 19 Australians on the ASP World Tour, in action during the first round of the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles. Credit: Michael Lallande/Hurley

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Jessica Watson survives collision, still wants to sail around the world alone

Australian sailor Jessica Watson stated today on her blog: "I think it's fair to say that there aren't many people left that haven't heard about the incident on Tuesday night."

In case you missed it, Watson, aboard a 34-foot yacht on which she hopes to sail around the world, was involved in a collision with a 700-foot cargo freighter during what was supposed to be a 10-day test-run from Mooloolaba, Australia, to Sydney, Australia.

Fortunately, the 16-year-old, who aspires to become the youngest person to sail around the planet alone, was not injured. However, her vessel, Ella's Pink Lady, suffered damage to its rigging and hull and a broken mast. That is likely to delay her planned late-September departure.

Watson seemed unfazed during a press conference this week. In fact, she implied she's more determined and confident than ever because of the way she handled herself in the aftermath of the 2 a.m. collision.

"I won’t play it down, it was a pretty scary incident and it was great to actually know what to do," she said.

Precise details are not clear but the collision, which occurred in reasonably calm seas in a shipping lane as she was below deck with her navigation lights on, is under investigation by Australian authorities.

Meanwhile, the crash has underscored the danger associated with solo-sailing adventures and stirred renewed debate over whether 16 is simply too young to attempt such a daunting excursion.

Wrote Susan Hocking of Australia's Courier-Mail newspaper: "And it's that number that breaks me up. That number 16. Jessica Watson is a child. And right now, she is a child who desperately needs saving from herself and her choices and, let's get it out there, the family and friends -- Team Jessica -- who seem so hellbent on offering their support to a venture that should not be allowed to go ahead."

Thousand Oaks sailor Zac Sunderland and England's Mike Perham both were 16 when they set out -- and both recently completed their around-the-world journeys at 17. It's also worth noting that Sunderland's sister Abby, who turns 16 in October, is planning to leave on a nonstop circumnavigation aboard a 40-foot sailboat in November.

Presumably, she will pay special attention while traversing the shipping lanes.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Jessica Watson

'Whale Wars' season finale sets viewership record; third season announced

A record 3.2 million viewers tuned into the season finale of Animal Planet's "Whale Wars" series last Friday night and, to no one's surprise, the network announced there will be a third season.

The second season of "Whale Wars," which profiles the exploits of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as it campaigns against Japanese whalers in the Antarctic, was Animal Planet's second-best performing series in network history. The shows were viewed in an average of 779,000 homes.

The series pits an unwilling subject -- Japanese whalers -- versus Capt. Paul Watson and a ragtag vegan crew that engages in disruptive techniques such as tossing bottles of rancid butter (butyric acid) aboard the whaling vessels. Last season there were collisions and numerous other dicey situations.

Japan's annual whaling effort is legal, thanks to a loophole in the wording of an international moratorium. The primary targets are minke whales, which are not endangered. Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research has labeled Watson and his crew terrorists.

This winter's campaign (summer in the Antarctic) is called "Operation Waltzing Matilda" and will be an escalated effort sure to further rile the Japanese but please the show's producers.

Said Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet: “It’s been terrific to see the success of this groundbreaking series, and its growth creatively and with audiences from the first to the second season. I'm proud to be able to announce the third."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: The Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin collides with the stern of a Japanese harpoon whaling ship in the Antarctic during last season's campaign. Credit: Sea Shepherd
 

Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson bides time in calm before anti-whaling storm

The L.A. Times Dish Rag blog today breaks news that many already know about: Capt. Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society runs a vegan ship. DR also provides Sea Shepherd recipes for those interested in learning how these anti-whaling operatives dine.

Another bit of Sea Shepherd news: The controversial skipper and his ragtag crew will be at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium on Aug. 29 for an art auction fundraiser entitled "Sea No Evil." It will begin at 7 p.m. and feature more than 60 works of art, including original pieces from Shepard Fairey and Jeff Soto.

A $5 donation is required and proceeds will benefit Sea Shepherd, which is in off-season preparations for yet another campaign -- and perhaps another Animal Planet "Whale Wars" series -- against Japanese whale hunters in the Antarctic.

To be sure, that's what people want to know about. All this blase news about fluffy vegan pancakes and art shows does is whet the appetite for the meat-and-potatoes activity that includes dramatic confrontation and what the Japanese refer to as outright terrorism.

Watson will have more and faster boats for what he promises to be an escalated campaign. Those who followed last season's campaign may recall the collisions and other close calls. Surely, Japan and its Institute of Cetacean Research (Japan suggests to the world its minke and fin whale hunts are in the name of research) are plotting countermeasures for when both groups take to the whale grounds in about four months, during the Antarctic summer.

Many of the few hundred people who have commented on Outposts about this issue -- Watson has lots of supporters, but as many critics -- claim it's only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured during these confrontations. Will this be that kind of season? Stay tuned....

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Paul Watson courtesy of Sea Shepherd

Note: To follow this blog on Twitter visit @latimesoutposts.com

Migaloo the white whale sighted for first time in two years off Australia

Migaloo the white humpback whale, perhaps the world's most famous whale and one that has attained iconic status among Australia's passionate whale-watching community, was spotted this week near the Great Barrier Reef by two researchers with the Maui-based Pacific Whale Foundation.

The Cairns Post reports that Migaloo, a humpback whale estimated to be in his mid-20s, had not been seen since 2007. To view photos visit the Post's website.

The researchers first located Migaloo a mile northwest of Snapper Island, with the guidance of a dive-trip vessel. They lost sight of him but found him again four hours later, about four miles west of the island.

“I honestly had a dream last night that we would see Migaloo today, and had a strong premonition in the morning that today would be the day we would see him again,” researcher Greg Kaufman said in a report posted Thursday on the group's website.

Fellow researcher Annie Macie added: "Seeing Migaloo was inspirational. The word that kept coming to my mind was majestic. It was like seeing the eighth wonder of the world.

"Just before it surfaced, you could see a halo effect from the white body against the blue sea. Then its body would shine as it rose from the ocean. Overall, it was really an amazing experience, the best day of my life."

Dozens of whale-watchers, many of them aboard dive boats, were on hand as well, and can now say they've seen what is considered to be the world's only all-white humpback whale.

Sadly, though, Kaufman said Migaloo appears to have developed a lump on the side of his head, which might be a tumor. Hopefully, it's just a bump and Migaloo, whose aboriginal name means "white fella" will be thrilling whale-watchers for years to come.

-- Pete Thomas

Whale War between Japanese hunters and Sea Shepherd to escalate

News item: Japan requests that Australia prevent the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin from leaving port this December to harass its whalers in the Antarctic.

Reaction: Isn't a similar request made every year, to no avail? Japan may not like it, but Capt. Paul Watson and his ragtag band of whale-loving vegans will remain a proverbial thorn in Japan's side as long as it has funding and, thanks to the popularity of Animal Planet's "Whale Wars," there appears to be no shortage for next season's campaign.

And that Southern Ocean campaign, which will launch Dec. 1, figures to  resemble something out of this world, thanks to a swift new boat that looks like a space vessel, can travel at 40 knots and plow through waves and deflect harpoons.

The boat is named Earthrace and its New Zealand owner/skipper, Pete Bethune, told the Sydney Morning Herald he was lending his support because he can't stand the thought of whales being slaughtered in "my backyard."

When I talked to Watson recently he said he had something special up his sleeve and was planning a seasonlong, rather than partial campaign against Japan, which annually targets about 1,000 minke whales in what it claims is a research effort.

With the extra boat (Sea Shepherd plans on using three vessels for the campaign) the group does not have to worry about leaving the whalers on their own while returning to Australia for a lengthy refueling process. Of course, the escalation might be dangerous because Japan is weary of what it refers to as acts of piracy against its fleet.

At a recent International Whaling Commission meeting, Japanese delegation member Jun Yamashita said, "It can only be described as a miracle that there has been no death or large-scale accident to date."

Yamashita added: "We cannot tolerate such audacity. We ask for all appropriate measures, including a ban on the ship from leaving port, so that we can prevent these acts from being repeated."

In case you're wondering, a film crew from "Whale Wars" will be with Sea Shepherd shooting for Season Three of the series.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Earthrace, which is powered by biodiesel and can reach speeds of 40 knots and deflect harpoons, will be used in Sea Shepherd's campaign against Japanese whalers next season in the Antarctic. Credit: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Pat Gudauskas makes like vert skater at Maldives, is runner-up to Wright

Pat Gudauskas could not flip his way past Australia's Owen Wright on Sunday in the final of the Sri Lankan Airlines Pro at the Maldives. 

But the San Clemente surfer, by finishing second in the ASP World Qualifying Series Tour six-star prime-rated contest, vaulted from from No. 27 to No. 7 in the WQS standings and revealed to the surfing universe where the sport is headed.

And that would be skyward.

Gudauskas, 23, made like a vert skater on the four- to six-foot waves at the Maldives. In the fourth round he became the first surfer to nail an inverted 540-degree rodeo flip in a major pro contest. In the final he landed the trick again and again received a perfect 10.

Unfortunately for him, though, surfers use their best two scores and Wright's were enough for him to prevail, 19.23-18.93, in a heat where new-age surfing was on spectacular display.

"I feel like I've won the event even though I lost," Gudauskas said. "It was just such an amazing event and an incredible final to surf in, and I'm really stoked to have pulled those aerials. I think surfing's heading to exciting places with these moves and I'm fully pumped for the rest of the year." 

Gudauskas will need to remain in the top 15 to qualify for the elite World Tour. He has come painfully close twice but he's surfing with more passion this year so expect him to make the leap. As for brothers Tanner and Dane, they have some work to do while sitting at Nos. 20 and 41, respectively.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Pat Gudauskas midway through a rodeo flip in the final of the Sri Lankan Airlines Pro at the Maldives. Credit: Dara Ahmed / ASP Australasia.

'Whale Wars' is back and so is controversial Capt. Paul Watson

Capt. Paul Watson, whose Sea Shepherd Society has drawn praise and harsh criticism for its sometimes confrontational encounters with Japanese whalers, says of the second season of the Animal Planet series, "Whale Wars," which debuts tonight at 9 p.m.: "It ought to be 10 times more dramatic and exciting than last year."

That's because last year's shows, which were based on the 2007-08 exploits of Watson and crew, contained very little drama and excitement. This year it'll be different because Watson's 2008-09 campaign against whalers in the Antarctic included numerous confrontations -- including three collisions and a very dramatic pursuit through ice -- with Japanese crews that regard Sea Shepherd as a terrorist group.

"They were very aggressive toward us -- the most aggressive I've ever seen them -- so it's a far more dramatic season for that reason," Watson said in an interview this week.

Sea Shepherd's tactics are to disrupt the months-long hunt and any efforts by whalers to transfer harpooned whales onto the processing ship. 

Japan employes a research loophole in the wording of an international whaling moratorium to justify the hunts, which annually target nearly 1,000 minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales. Minke whales are not endangered and the country for generations has sold whale meat at market. Whaling, Japan has argued, is deep-rooted in the nation's culture.

Watson, one of the co-founders of Greenpeace, is either revered or despised for the controversial methods he employs. Greenpeace and other whale conservation groups consider his efforts too confrontational and potentially perilous. Watson counters that Sea Shepherd doesn't violate laws and has not injured anyone. He has lots of critics and does not care.

Layne Beachley's ride being called best-ever by a woman in Australia

The barreling right-hander in the accompanying photo is being touted by witnesses as the best wave ever ridden in Australia by a female surfer. That surfer, not surprisingly, is seven-time world champion Layne Beachley.

Check out the photo sequence of Layne's ride on Australia's CoastalWatch.com website and decide for yourself. It was photographed by Billy Morris on Wednesday at a notoriously sketchy reef break called "Ours" in south Sydney.

"The unwritten law at 'Ours' is you have to paddle into a few waves and take off on some solid slabs before you earn the right to be towed into a set" via personal watercraft, writes CoastalWatch editor Ben Horvath. "Layne impressed incredibly on her first paddle-in waves, and before you know it Bra Boy Richie Vass offered to tow her into this hectic, below-sea-level bomb.

"The rest is history."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo credit: Billy Morris

Swine flu hysteria spanning global outdoors realm; is any place safe?

The swine flu scare is now global and some of the world's premier outdoors destinations have become swept up in the hysteria.

So if you're a bird-watcher with plans to visit, say, Costa Rica, you may wonder whether it's safe. Of course it is, but there are no guarantees, just as there are none while staying home.

People are contracting the virus in Southern California and New York and in U.S. points between. The virus reportedly has been detected in Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, Spain and numerous other countries.

There are wonderful destinations where it has not yet surfaced, among them Hawaii, Cuba and Costa Rica. Oops, check that: Two hours ago the Tico Times reported that "a 21-year-old Costa Rican woman has become the country's first case of swine flu and is in stable condition."

This does not mean that tourists should avoid Costa Rica, just as they should not strike every single location in Mexico off their travel list. But don't step onto the airplane with a cough, or you might be turned away after you land. Seriously. It's happening.

Surfer Joel Parkinson wins Rip Curl Pro to remain perfect

Could this be the year Joel Parkinson wins his first world title?

The veteran ASP World Tour competitor has defeated fellow Australian Adam Robertson, an event wild card, in the final of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in Australia.

Parkinson, 27, who out-surfed his opponent in near-perfect, 6-foot waves, has won both contests this year. And with nine-time world champion Kelly Slater struggling, this looks to be his best opportunity to claim the top prize.

It was the second time Parkinson has hoisted the famous Bells Beach bell, and the only thing better would be inscribing his name on the list of world champions.

"Winning at home is probably the most special win you can have but this is the most special trophy you can have,” Parkinson said. “There is not another trophy in surfing that holds the prestige and honor list that this has. To be back on the trophy again and to hold it for a year is going to be amazing.”

Parkinson’s best finish on the World Tour? Second place, in 2002 and 2004. Hawaii's Andy Irons won the title both years. Florida's Slater, 37, who was eliminated in early rounds during both 2009 contests, has won the title three of the last four years and is the defending champion. Australia's Mick Fanning won in 2007.

—Pete Thomas

Photo: Assn. of Surfing Professionals

Crocodile-hunting safaris to become the latest rage in Australia?

There are African hunting safaris, then there is the Australian version, which, if approved, will involve shooting saltwater crocodiles such as the one pictured above with high-powered rifles.

The country's Northern Territory government has included trophy crocodile hunting as part of a draft management plan. The hunting, it's believed, will create jobs and enterprise for indigenous people.

According to a story in the Australian newspaper, a proposed trial program would allow the killing of 25 crocodiles over the next five years. The crocodiles must measure 10 feet or more, rifles must be .30-caliber or higher, and shots must be to the head and at reasonably close range, to ensure a swift kill.

Geoff Fleming, a partner in Peter Davidson's Arnhem Land Hunting Safaris, told the Australian: "There's real interest out there in croc hunting because there's not too many trophy animals to hit up here; just buffaloes, banteng, pig, goats and a few samba deer.

"This could absolutely succeed, but 25 animals over five years isn't enough. I don't know where they get that figure from; it's silly. We're overrun with them."

There are about 80,000 crocodiles in the region. Naturally, animal rights groups oppose the plan.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A saltwater crocodile emerges from the Adelaide river near Darwin in Australia's north. Credit: Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images

Japanese whalers fall short of quota, to delight of marine mammal lovers

Whale watchers and marine mammal enthusiasts around the world might be pleased to learn that Japan fell substantially short of its minke whale hunt quota, thanks largely to disruptive efforts of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society earlier this season in the Antarctic region.

Three vessels from the whaling fleet returned home this week and reported a final tally of 679 minke whales and one fin whale for a five-month effort, much of which was spent in clashes with the crew of the Steve Irwin, of the Sea Shepherd fleet.

Japan's goal had been to kill up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales. Shigeki Takaya, a fisheries agency spokesman, told the Associated Press: "This season's catch was reduced as a result of the interference by protesters."

Japan's annual whale hunt draws international criticism and has been condemned by Australia, which claims targeted whales help support that country's whale-watching industry.

Here in Southern California, commercial whaling ended in the early 1900s, after Pacific gray whales had been slaughtered to the brink of extinction. Japan uses a research loophole in the 1986 international moratorium on whaling, and has little outside support and few sympathizers.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin collides with the stern of a Japanese harpoon whaling ship in the Antarctic. Credit: Sea Shepherd
 

Kelly Slater loses early again; has age caught up with superstar?

Kelly Slater has long been the world's most dominating surfer, and chances are no one else in the sport will come close to matching his nine world titles.

But will Slater earn a 10th and retire from competitive surfing with a round number and a lucrative bonus from Quiksilver, his primary sponsor?

Not unless he figures out what's wrong in a hurry. Slater, 37, was eliminated Tuesday morning (Australia time) by Aussie Owen Wright during the second round of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in Victoria, in near-perfect six-foot waves.

That's two ASP World Tour contests and two quick exits for Slater, who breezed through last year's schedule and clinched his ninth title with two contests remaining.

Wright expressed glee after beating the best. Slater said, simply: "The magic hasn't been there yet this season, like it was last year. However, I just have to remember that it's early in the season and there's a long way to go."

There are eight more contests. The Rip Curl event may resume today. Next up for Slater is the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti, May 9-20.

-- Pete Thomas

Photos: Kelly Slater (top) and Owen Wright (bottom), the man who eliminated Slater during the second round of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach event. Credit: ASP Kirstin Scholtz/Getty Images

Surfer Chris Ward competes Down Under while August trial date looms

Where's Wardo?

That was once a popular question regarding Chris Ward, a promising pro surfer who had yet to fulfill lofty expectations.

Currently, Chris Ward is in Australia competing on the ASP World Tour in the Rip Curl Pro. Wardo is ranked No. 32 in the world and will face Carlsbad's Taylor Knox when competition resumes, perhaps later today. 

But in the back of Wardo's mind, undoubtedly, is a recently set Aug. 17 trial date in Mammoth Lakes, which was the site of a late-night brawl Jan. 8, 2008. Ward was alleged to have threatened one woman with a chunk of ice and punched other women who tried to intervene.Three women were briefly hospitalized.

Officers found Ward lying on the ground outside a local bar, apparently beaten by unknown male attackers.  Ward was hospitalized and later arrested. The long-awaited trial date looms large as it falls halfway through the 10-contest season and weeks before the Hurley Pro (formerly the Boost Mobile Pro) at Lower Trestles, which is Ward's San Clemente home break.

A felony conviction probably would end Ward's season and jeopardize his standing on the tour. That'd be a shame for someone of his explosive surfing talent.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Chris Ward's police mug shot after his 2008 arrest. 

Dog's tale -- four months on a remote island -- is a true survivor story

Last week Outposts published an item on cats and the claims by some groups that the cuddly pets are a threat to declining species of birds and other wildlife. Cat lovers hissed and some directed criticism toward me, even though all I did was present the claims.

Well, a story making the rounds this week will not turn dog lovers against me or this blog. It features an Australian cattle dog named Sophie Tucker, who fell from a sailboat in rough seas off Australia four months ago and was presumed drowned.

Turns out, Sophie was doggedly determined. She paddled five miles to a remote island and survived by eating baby feral goats, which was the "Survivor" thing to do.

Rangers last week captured a ragged-looking Sophie and reunited her with her family. There was a good deal of whimpering and rump-shaking when pet and pet owners caught a first glimpse of each other. And when rangers let the dog out of cage "she just about flattened us," Jan Griffith told the AAP news agency.

"She's surprised us all. She was a house dog and look what she's done. She's swum over five nautical miles [and] she's managed to live off the land all on her own."

I can see a cat accomplishing the latter (presumably the island had birds to prey on), but not the former, because cats are not very good at dog-paddling.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Sophie Tucker by Agence France-Presse

Australia's spate of shark attacks takes center stage in and around Sydney

At a time when alleged shark sightings are on the rise off Southern California -- it happens every spring -- swimmers and surfers appear to have far more reason to be concerned in Australia and particularly off New South Wales, which includes Sydney.

There have been 52 reported attacks on humans since 2000. Eight occurred in waters off Sydney or nearby, creating a mini-"Jaws"-like scenario but doing little to keep surfers out of the water, especially during the Australian summer.

A story in Friday's edition of the Daily Telegraph cited figures released last week by state officials reviewing a beach netting program designed to keep sharks at bay. Thankfully, rather than fueling hysteria, the panel concluded that the increased number of attacks -- they've soared 28% since the 1970s -- was simply because more people were venturing into the water.

(Since 1791, there have been 222 shark attacks logged in New South Wales waters, about one-third resulting in fatalities.)

The panel lacked data to calculate a possible increase in the actual threat of an attack.

But NSW faces a dilemma nonetheless. There has been a long-standing campaign against coastal nets because they imperil not only sharks but whales, dolphins and sea birds. Unfortunately for sharks, the state will consider using baited hooks beneath floating drums to try to minimize the threat of shark attacks. This is done in Queensland and South Africa.

Fortunately, off Southern California, where, according to the Shark Research Committee, there have been 13 shark attacks since 2000 (including the lone fatal assault on a swimmer last April off Solana Beach), there is no netting program and no talk of baited hooks.

As should be the case everywhere, swimmers and surfers must assume risk whenever and wherever they enter the sharks' realm.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: David Fleetham / Discovery Channel

Jordy Smith prevails in Cold Water Classic surfing contest in Tasmania

The waves were perfect, as you can see, during the late rounds of the first-ever O'Neill Cold Water Classic in Tasmania.

And South Africa's Jordy Smith was equally flawless in storming into the final and brushing aside Encinitas surfer Damien Hobgood on Sunday in Australia, 15.56 to 13.17, in 8-foot barrels at Bluff Reef in Marrawah.

Both are on the ASP World Tour and both earned valuable re-qualification points in the six-star ASP World Qualifying Series tour contest.

"I looked up to him as a kid so it's great to be out there with one of your heroes," said Smith, 21, a second-year World Tour competitor.

Hobgood, 29, joked that he had let the locals down by not claiming the engraved wooden trophy. "I was hoping to dedicate that trophy to the Marrawah pub," he said.

Also earning valuable WQS points was San Clemente's Patrick Gudauskas (pictured), who lost to Hobgood in the semifinals and who has been trying for what seems an eternity to qualify for the elite World Tour.

Despite the impressive barrel ride on his last wave, Gudauskas failed net a 9.07 needed to catch Hobgood, who prevailed in the best-two-waves format, 16.07 to 15.90.

The Cold Water Classic series shifts to Scotland for its next event, April 29 to May 6. Unfortunately, that conflicts with the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro, another six-star event, April 28 to May 2, at Trestles near San Clemente.

Trestles is Gudauskas' home break and one of the favorite breaks among World Tour surfers.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Patrick Gudauskas tucks beneath the lip of a Tasmanian barrel but cannot advance past the semifinals of the Cold Water Classic event. Credit: Cold Water Classic

Rescued pilot whales' disappearance at sea off West Australia viewed as positive sign

Marine mammal experts and volunteers remain hopeful that 10 pilot whales who survived a mass stranding Monday in southwestern Australia are still at sea and not attempting to beach themselves anew.

At least 72 whales perished during the mysterious stranding south of Perth, which lured more than 250 volunteers to assist marine mammal specialists in an effort to rescue whales that were still alive.

A story in the West Australian reports that experts trucked 11 whales from the stranding site at Hamelin Bay and delivered them via cranes into deeper waters of a neighboring bay. But one struggled to breathe so they brought it back ashore, fearing it'd lure the others if it attempted to beach itself.

That female adult whale, which was barely breathing, was euthanized before nightfall. Today, which is Wednesday in Australia, experts will perform a fly-over in search of the diminished pod. 

Here's hoping that if they locate the whales, including a calf nicknamed Buddy, they locate them together and far from the coast.

--Pete Thomas

Photos of rescue and cleanup effort by Getty Images (top) and Associated Press

Australian koala now has agent, possible book and movie deals

Sam, the koala rescued from certain death during the brutal wildfires in Australia last month, now has an agent and possible deals for a book and a movie.

TressCox Lawyers, the Australia-based legal firm handling inquiries, said that it was fielding offers from media outlets around the world and that film and book rights were part of the negotiations.

Sam become known worldwide because of a photograph, shown above, of her accepting a water bottle from firefighter David Tree, who first noticed the injured animal. 

All profits made through Sam's media appearances will go to the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter, which is caring for the koala that suffered second- and third-degree burns.

The marsupial also now has a website devoted to her, http://www.samthekoala.com.au/, where her rehabilitation progress can be followed and shelter donations can be made.

No word yet if a line of toys is in the works.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Firefighter David Tree shares his water with an injured koala, since nicknamed Sam, at Mirboo North after wildfires swept through the region. Credit: Mark Pardew/Associated Press

Great white sharks: Are they becoming a scary nuisance off Southern California?

If a lot of angry citizens knew what I know, they might suggest an appropriate retreat for AIG executives exacting million-dollar bonuses from bailout money: a long-distance swimming race with no lifelines, originating two miles off Newport Beach.

Here's what I know: This is the season for increased shark sightings off Southern California. More people are venturing into the ocean and juvenile white sharks -- before they become great white sharks -- utilize local waters as a nursery area during the spring.

The fatal attack on a swimmer off Solana Beach last April remains fresh in the minds of some. And two fishermen last week saw what they estimated to be an 18-foot shark, five feet wide, swimming with the confidence of an apex predator two miles beyond Newport Beach.

Steven Lockhart and Aaron Hix reported the sighting to Ralph S. Collier, who runs the Shark Research Committee, which keeps track of attacks and witness accounts off the Pacific Coast of North America.

There's more:

Oil spill off Australian coast creates environmental disaster

A cargo ship leaked tons of fuel oil off the coast of Queensland, Australia, creating one of the area's biggest environmental disasters.

Nearly 40 miles of beach has been blackened, causing authorities to declare the area coastland and local islands a disaster zone.

Worst hit have been the national parks on Bribie and Moreton islands and along the Sunshine Coast. There are now reports that the ship has also leaked oil in the Brisbane River after it was brought to port and detained by Australian Maritime Safety Authority port officials.

"This could be the worst environmental disaster we have faced," State Premier Anna Bligh said. "If there is any grounds for prosecution of this ship and its owners, we will not hesitate to take that action."

Kelly Slater eliminated by Julian Wilson in Round 3 of Quiksilver Pro

The ASP World Tour is billing it as the upset of the season, and certainly Julian Wilson's third-round triumph over Kelly Slater in the Quiksilver Pro is that.

And that it occurred during the first contest of the 2009 season, at Snapper Rocks in Australia, raises a couple of questions:

1) Is Slater, 37, who long ago grew weary of tour travel and monotony, really up for a campaign to claim a 10th world title?

2) Has age finally caught up to the greatest competition surfer of all time?

Although he was riding a new surfboard that's shorter and wider than those he normally brings to competitions, Slater said afterward that he merely could not catch the right kind of waves.

"The waves I got were bad," Slater said. "I surfed all right on one wave and I am frustrated obviously, but I would have had the same result with the best board of my life so it definitely wasn't the equipment thing. A lot people want to put it down on that, but I am excited about my boards and I have a lot more fun riding these boards."

Wilson, 20, is an event wild card from Australia who said he was "over the moon" after a heat he won with a best-two-waves score of 15.33, to Slater's 13.84.

Wilson added: "I was so nervous before that heat just thinking about what I could do to beat Kelly. For so long, he has been unstoppable. I started the heat on the inside and got the first wave, which is what I wanted to do. It feels so good to beat him."

Only  part of the third round was completed. The competition may resume later today, or Monday morning in Australia.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Julian Wilson busts loose en route to defeating Kelly Slater in the third round of the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks, Australia. Credit: Kelly Cestari / ASP

Stephanie Gilmore, reigning world surfing champion, prevails at season-opening Roxy Pro

Parity has not existed on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals' World Tour since Kelly Slater burst onto the scene in the early 1990s.

Now an even playing field appears to also have vanished from the ASP Women's World Tour, thanks to a blond-haired dynasty-in-the-making known as Stephanie Gilmore.

The Australian power surfer may never match Slater's nine world titles, but she's well on her way to claiming a third title in as many years after winning the season-opening Roxy Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks, Australia.

Gilmore, 21, prevailed in the final against Hawaii's Melanie Bartels in two- to three-foot waves, and registered the day's high single-wave score of a 9.57 to open the heat, after a long series of fin releases and power turns.

The victory was Gilmore's fourth in a row dating to last season, and with an eight-contest schedule likely to shrink because of a shortage of event sponsors, her lead may be more commanding than appears.

"It's a new start for me," Gilmore said. "To win on your home turf, in front of all these people, it's unbelievable."

It's entirely believable. Gilmore, like Slater, will be favored at every contest she's competing in this season.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Stephanie Gilmore carves a top turn en route to winning the season-opening Roxy Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks in Australia. Credit: Kelly Cestari/ASP

Japan's whaling effort might be significantly reduced, but time will tell

Japan and whaling. The words are almost synonymous, they've been used together so often lately.

Japan is a whaling nation, despite a moratorium on commercial whaling, and is currently whaling or wrapping up its annual whaling effort in Antarctic waters.

International opposition has not stopped Japan from whaling in the so-called Southern Ocean. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has had some success in disrupting the whale hunt, though not everybody believes what the controversial group's PR office spews out.

Regardless, Japan is still whaling, using a research loophole in the 1986 moratorium.

But there might be some good news for marine mammal enthusiasts who claim whales are too intelligent and embattled to be slaughtered for so-called research or human consumption (Japan is the world's largest consumer of whale meat).

Australia's Daily Telegraph, quoting a Japanese newspaper, reports that the country is considering reducing its annual kill of nearly 1,000 whales by several hundred whales.

Its proposal might be submitted during an International Whaling Commission meeting next week, although a Japanese fisheries ministry official declined to comment on the issue.

Has Japan finally succumbed to so much opposition? If it's ever put that way, the nation will increase its effort. But maybe, just maybe, Japan and whaling will move closer toward parting ways.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Dead whale lies on deck of a Japanese ship in the northwest Pacific in 2000. Japan is the world's biggest consumer of whale meat. Credit: Reuters

Pilot whales and dolphins beach themselves in Australia

Nearly 200 pilot whales and seven bottlenose dolphins became stranded Sunday on a beach in southern Australia.

The mammals beached at Naracoopa Beach on King Island, Tasmania. By the time wildlife officials arrived at the scene, 140 of the whales had perished.

Groups of volunteers used stretchers to carry dolphins into shallow water, and boats and jet skis pulled whales out deeper.

By late Monday, 54 whales and five dolphins had been returned to the sea. One whale struggled to reach open water because of rough seas and had to be guided back to shore by rescuers, who carried the mammal to above the high-water mark and kept it cool beneath wet fabric.

"We'll stabilize the animal now and work out what we're going to do with it," said Chris Arthur of Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.

This is the fourth beaching incident in Tasmania in recent months, and researchers are at a loss as to why this occurs so frequently in this area.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Pilot whales beached on King Island in 2004. Credit: John Stokes/European Pressphoto Agency

Shark attacks off Sydney, Australia, not much of a deterrent for surfers

While two ASP World Tour surfing contests are underway on Australia's Gold Coast, surfers in the Sydney area, 300 miles to the south, are venturing boldly back out in the aftermath of  the third shark attack in as many weeks.

Several area beaches remain closed after the attack just after dawn Sunday on Andrew Lindop, 15, as he surfed with his father off Avalon Beach.

Lindop was bitten on the leg and endured four hours of surgery, but doctors are confident they saved the leg. And Lindop is already telling friends he's eager to get back in the water.

Why isn't there "Jaws"-like hysteria? Australia is a surf-crazed nation. Instead of panicking, surfers and swimmers are ignoring warning signs (see photo  below).

Said Don Norris, who runs the RealSurf website, to the Sydney Morning news: "In a surfer's thinking, perfect waves trump sharks every time."

Women's pro surfing world tour schedule might be headed for a wipeout

Australia's Stephanie Gilmore this week will begin a quest to win a third championship in as many years on the ASP Women's World Tour.

She's a dynasty in the making and a strong favorite to win the season-opening Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Australia.

But a formidable force looms on the close horizon -- for all 17 surfers on the elite tour. It's the ravaged economy, which threatens to wipeout a large chunk of the tour schedule.

Corporate sponsors, ailing because of sluggish sales and mounting debt, have either pulled out or are contemplating pulling out of some events in order to cut costs.

There are eight contests on the World Tour schedule but at least one -- a prestigious event next winter at Sunset Beach on Oahu -- has no sponsor and might be dropped. Roxy, which operates under the Quiksilver umbrella, was the title sponsor last year.

Kelly Slater in Australia seeking 10th world surfing title

The 2009 men's ASP World Tour could begin as early as Saturday, with the possible start of the Quiksilver Pro at Coolangatta on Australia's Gold Coast, and the biggest question is not whether any of the rookies or second-year surfers will step up.

It is: At what point during the season will Kelly Slater claim his 10th world title?

Slater, 37, was typically vague and noncommittal this week. "I commit to where I am," he said. "I'll be on the Gold Coast for sure. I'm pretty excited about some new equipment and am ready to surf, I think. No. 10 is alluring and is there for the attempt, but I'll let everyone else worry about the pressure of it as well as I can."

Translation: He wants to get No. 10 out of the way as early as possible and if he wins the season opener, expect the Floridian to blitz through the schedule and try to at least match last year's feat: clinching with two contests remaining.

Of the competition Slater pointed to second-year standouts Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith as impact players but not title contenders. He referred to Australians Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge and Mick Fanning as legitimate title contenders, which they certainly are.

Whale war controversy continues as authorities board Sea Shepherd vessel, seize items

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship the Steve Irwin pulled into port in Tasmania last week and was met by a group of Australian Federal Police officers, who served a search warrant, boarded the vessel and confiscated numerous items.

The items seized include the ship's log book, video footage, audio recordings, photographs, interview transcripts and meeting minutes compiled during recent confrontations between the anti-whaling activists and Japanese whaling vessels in the Antarctic.

Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson says much of the confiscated material belongs to the Discovery Channel's "Animal Planet" producer and camera crew, who were onboard the Steve Irwin videotaping material for the second season of the television series "Whale Wars."

Shark attacks off Sydney, Australia, yet another source of worry

As if Australians don't have enough worries with the deadly wildfires in one part of the country and flooding in another.

Now they're enduring shark attacks in unlikely places.

The incident today involving a surfer at Bondi Beach was the first reported attack at the iconic tourism and surfing paradise since 1929, and it occurred less than two days after another attack in nearby Sydney Harbor.

Neither attack was fatal. The surfer, identified by the Sydney Morning Herald only as Glen, was helped ashore with his left hand dangling.

He was bitten at dusk and remains hospitalized in serious condition. He was helped to shore by another surfer, James McIntosh, who used his board leash as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding.