The Esperanza will take us through four oceans over 14 months,
all the while mapping and demonstrating the emergency need for a
global network of marine reserves - comprising 40 percent of our
planets oceans. These marine reserves would act like national parks
at sea, giving the oceans a fighting chance of survival. "Only
through establishing and enforcing a vast network of marine
reserves can we reverse the decline and guarantee our children's
right to inherit healthy seas," said Shane Rattenbury, head of
Greenpeace's Oceans Campaign.
Cutting-edge technology
The Esperanza has been fitted out with cutting-edge
communications technology. We will be online 24/7 with blogs,
chats, video blogs, podcasts, webcams and much more. We're pulling
together a million people to become "Ocean Defenders" with us, to
help save the oceans and be a part of the action. It's your chance
to really get involved in the action wherever we are -- from
wherever you are.
The start of an incredible journey: Southern Ocean Whale
Sanctuary
Heading south from Cape town, South Africa, the Esperanza will
be accompanied by the Arctic Sunrise on the first leg of this
expedition. We are returning to the internationally recognised
waters of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to defend the whales
and call for an immediate end to the annual hunt referred to as
"scientific whaling".
This year the Fisheries Agency of Japan intends to more than
double its catch of minke whales to 935. Adding insult to injury
this year 10 fin whales will also be caught in the harpooner's
sights. Next year 40 more fin whales will be added along with 50
humpback whales. Both are recognised as endangered species. These
actions defy international protests and repeated calls from the
International Whaling Commission to stop the annual hunt.
We're not going to stand by. We're heading out in search of the
hunters to take a non-violent stand against them, and calling upon
the global community to help us hunt the hunters. The law of six
degrees of separation means that you, dear reader, know somebody
who knows somebody who knows somebody who knows precisely where the
whalers will be hunting this year.
Hunt the hunters
We have our own methods of locating them, but this is always a
very difficult task. If you know someone who works in maritime
tracking, satellite imagery, the Japanese fishing industry,
cetacean research, who's doing an ocean crossing in the Pacific or
working in some other field that might have first hand knowledge of
where the fleet will be, pass the message along - they may be
holding information which could save the lives of whales. The ship
we are seeking is named the Nisshin Maru, gross tonnage 8,030,
length 130 metres, radio call sign JJCJ. She is the factory ship
and will be accompanied by three catchers, Kyo Maru No. 1 with
radio call sign JKNG, the Yushin Maru call sign JLZS and Yushin
Maru No. 2, call sign JPPV. These ships left Shimonoseki, Southern
Japan, at 10am local time on the 8th of November 2005.
You can send information to 
All information in strictest confidence.
The story of the oceans
"Even though the ban on commercial whaling has been agreed, the
international community has failed stop the hunt. Starting with the
easiest whales to catch, vast whaling fleets have pushed one
species after another to the brink of extinction." said Rattenbury.
"The persecution of the great whales is a tragic echo of what is
happening throughout our oceans," Rattenbury added.
From the Southern ocean we will continue the expedition along
the coast of Africa, through the Mediterranean, across Asia and the
Pacific and down the west coast of the Americas, returning to
Antarctic waters in 2007, exposing the threats and providing
solutions to the crisis facing our oceans today.
We will tell the story of the oceans, from the life forms that
call it home, to the people whose lives depend on it. The oceans
cover two thirds of our planet, hold 85 percent of all life and
provide half the air we breathe. It's time to stand up and start
defending our oceans now. Be one in a million - become an Ocean
Defender.
You can be one in a million - become an
Ocean Defender now.
Sign up as an Ocean Defender!
Sign up now to join us on our journey and take action to save our oceans.
Take action to save whales!
Ask the governments who voted for it to defend the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary!