DATE SET FOR 2013 PADDLE OUT

PADDLE OUT FOR WHALES 2013 SATURDAY 13th JULY

Enzo’s On The Beach (Scarness, Hervey Bay, Queenlsand)

Planning is underway for this year’s Paddle Out for Whales, which is set to take place on Saturday, 13th July 2013 at Enzo’s on the Beach on the Fraser Coast. Organisers are hoping that this year’s event will be the largest to date, since it’s conception as a small protest day to save whales 8 years ago. This will be the fourth annual paddle out stunt since its evolution to this format.

Last year, a day of festivities was unfortunately washed out after the paddle, so organizers are excited to pull together the entertainment program for this year’s event, which will include music, performers and guest speakers. And not forgetting of course the largest paddle out for whale conservation held across Australia, if not the world.

“The feeling out on the water last year was absolutely amazing, it was very emotional, especially when the helicopter flew around us and came in really low, I think everyone had the adrenaline pumping!” organizer Vicki Neville said.

Participants are encouraged to paddle out on a flotation device, whether it be a kayak, surfboard, boogie board, stand up paddle board or even their own home made raft. Those that don’t want to brave the winter chill, can also participate by lining the beach and paddling their toes in the water and releasing a flower just as the paddlers do. It still counts for the overall paddlers count.

The event was born when Hervey Bay’s Vicki Neville held the first National Whale Day as a protest to the Australian government when Humpback Whales were included on the Japanese hunting quota in the Southern Ocean. At the time, Hervey Bay was a world-renowned humpback whale watching destination with whale tourism the number one industry worth over $70 million to the local economy. The threat of whaling activated this community to take a stand against the slaughter and protect the whales and their industry. The event was eventually picked up by IFAW as their annual anti-whaling campaign taking the event to a national platform.

The Hervey Bay community is growing with passionate locals taking a stand against the slaughter. 22-year-old Alistair Allan has just returned from a Sea Shepherd mission in the Southern Ocean as a crewmember on board the organisations new vessel the Sam Simon. Alistair says that the Paddle Out is an important awareness day to help with their fight to protect the species.

“Every year the illegal Japanese whaling fleet attempts to slaughter 1035 whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary. Every year Sea Shepherd goes down to obstruct their hunt.

But we could not do it without the ongoing awareness campaigns that bring light to this issue and in turn create support for Sea Shepherd. Events such as Hervey Bay’s Paddle Out for Whales helps to educate people on this issue, which translates into support for whale conservation, but also places Hervey Bay in the position it should be. Everyone in Hervey Bay should be against whaling as every year the amazing animals grace us with their presence in our very own bay. This year Japan killed 103 whales. While we mourn their deaths we celebrate the fact that 932 whales are swimming alive and free and that we will see some of those whales very shortly in Hervey Bay. Events like this ensure that there will be whales in Hervey Bay for generations to come.”

The Paddle Out for Whales evolved and has now become an important and fun day on Hervey Bay’s calendar organised in a 100% volunteer capacity. Bob Irwin has shown his support over the years and has become the official ambassador for the cause with champion Iron woman Hayley Bateup participating in last year’s event.

For updates and information check out the Paddle Out for Whales facebook page.

: Amanda French | Ph: 0467 289 79m: amanda_lee_french@hotmail.com 

Paddle Out for Whales on 13 July

Thank You for Paddling!

Hervey Bay, the whale watch capital of the world, over the weekend held the third annual Paddle Out for Whales. Australia's largest anti-whaling protest as part of IFAW's National Whale Day. Even the poor weather didn't deter participants getting in the water and making a stand against whaling.

Despite the weather yesterday (officially the coldest day on record for the year so far), the Paddle Out for Whales 2012 was a great success! We had a sensational turn out despite the fact that it was absolutely freezing cold on the beach and in the water.

Bob Irwin and Hayley Bateup, our event ambassadors, did a sensational job opening the day and had a great time themselves. We took all of the volunteers and event crew for a sunset sail on the Friday night before the paddle out to get to know each other and kick back before the manic day. It was lots of fun! Saw lots of dolphins and turtles from Blue Dolphin Marine Tours who kindly donated the trip for the event.

We had people moved to tears on the beach as they watched on at the stunt. We had the sounds of Hervey Bay's humpbacks playing through the loudspeaker as the paddlers took to the water followed by a very moving one minute silence as we waited for the helicopter to do a fly over. We released 267 flowers into the water representing the whales slaughtered last hunting season and it was quite moving watching them all wash into shore.

The paddlers that came back into shore after the stunt were buzzing with excitement. Everyone commented about the experience saying that it was exhilarating waiting for the helicopter to fly over and that the one minute silence was highly emotive.

We noticed this year that "word of mouth" really was out there, with people coming from all around Australia to take part. The awareness about the event is spreading to more than just the local community. Really restores our faith that the support for the cause is out there and there is strong support towards putting an end to whaling.

We had to cancel some of the outdoor entertainment due to the weather which was unfortunate but ended up moving the bands and movie screening inside and had a lovely little acoustic evening toasty warm inside Enzo's on the Beach. The Flumes, Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus, The Green Room and Ollie Jackson did a great job entertaining us well into the night. A huge thanks to the guys from those bands who drove up in the rain to be part of the event and donating their time for the whales.

A huge shout out to Enzo and the crew from Enzo's on the Beach for hosting the event this year. They were seriously wonderful and donated so much of their time and services to us this year. Couldn't have pulled it off without them and we're going to bottle Enzo's passion for everyone next year!

A BIG thank you to all of our volunteers, performers and paddlers for taking part in the 2012 event. Everything to put on the event is a donated service for the whales and we were so happy to see the support in 2012. The date for the 2013 Paddle Out for Whales has been set for June 22nd. Mark it in your diaries and prepare to paddle out for whales in the new year!

1 MORE SLEEP....

Tomorrow the whale watch capital will unite to give whales a voice at the annual Paddle Out for Whales event in Hervey Bay.

Registration kicks off from 9:30am for paddlers to take part in the stunt that will see participants take to the water in mass to protest against whaling. The event falls just weeks before the annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting that will decide on quotas for whaling communities for the upcoming hunting season. Paddle Out for Whales is a stunt that coincides with the International Fund for Animal Welfare's 'National Whale Day' event which this year saw 80 communities around the nation host events like Paddle Out for Whales. The day aims to send an important message to the IWC that Australians do not support whaling. Hervey Bay's event remains one of the organisation's largest of the National Whale Day events.

For interested media, a media call will take place at 10:30am on the beach in front of Enzo's on the Beach in Hervey Bay with the event's ambassadors- Bob Irwin and champion Ironwoman Hayley Bateup. An opportunity to interview Bob and Hayley about their involvement in the event will be available to you at this time.

Everything taken to run the event has been a donated service or performance in support of the Bay's whales. We have performers and guest speakers coming from right across the state to take part.

Come along and give whales a voice and join in this great cause.

Plan your Paddle Out Day!

Paddle Out for Whales has reinvented itself yet again with this year’s event emerging into a full on festival for the whales. It will include the event’s largest programme to date, with a full day of entertainment planned amongst the important awareness message about whaling and marine conservation.

From its origins as National Whale Day 7 years ago, the event has now emerged as one of Australia’s largest protests against whaling. Each year the event kicks off with a paddle out stunt, seeing hundreds take to the water to make an aerial statement for the overhead spotter plane sending the important message that the whale watch capital does not support whaling. This year, the day will extend to more than just the paddle out with an afternoon for the whales that is... completely free!

Festivities will start from 9:30am when registration for the paddle kicks off on the beach in front of Enzo’s on the Beach Cafe with the Nefertiti Dancers performing the Dugong Rock with Harvey the Whale. Following on will be the Fraser Coast Zumba team giving paddlers the chance to warm up for Australia’s biggest paddle out for whale conservation. Paddlers will then take to the water at 11am to show respect and remember the 267 whales that were taken in Antarctica over summer. Champion Ironwoman Hayley Bateup will lead the paddle out with conservation ambassador Bob Irwin taking part in the stunt as well.

But it doesn’t end there. The afternoon will see conservation talks by the team from various whale groups with a connection to Hervey Bay. Hervey Bay’s Pacific Whale Foundation will give a presentation on their 30 years of whale research on the Bay’s whales. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will also give a presentation, including a first-hand recollection from Hervey Bay’s Mikey May, who has taken part in the annual journey south to protect the whales from the Japanese whalers onboard Sea Shepherd’s Bob Barker. This will be an informative presentation of what it is like defending the whales in the front line!

Rock Off Hervey Bay will hold a skateboarding demonstration and competition with giveaways and prizes to be won. There’s plenty for the young kids as well with beach activities, jumping castle, mechanical surfboard and face painting.

The Great Scott Show is also back with his award-winning circus tricks for the kids and the big kids at heart. He was a hit at the 2011 Paddle Out and couldn’t resist a return visit to the Fraser Coast for this special event.

For the big kids, there’s even the chance to try your hand at pilates on a paddle board! Living Large Personal training will be running a workshop on the water for this special paddle out experiment.

Sit back and chill out throughout the afternoon with original live music from renowned Sunshine Coast bands The Flumes, Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus, The Green Room and Ollie Jackson. Their grooves promise to deliver some seriously infectious moves to keep you warmed up at this year’s event.

And to top it all off, there will be a twilight screening of award winning documentary ‘Mind’s in the Water’ following the story of pro-surfer Dave Rastovich in his quest to put an end to whaling. It’s an interesting watch and as an independent film has not previously been screened on the Fraser Coast. Bring along your own folding chair or picnic blanket to make yourselves comfortable.

So come on down, grab something to paddle out on to give whales a voice, join in the many activities and enjoy all the entertainment for a great day out for our whales. Our entertainers are coming from right across Queensland and have kindly donated their services to support the whales so come along and support them and join in the fun. 

The event is set to take place on Saturday 23rd June at Enzo’s on the Beach.

Volunteer for the Whales...

Volunteers from the Paddle Out with Channel 7's Grant Denyer.

Want to volunteer for this year's Paddle Out for Whales? We need bodies on the beach to help set up from 7:00am on the morning of the 23rd June. Volunteer for an hour or all day, it's up to you. We need volunteers for the registration tents, set up and pack down and marshalling.

If you can spare a few hours and want to meet some lovely whale loving folk, then meet at Enzo's on the Beach between 7:00-7:30am for a briefing with the organisers.

Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers so far, we look forward to seeing you there next weekend.

Performers and Entertainment...

We have a FULL afternoon of entertainment for the whales following the Paddle Out stunt at 11:00am. Check out our full list of performers and guest speakers on our BIOS page to read more. We have everything from pilates on paddle boards to some of the Coast's best grassroots musicians. 

We have a fantastic event program for the day, so dry off after the paddle out, bring something warm, and enjoy an afternoon for the whales on us. It's completely free and there's plenty to do for the whole family. Don't forget to bring something comfortable to sit on for the outdoor screening of 'Minds in the Water' later in the evening.

A huge thank you to all of our musicians, entertainers and guest speakers who have donated their time, coming from all around Queensland for the whales. 

The Great Scott Show is Baaaaaaack.....

The Great Scott Show is back again for the 2012 Paddle Out. Those little earbrows will be hitting the beach in front of Enzo's on the Beach to entertain paddlers with his comedy-circus act. The show is not to be missed! If you recognise this face, you might have seen him a few years back on Australia's Got Talent. Check out this clip to see The Great Scott Show in full swing:

Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus...

Paddle Out for Whales are excited to bring to you a sensational afternoon of live original music. As part of the program, Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus will perform live from the beach stage. Here's a little more about the band...

Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus

MITCH DAVIS has been making his mark on the local and international music scene since 2008. Renowned for his intense delivery and uncanny ability to put into words personal tales; that captivate and speak universally to listeners from all ages and backgrounds. At 27, Mitch has neatly chiseled his distinct sound from an extensively wide range of genres, settling somewhere between Folk, Blues, Rock, Jazz and Indie. With a voice that stands unique and is power driven, you can’t help but stop, look and listen to what Mitch has to say.

2012 brings a new line up for his band. The Dawn Chorus is quickly building a reputation for its raw, yet undeniably tight knit stage show. Smooth keys and well-defined vocal harmonies create a warm bedding, whilst their rock-solid rhythm section entrances the crowd with infectious grooves and seamless dynamics.
Notoriously hard to put a finger on, Mitch Davis and The Dawn Chorus’s sound has been said to resemble the likes of Jeff Buckley, Chris Cornell, Joe Cocker, The Cold War Kids and even Sublime to name a few. However, what listeners usually find is something that draws from such a broad array of influences, that its much easier to label as, ‘it’s own.’

With the release of their debut album “Letters from Ropeshoe” and the launch of their multimedia EP (featuring the much-hyped video clip for “Becky’s Song”) along with an international tour under their belt and a steadily growing number of national shows and festivals, Mitch and his band look to make even bigger tracks. Plans for a full length album release with the new band line up, are set for mid 2012, as the guys take to the road for what looks to be a huge year.

You can find Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus’s music on facebook, myspace and youtube

Sea Shepherd Crew Member to Talk at Paddle Out...

(From today's Fraser Coast Chronicle)

A SEVERE case of hypothermia, seasickness and raging weather are just some of the experiences Hervey Bay's Michael May walked away with from his second year on Sea Shepherd's anti-whaling ship Bob Barker.

Mr May spends most of his year educating tourists as a guide on whale-watching boat Tasman Venture.

Over the past two years, he has also spent his summers helping the controversial group to stop Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic.

Mr May will return to Hervey Bay next week after spending 92 days serving as quartermaster on Bob Barker.

His role included forming a decoy against whale security ships attached to the bigger whaling factory ships.

Mr May faced the wrong end of one of the high-powered water cannons mounted on many of the security ships, which saw him and three crew members limp back to the Bob Barker with varying degrees of hypothermia.

He will talk about this and other incidents as a guest speaker at the Paddle Out 4 Whales festival later this month.

The event will be held on the Scarness Esplanade and each year honours the number of whales killed by Japanese whaling ships.

Mr May said talking about his time on the Bob Barker with the annual flood of tourists on the Tasman Venture was just as important as his time on the Bob Barker.

"It really hits home when I start talking about it," he said.

"By bringing tourists to the whales in their natural environment, you have an opportunity to bring whales into their hearts and minds," he said.

Visit paddleout4whales.blogspot.com for more information on the festival.

It will be held on June 23.

What's On...

Paddle Out for Whales will take place this year on Saturday 23^rd June at Enzo’s on the Beach from 10am with participants hitting the water at 11am. 

Champion Ironwoman Hayley Bateup will attending this year to lead the paddle, lending her hand to this great cause. 

Bob Irwin is also returning to spread the word about how important it is to protect our marine creatures and talking about other environmental issues. 

The afternoon will see live music from The Flumes, Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus and The Green Room, plus lots of beach activities leading into a twilight screening of the award-winning documentary Mind's In the Water. 

So come on down, grab something to paddle out on, and show your support and enjoy this great annual event!

Stay tuned to our website for more details and times for the day. 

: Amanda French | 

Minds in the Water Screening

Exciting news!

This year our feature screening at Paddle Out for Whales will be the documentary 'Minds in the Water' featuring Dave Rastovich and Surfers for Cetaceans. We've saved hard to fund the opportunity to bring it to the beach this year, so please come along and see this inspiring doco. Details and times for the screening coming soon.

Bob Irwin Ready to Paddle Out!

Paddle Out for Whales official ambassador and original wildlife warrior Bob Irwin will once again attend our National Whale Day event. Bob jumped on board our cause in 2011 to speak about current issues facing today's wildlife, including our whales, and to officially open the event. Bob didn't stop there, he was quick to change into a pair of shorts (khaki of course) and join organiser Vicki Neville on the water to Paddle Out too.

He's famous for his trademark khakis and work with some of Australia's biggest crocs....but now Bob Irwin has got a keen interest in protecting one of Australia's largest animals- whales. Since taking his first whale watching trip out of Hervey Bay in 2010, but has joined forces with the organisers of Paddle Out for Whales with a committment to raise awareness of the world's whales and dolphins. Bob will officially open the 2012 Paddle Out for Whales event as an ambassador for the protection of our marine life.
Since establishing the Bob Irwin Wildlife Fund in 2008, Bob has become ever more vocal in representing Australia's wildlife and making the general public more aware of their often desperate plight. Since the fund's inception Bob has worked with volunteers from a number of grass-roots environmental organisations to draw attention to such issues as the massacre of wombats in farming regions, the inhumane slaughter of dugongs, the atrocities of the kangaroo industry and the imminent loss of koalas from South East Queensland.

He may be a 'man of retirement age' but Bob has never been more passionate about our wildlife and its environment and will continue his lifelong calling to fight on its behalf.

More information on Bob's wildlife fund can be found on his website http://www.bobirwinwildlife.com/

We sincerely thank Bob and his wife Judy for their continued support of our event and look forward to having them involved in our important cause and helping to raise much needed awareness for our whales and other marine life.

SAVE THE DATE

Organisers have confirmed a date for the 2012 Paddle Out for Whales event in the whale watch capital. Save the date to get your paddle on on Saturday 23rd June. Going by tides on the day, we are looking to hit the water this year around 11am.

There are some minor changes to the event this year! We have moved the location of the event further up the Esplanade to Enzo''s Cafe, it was changed to cater for the volume of people. Welcome and thank you to the Enzo's Cafe team for coming on board and supporting this year's event.

Activities will be held in the late afternoon through to the evening where we will feature live music and a screening of an important film about whales down on the beach.

Stay tuned to this site for more information coming soon.

2012 National Whale Day

IFAW have confirmed the date for the 2012 National Whale Day celebrations will be Saturday June 2nd. To see what's happening near you, stay up to date with the IFAW website. If you would like to host an event in your area similar to the Paddle Out for Whales, or something completely unique, get in touch with IFAW. Help to raise important awareness of the world's whales!

Stay tuned for details of the Hervey Bay Paddle Out for Whales event in 2012. Still unsure of dates at this stage, but we will keep you posted via this blog!

If you would like to register to volunteer, sponsor or help spread the word, please get in touch with us via our contact page. The event is growing bigger each year, and with 2 full-time volunteers, we need all of the help we can muster. Yell out if you can lend a hand and help us save our whale friends.

Thank You for Paddling!

Aerial shot from the 2011 Paddle Out for Whales

On behalf of the organisers of the 2011 Paddle Out for Whales event we would like to extend a massive thank you for supporting us in raising important awareness of our precious marine life on Saturday 25th June.

We had an incredible turnout, despite the poor weather in the morning! Thankfully it didn't freeze the passion shown by the Hervey Bay community who turned out in mass to take part in the event. The turnout reinforced the fact that the Hervey Bay community and beyond have a vested interest in the wellbeing and conservation of these creatures that are such an important part of our local economy.

Paddle Out for Whales is an annual event held in the whale watching capital of the world as part of IFAW's National Whale Day celebrations. The event is held to help raise awareness of the many issues whales face today. It's one thing to disagree with whaling, but it's something else to jump on a board to stand up and be counted! Here is a little bit of a summary of what went on when people united to get their paddle on at the event:

Over 600 people registered to paddle out- those that couldn't paddle out lined the shore to cheer on the paddlers and they came in the thousands. During the Paddle Out, 172 flowers were released into the water during a one-minute silence held on the beach and out on the water while a spotter plane flew overhead taking aerial photographs of the stunt. Hydrophone recordings of whale songs recorded by the Oceania Project in Hervey Bay filled the air while the paddle out took place. There was an eerie silence when the sound system was cut during t

he one minute silence giving participants a chance to reflect on many the whales taken in this pre

vious hunting season alone. Paddlers came from all over Australia to show their support for the cause. The beach was lined with images of Hervey Bay's icon whales- many known by name to whale watch operators each whale watching season when they return on their annual migration.

Bob Irwin officially opened the day with a speech on the importance of conserving our wildlife including our whales. He spoke of his first experience seeing whales up close in the Bay last year and his commitment to protecting them. He then changed into a pair of shorts and jumped in a kayak with organiser Vicki Neville and joined in the paddle out!

As the sun set across the Bay that evening, a few thousand candles lined the beach lit by members of the public. The candles were a beautiful backdrop representing the whales and dolphins killed in hunting seasons around the world as the film The Cove featured on our beach big screen. Nicole McLachlan gave a fantastic speech to introduce the film speaking of her personal experiences with the Taiji dolphins in Japan.

We would like to thank all of the people involved in helping to stage the event and those who turned out to support it. Our aim is to see whales returning to the Bay for future generations and this year’s event helped to send this important message around the world. Vicki and I have worked tirelessly over the past 6 months to put the event together and we were overwhelmed with the support shown by everyone who made it happen. We are so pleased to see people in the community with a genuine interest in protecting our number one asset. If people can come along and take one more piece of information away, then the whole project has been completely worthwhile!

Cheers,

Amanda and Vicki

Marvellous Day for a Paddle Out

Well mother nature has turned on some incredible weather for us in the bay today! Thought we'd share! It's going to be a marvellous day for a Paddle Out tomorrow! Keep your fingers crossed it stays this way! 1 more sleep!

Scotty Takes the Plunge!

Weather did not permit Scotty to take a plunge for whales at last year's event but he has finally had the chance this morning to take his leap for whales. Scott Thomas from the 101.9 Sea FM Morning Crew went to great heights this morning to take a stance against whaling. Scotty took the plunge to get the message out that he does not support whaling. He finished up saying to the 7 News crew that if he can jump from a plane to send his message then everyone can come and paddle out at tomorrow's event to get the message across! He said if he has to jump every day to put an end to whaling- then he would do it! Enjoy the pics!

Touch down!

Scotty and Pete from Hervey Bay Skydivers- he did it!

Channel 7 News were there to film the stunt!

Susan, Amanda, Scotty and Vicki

Radio Jock Jumps on Board Paddle Out- Literally!

LOCAL RADIO JOCK TO GO TO GREAT HEIGHTS IN THE NAME OF SAVING WHALES

Organisers of this weekend’s Paddle Out for Whales are asking the Fraser Coast to be brave and paddle out on Saturday to show their love of whales. But Sea FM’s Scott Thomas (‘Tommo’) is going to take it one step further to show his love for the Bay’s gentle giants.

The enthusiastic radio jock will join with the Hervey Bay Skydivers this Friday morning, as a preface to the Paddle Out, to help organisers send an important message-the message that the whale watching capital of the world does not support whaling. Tommo says he hopes that the stunt will encourage other members of the community to be brave and take a stance against whaling.

 “Humpback Whales put Hervey Bay on the map and it’s time for us to give something back by making a stand in their hour of need! I am completely pumped to do something extreme to help get the message across! If I can leap out of a plane, then I reckon everyone can get together on Saturday and paddle out! ”

The stunt will replicate the route taken on Saturday by Hervey Bay Skydivers spotter plane as it flies overhead the Paddle Out stunt. The stunt will see approximately 500 participants paddle out to markers in the water to form a visual circle from the sky. The spotter plane is utilised in taking aerial shots of the stunt to send to media and anti-whaling groups across the nation with Hervey Bay’s message.  Hervey Bay Skydiver’s Manager Ray Curry says the fly over will be timed by the minute to the Paddle Out event. “We’ll be contacting organisers on the ground to be flying over the paddle out to coincide with the one minute silence and release of the flowers into the water.”

172 flowers will be released into the water representing the whales that were taken last hunting season. Organiser Vicki Neville says that the event is in aid of sending an important message from the local community. "Hervey Bay’s Humpbacks are an important part of our community and participation in the event shows that we wish to see them returning to our safe waters for future generations."

Paddle Out for Whales will be held this Saturday (25 June) on the beach at Aqua Vue Cafe in Torquay to showcase Hervey Bay’s love of Humpback Whales. Activities will kick off from 2:30pm with the Paddle Out scheduled to coincide with high tide at 4:00pm. Along with the Paddle Out, the afternoon will see live music by Sunshine Coast reggae outfit 'Kindread', twilight markets, a feature whale sand sculpture by world famous sand sculptor Dennis Massoud, the Great Scott Show, a special Zumba warm up for paddlers, special guest speakers including Bob Irwin and will conclude with a special outdoor screening under the stars and 2000 lit candles of the award winning documentary ‘The Cove’.

Anyone interested in paddling out will be required to bring something to float on (surf board, body board or create your own raft!) and meet down on the beach from 1:30pm to register for the event.

For more information on how to get involved visit the official Paddle Out for Whales website www.paddleout4whales.blogspot.com

CHEER ON TOMMO!

Sea FM’s Scott Thomas and the Hervey Bay Skydive crew are scheduled to touch down on the beach in front of Aqua Vue Café in Hervey Bay at 7:30am Friday morning (24 June) - come down and cheer him on!

PADDLE OUT TO GIVE A VOICE TO DOLPHINS

This Saturday’s Paddle Out for Whales will this year branch out to celebrate all whales, big and small. Along with the important focus on protecting the larger whale species like the Bay’s Humpback Whale, the event aims to shine a much needed spotlight on smaller whale species such as dolphins which alarmingly are not currently protected from being hunted.

Shockingly 71 small cetacean species (out of 80 known), such as dolphins, are not currently protected under the International Whaling Commission; an international fisheries body that regulates the commercial whaling ban that went into effect in 1986.  The fact that dolphins are not protected under this act means that countries like Japan can legally kill them by the tens of thousands. Each year from September to May it is estimated that upwards of 16, 000 dolphins are brutally slaughtered across Japan with 2000 in the infamous dolphin killing cove in the small town of Taiji, Wakayama. It is here that migrating dolphins are herded into a hidden cove where they are netted and killed by means of spears and knives over the side of small fishing boats. A number of additions to this year’s event program will help to raise awareness of the atrocity.

Organisers plan to feature an outdoor screening on the beach of the award-winning documentary ‘The Cove’- the film that brought the annual dolphin slaughter to the world’s attention in 2009. The film follows Ric O’Barry (former dolphin trainer from the 1960’s hit TV show ‘Flipper’) and showcases the extraordinary lengths film makers went to capture footage of the brutality using underwater microphones and high-definition cameras disguised as rocks. Organiser of Paddle Out for Whales, Amanda French, says it’s a must-see part of the event program.

“The film is a fascinating insight into an issue that otherwise would have gone unnoticed and yet had a massive effect globally. One story united the world to take a stand against dolphin drive hunting and has sparked talks internationally about the need to protect dolphins under an international protection agreement. The film has had massive international credentials being awarded the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary and US Audience Award at the 25^th annual Sundance Film Festival and otherwise has never been screened in Hervey Bay. I cannot recommend this film enough as an incredibly eye-opening and educational experience for anyone with a vested interest in the world’s marine life. I do have to say that the film does contain one confronting scene at the very end which we will give people the option to choose to watch or not as we will make an announcement before the scene. The rest of the film is fascinating and informative and not to be missed.”

Along with the film, organisers have also recruited former Cove Guardian and Lady Elliot Island tour guide, 20 year old Nicole McLachlan, to speak at the event relaying some of her personal experiences as a witness on the front-line of the annual slaughter. Nicole says that the experience, although hard to witness, inspired her to work towards putting an end to the slaughter.

“In late 2010 I was given the opportunity accompany the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as a representative and Cove Guardian for three months to help stop the brutal massacre of dolphins and small whales. It was such a contrast seeing them battle for their lives in comparison to seeing them swimming free and wild as I snorkel with them back on Lady Elliot Island. Since returning, I have been helping to tell the story of the Taiji dolphins visiting schools across the country. In July 2011 I will also be heading to the International Whaling Commission to give a voice to young people all over the world who are against the slaughter of cetaceans.”

The story of the Taiji dolphins has also attracted interest from world famous sand sculptor Dennis Massoud who will attend the Paddle Out for Whales on Saturday creating a feature sand sculpture that will represent the dolphins of Taiji. Local artist Jorge Pujol will light thousands of candles on dusk as a symbol of all whales and dolphins that have been killed at the hands of humans.

Paddle Out for Whales organisers hope that the Fraser Coast community will join in the Paddle Out for Whales to showcase our commitment to protecting all whales, including small cetaceans.

“We live in the whale watching capital of the world. Let’s set an example, and be a role model for countries like Japan and show that we can have both a thriving economy and a positive outcome for both whales and humans.”