The Steve Irwin Arrives in Sydney

On October 2nd at 18.00 the Steve Irwin left the dock in Brisbane where our vessel has spent the last six months undergoing repairs and preparation for the upcoming Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign Operation Waltzing Matilda. The departure launched the Australian tour with the first scheduled stop in Sydney. The tour in Australia will allow Sea Shepherd to thank the Australian people for their tremendous support over the last several years.

En route to Sydney from Brisbane, surfer Dave Rastovich and his team for Transparentsea met up with the Steve Irwin. Transparentsea is a collaboration of surfers raising awareness via a 700km ocean paddle from Byron Bay to Bondi Beach. The journey aims to follow the annual migration south of humpback whales and their calves while raising awareness of the need to protect the majestic mammals and the world's ocean environments. Rastovich has been a long time supporter of Sea Shepherd and is even a veteran crewmember after his participation in a Galapagos campaign in which he took lead in pulling in an illegal longline on our vessel the Farley Mowat.

Dave Rastovich of Transparentsea 
(photo: Barbara Veiga / Sea Shepherd)

On Monday October 5^th, the Steve Irwin arrived in Sydney. The ship was greeted by a small flotilla of boats, including a police escort and several helicopters carrying camera crews. Thanks to the fantastic work of our Sydney chapter, the Steve Irwin has been given the best berth in town opposite the opera house overlooking the bay. From this location, the crew will be giving tours of the vessel for the next week, daily from 10 am to 5 pm. We invite our supporters on board to show them what life is like on our whale conservation vessel and to provide education about our ocean defense campaigns.

An extra special thanks V & M, Sydney Ports Authority, Michael Brown from Surfwatch, Harbour Jet, and all other third parties that have helped give the Steve Irwin and crew an overwhelming welcoming.

Steve Irwin Arrives in Sydney

(photos: Barbara Veiga / Sea Shepherd)