Encounters with Activists

Abstract

The Bob Barker is a former whaling ship, originally part of the Norwegian whaling fleet: whale hunter become whaler hunter. I first visit the vessel where it is moored in Sullivans Cove, Hob art, in March 2011. It is painted matt black above the waterline. The only relief to this colour scheme is the white, piratical Sea Shepherd logo painted on the superstructure below the wheelhouse (a skull, underneath which the pirate’s crossbones are replaced by a shepherd’s crook and a trident). The Australian and Aboriginal flags fly from the foremast and at the stern is the Dutch tricolour. With its high, sharply angled bow, it looks dangerous, menacing. Close up the impression of a warrior vessel is reinforced by a two-metre-long gash in the starboard bow between the waterline and the anchor, an injury sustained during a violent exchange with the Japanese fleet a few weeks earlier. On the foredeck a black inflatable is lashed down with webbing straps. Behind the superstructure an ungainly looking helicopter deck with a low railing around it, and below this, on another deck, most of the available space is occupied by barrels of avgas and petrol, also lashed down with heavy webbing.