Humpback whale

TRUE VICTORIES AT SEA

For better or worse World War II hardwired many of us old timers when we were boys.  The Victory at Sea TV documentary series with Richard Roger’s sound track in the ‘50s further impressed Pacific naval warfare on us.  The other day a new form of warfare in the southern oceans around Antarctica was introduced to us by, of all people, the six year old grandson of an old Closeteer who bores us with sea stories from his postwar Navy days.  Grandson Django’s favorite battles are “Whale Wars” about an outfit called Sea Shepherd Conservation Society that harasses Japanese whalers.  We don’t have TV in the Closet so his grandfather watched a DVD at home of these recent “wars” and reported back.  We told him we had already seen parts on the TV station Animal Planet.

Whale Wars struck a chord with us environmentalists, especially the ex Navy grandfather.  In Sasebo Harbor, Kyushu, Japan  a half century ago his ship docked alongside a large factory ship and her four black, much smaller, killer ships.  A couple of the killers seen in the modern DVD may have been the same ships he’d seen long ago;   they looked the same.   Even then other countries were urging Japan and Norway to cease whaling.  In subsequent decades Greenpeace and other groups have taken more direct action at sea, by going beyond the only partially successful meetings at negotiating tables.  We Yankees, once world champion whalers on the Bering to Antarctic seas, no longer kill whales purposely for oil and baleen.  The United States bans almost all whaling except for some done by Native Americans off Alaska.  The Japanese, who love whale meat, continue whaling despite international pressures.  Those who directly oppose whalers and harass them at sea reduce their take and no doubt increase the price.

Grandfather, enlightened by grandson, returned to the closet and a lively discussion about whaling and war ensued.  In these modern whale wars of harassment few are hurt other than economically.  Their methods include daring maneuvers around and between mother factory ship, killer kids and their whale targets; shooting blood red paint and butyric acid projectiles, the latter a very disgusting-stinky chemical thought to contaminate whale flesh; squirting fire hoses called water cannons; sending forth ship launched helicopters to pester; making loud noises to distract and bother; and constantly producing anti-whaling PR.  The audacious saviors claim many fewer whales are being killed.

These on going sporadic battles to save whales have been publicized for decades, perhaps not enough.  Magnificent species are still in danger of extinction.

A fanciful digression arose.  We know well that folks never seem to tire of sports or war.  We wondered if organized wars using stinky chemicals, biodegradable of course; loud sounds rivaling those coming from rock concert amplifiers; water cannons; risky maneuvers, as in team sports; and constant claims of victory might not replace traditional sea battles of the kind celebrated in Victory at Sea.  If these were organized with rules like the Olympics there could be almost constant combat waged somewhere for those needing such vicarious action.  One Closeteer cited a very readable recent history by journalist-historian Evan Thomas.  The War Lovers is about the roles of Teddy Roosevelt, William Randolph Hearst and  Henry Cabot Lodge in actively promoting the Spanish American War, a particularly odious conflict most Americans at the time cheered on.  Maybe war lovers would accept the substitute the boy introduced us to in Whale Wars where there is excitement yet few casualties.  Viewers of the “whale stoppers”, grandson’s phrase, in pilot house and bridge scenes can feel the highs and lows the explosive-free warriors experience during and after battle.

We wondered if similar boats and ships harassing oil drilling rigs in the Gulf and elsewhere might not also be appropriate.  It would certainly beat traditional expensive sea wars and would be popular on TV.  Folks with war lover genes could stay safely at home watching.  Shipyards could shift to building “oil rig-whale stoppers” powered by non-polluting sails so the economy as well as the environment would not be affected. Conventional navy bases could be retired and replaced by United Nation bases for the war referees’ fast sailing ships.  A thousand windjammers would be built for the cost of one deadly carrier. To spice things up crew members might wear buccaneer garb of old.   After their battles the air would be much cleaner, the water less bloody and oily than in the past.

FOR MIDDLETON, BOXFORD AND TOPSFIELD

Ipswich River Flow Rate (S. Middleton USGS Gage) in Cubic Feet per Second (CFS):

*Danvers Water Filtration Plant, Lake Street, Middleton

THE WATER CLOSET is provided by the Middleton Stream Team:

www.middletonstreamteam.org; <StreamTeam@comcast.net> or (978) 777-4584

Peter Sacco

As many of you know, Eagle Scout Peter Sacco is working on a great project, building kiosks at several points along the river to highlight opportunities to have fun paddling and otherwise enjoying the river.  Here is a recent update (from mid-August):

Dear readers,   I am happy to report that great progress has once again been made on my Eagle scout project, the Ipswich River Recreation Project. Since, my last report, I have had three project build days, during which many things have been accomplished:

1. The edges of five out of the six kiosks have been routed, adding a more attractive look to the kiosks.

2. All of the components for the roof sections have been measured out and cut.

3. The plywood bodies to each roof section have been completely put together using a weatherproof glue and screws.

4. The cedar finishing pieces have been added to half of the roof sections.

Please check out the following pages for more details and photos from each build day:

http://ipswichriverrecreation.weebly.com/seventh-build-day.html

http://ipswichriverrecreation.weebly.com/eigth-build-day.html

http://ipswichriverrecreation.weebly.com/ninth-build-day.html

Thanks for your great work, Peter!

WATER RESOURCE AND CONSERVATION INFORMATION

FOR MIDDLETON, BOXFORD AND TOPSFIELD

Ipswich River Flow Rate (S. Middleton USGS Gage) in Cubic Feet per Second (CFS):