The Ying & The Yang

Since I have been in Japan I have had a ton of "Ying/Yang" thoughts or opposites of attraction. The people here are so amazing, respecting and constantly bowing to one another. The respect for nature with praying temples in the forest and at waterfalls is amazing. The actual beauty that surrounds us her is incredible with high hills that go back as far as the eye allows us to see. Not sure to call this the Ying or the Yang but let's say it is totally opposite to what happens in Taiji and the Killing Cove they call their own.

Today's events at Taiji were a Ying and Yang moment which left us with mixed feelings. We were put through the suffering and killing of dolphins - Risso dolphins - and then we witnessed a rescue of a dolphin. Yes you are reading that correctly - a rescue of a dolphin.

The ships were out far past the regular time frame of 9:30am with no dolphins on the horizon but I believe with 2 days of no dolphin kills they forced themselves to stay out longer than usual to make up for that. Well they did find themselves some dolphins to drive in and that was about 12 to 15 Risso Dolphins. It was sad really to see this happen when we almost felt it was going to be the 3rd day with no kills but sadly the 12 Deadly Sins of Taiji took that away from us.

As the drive was being pushed towards the harbour some dolphins strayed from the pod and went fearing for their lives into the harbour while the rest of the pod continued on and pushed into the Cove. Sadly the Cove took more intelligent sentient beings this morning to add to the other lives lost in this dolphin graveyard. However the few Risso Dolphins that broke from the pack were swimming around in the harbour. Then for some reason 2 of them left leaving behind 1 dolphin.

The one remaining dolphin for some reason was swimming in one area near the captive dolpin pens in the harbour and was swimming in a circle. You could almost pick the spot he/she was going to come up for a breath. It seemed very sad as if he/she were waiting for its mate or parent to find him/her. We watched the dolphin for awhile since the dolphin bodies from the cove were already transfered to the dolphin slaughterhouse and the fishermen seemed to be done for the day. We were planning to do shift work to keep an eye on the dolpin incase the fishermen decided to wait until we were gone to go and capture - then kill the dolpin for food.

Then 2 boats came out and had about 8 fishermen with one snorkeler. They came up to the last dolpin pen and slowly turned not to scare the free dolphin that did not want to leave the harbour. They started to put out their nets and they successfully closed off the freedom from the dolphin. We were very worried about this whole situation and a dozen cameras and more eyes were staring at this whole ordeal. It wasn't until we seen the dolphin stretcher that we knew they were going to lift the dolpin out of the water to relocate it but where?

As I was filming the situation and snapping photos here and there the fishermen managed to lift the dolpin out and into a small boat almost unaware of my 2 lenses. One boat took off out of the harbour and the other 2 started to take the netting up and back into the boats. At that moment I knew the dolphin was on the boat that left. I then quickly ran to my car and me and Sheri met other Cove Guardians at the Look Out Point to watch the boat and ensure that this was actually a rescue and not a ploy to hide the killing.

I climbed down the cliff at the look out and scaled across some rock at the bottom of the cliff near the ocean. I found a great spot to set up my camera the best I could and film the boat heading out to sea. After they reached a very good distance from the harbour they lifted their motor and started to shuffle about in the boat. It was tough to see but the boat had successfully been freed of the dolphin and the boat turned around and headed back to port.

This day really gave a Ying Yang feeling of mixed feelings from the horrific cruelty, fear, sounds, and finally death of the 12 to 15 Risso dolphins all the way to the happy moment of seeing this amazing sentient being carted off to the open ocean to live. However the poor Risso was left alone with 95% of its family decimated with the cove walls by the same men who freed it. Now this is the country of the "Ying Yang" and this ordeal today showed the disregard of compassion within the work hours of the cove to the compassion after hours to the freedom and/or relocation of the last remaining lost dolphin from the pod. It may be because we chose to stay with this dolphin no matter what or some of these fishermen do really have a heart and may not like how they have to earn their money to feed their family.

When we arrived they were searching for the dolphin and then left to the harbour.





The Taiji Fishermen Come To Catch The Lonely Dolphin



The Once Free Dolphin Is Now Netted




 

 Staying positive its the only energy that the darkness cannot extinguish!

Please contact your closest Japanese Embassy/Consulate and let them know you do not approve and want the dolphin slaughter to stop: Stop The Slaughter

Bob Timmons
Future Cove Guardian
http://www.bobtimmons.org/
http://thecoveguardian.blogspot.com/
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It was a couple of years ago that I first learned about Taiji Bay aka "The Cove" when I did a painting that I called "The Rising Sun Exposes The Guilt". Now I have an opportunity to do more and this is becoming a "Cove Guardian" with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in Taiji Bay, Japan.

 I have started to organize ways to raise some money and awareness about this decision I have made and you can donate and share on facebook,  , Paypal (timmons.animal.artist@gmail.com)