NOVEMBER 5TH, 2009 | RASTA & CREW HAVE ARRIVED AT BONDI TO A WELCOMING CROWD AND ONE AMAZING JOURNEY COMPLETED | BONDI BEACH, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Rasta and the Transparentsea team have finished their journey from Byron Bay at Bondi today in front of a huge crowd and over 100 surfers who paddled out to sea and clapped the crew home to the Bondi sand.
The Transpareantsea team has been on this amazing journey for 36 days to raise awareness about Japanese whaling in the southern ocean. With their message now being heard loud and clear they have asked for everyone’s help by signing there petition and help stop Japanese whaling all together in the southern ocean.
OCTOBER 26TH 2009 | RASTA ARRIVES AT BLUEYS BEACH TO MEET HOY | SOUTH EAST COAST, AUSTRALIA
Blueys Beach is a well-known hotspot among most East Coast Aussie surfers, and few surfers can claim the heritage of Matt Hoy. The former world number five and Bells Beach pro champion welcomed the Transparentsea team ashore in front of the beach shack that his family has used as a coastal getaway for generations.
And after a long day that saw a large shark trail JJ in the guest kayak, dozens of whale encounters, fluctuating winds and an intense electrical storm – it was a great feeling to hit the sand less than an hour before dark. It is a surf trip too, which Rasta was all too keen to remind us. And there was no way he was going to stop shot of Bluey’s when the weather was forecast to hit hard again from the south. So looks like we could be here for a couple of days, hopefully getting barreled before moving on.
OCTOBER 20TH 2009 | HALF WAY THERE, HALF WAY TO GO! TRANSPARENTSEA TEAM ON TRACK TO REACH BONDI NOV 5TH | CRESCENT HEAD, NSW, AUSTRALIA
After 19 days of surfing, paddling and sailing their way down the NSW coast, the environmental awareness group led by pro surfer Dave Rastovich has successfully passed the halfway point of their intended 700km, 36 day voyage from Byron Bay to Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Titled “Transparentsea” the initiative, which began on October 1st, aims to draw attention to the plight of the migrating humpback whales as the team follows their path south and to highlight issues of environmental concern to do with Australia’s East Coast.
Speaking from Point Plomer near Crescent Head on Day 20, Rastovich acknowledged the numerous, unforgettable whale and dolphin encounters his team had experienced. However, the alarming amount of debris that has been located and collected at the various locations the team has visited is a concern.
“At times, adult humpback whales and their calves have chosen to surface two feet away from our kayaks, which has just been amazing,” explained Rastovich.
“We’ve also camped in some of the most beautiful beachside campgrounds and surfed those beaches, but picked up hundreds and hundreds pieces of plastic and rubbish in places that look ‘Good from far, but are far from good’,” he added.
Rastovich, who says his team is on track to reach Bondi by the planned date of November 5th, also urged everyone who shared the vision of the Transparentsea environmental awareness initiative to support the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson.
Rastovich noted that the Sea Shepherd is the only organisation planning to send a vessel to help defend the whales in the Southern Ocean sanctuary from Japanese whalers in December. While Watson has been a focus of the media after Australian Immigration denied his entry based on issues to do with his visa.
“It has been very disappointing to learn that the Australian Government recently obstructed Paul Watson’s entry to Australia, rather than welcoming him as a great defender of the whales,” said Rastovich.
“Instead of upholding their pre election promise to challenge Japanese whaling in international court and to protect the Southern Ocean sanctuary, the Australian Government appears to have turned their back on the whales that are once again under threat.”
It’s anticipated that dozens of surfers and well wishers will welcome the Transparentsea voyagers, which includes Rastovich, fellow surfer, artist and activist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, CA, USA), musician Will Conner (Byron Bay, NSW), photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, NSW), a support team and special guests, when they negotiate the last few hundred metres from the sea to the shore at Bondi Beach on November 5th.
For plenty more amazing pictures and blogs from Dave and the Transparent team about Dave’s journey visit www.transparentseavoyage.com.
OCTOBER 12TH 2009 | RASTA RETURNS TO SEA | SOUTH EAST COAST, AUSTRALIA
After four days of taking shelter from the wild weather and a huge 4m south swell, Rasta and crew have packed up camp and set sail once again. The crew returned to there kayaks and began paddling early Monday morning with a goal of reaching South West Rocks by night fall, a massive 100km in just one day.
The journey so far has been everything they wished for, with some of the most amazing whale and dolphin’s sightings each day. As Rasta and crew make there way south with the whales so to does The Sea Shepard ship ‘The Steve Irwin’ who will be the only defenders our beautiful whales will have this year when they are in Antarctica.
Rasta met up with the Sea Shepard crew in Yamba, skipper Alex Corneliuson welcoming the crew onboard with a warm cup of tea and plenty to talk about as they share the same passion to save beautiful beaches and sea mammals from man.
For plenty more amazing pictures and blogs from Dave and the Transparent team about Dave’s journey visit www.transparentseavoyage.com.
OCT. 1ST – NOV. 5TH 2009 | DAVE RASTOVICH BEGINS HIS TRANSPARENTSEA (Ocean paddle) A MODERN JOURNEY WITH ANCIENT CREATURES | BYRON BAY TO BONDI BEACH, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Electric’s Dave Rastovich has set sail and begun his environmental awareness journey down the east coast of Australia. Assisted only by the wind and waves, the team aims to each paddle single-seat Hobie trimaran sea-kayaks the entire distance, with the goal of reaching Sydney 36 days later on November 5th.
As the Transparentsea paddlers, make their way to Sydney from Byron Bay they will draw attention to the plight of the humpback whales and coastal pollution issues. A mid-ocean rendezvous between the participants of the Transparentsea environmental awareness initiative and the crew of the Sea Shepherd’s Steve Irwin took place offshore from the Northern NSW town of Yamba on the weekend.
The trimaran sea kayaks being used by the paddlers were dwarfed by the size of the Steve Irwin that will dock in Sydney until October 12th, before leaving for Perth and then the Southern Ocean to officially commence its whale fighting campaign in December.
Irwin Captain Alex Cornelissen and his crew had hot cups of tea waiting for campaigners Chris Del Moro (San Diego, USA), Will Conner (Byron Bay, AUS), Surfrider Foundation GM Kristy Theissling (Coolangatta, AUS) and Dave Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, AUS) who each hauled themselves from the rough sea up a rope ladder to climb aboard.
Rastovich, who is a renowned professional ‘free-surfer’, spoke on behalf of the surfing community and the intentions of the Transparentsea voyage.
“It’s only a small act, but I know all the surfers I’ve met around the world during my travels in the last year have all been supportive of what we’re doing and particularly of Sea Shepherd’s front line activism,” said Rastovich.
For plenty more amazing pictures and blogs from Dave and the Transparent team about Dave’s journey visit www.transparentseavoyage.com.
