Video surfaces of sailboat struck by breaching whale

[n2doc]

CBS Evening News with Katie Couric shared the above video on Thursday, offering proof that a southern right whale did, indeed, jump out of the water on Sunday and crash onto the sailboat of a couple sailing off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.

There has been some speculation that perhaps the image posted Wednesday on Outposts as well as on numerous other websites had been Photoshopped.

"It is definitely legitimate," Paloma Werner, who had been out sailing with her boyfriend and business partner, Ralph Mothes of the Cape Town Sailing Academy, told Matt Lauer Thursday on NBC's Today Show. "We were on the boat and we saw the whale coming out, and we saw it. It's legitimate -- it hasn't been Photoshopped."

The couple have been speaking publicly about their ordeal.

video at link'

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/07/video-surfaces-of-sailboat-struck-by-breaching-whale.html

[Renew Deal]

1. Here's the video

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6704191n

:wow:

[TexasObserver]

2. Maybe he thought it was a Japanese "research" vessel.

Probably got too close.

[slampoet]

3. I don't know what the law is in their area but it looks like the couple was FAR too close.

In USA waters I there is law on how close you can approach a whale.

[JanMichael]

5. Was the whale aware of those regulations, or do you think he was just

willfully being a bad ass?

He should have to pay for the repairs.

[slampoet]

7. Funny how this hasn't happend for what? 15+ years and you suddenly think the whale was NOT provoked.

The laws usually written so that to come too close to a whale is an AUTOMATIC charge of trying to provoke the animal.

Why is the law like that?

See the video.

[n2doc]

6. According to them the whale swam over to them, not the other way around. n/t

[slampoet]

8. The video shows the boat pointed towards the whale at one point and the sails full of wind.

I'm only a Great Lakes sailor long in the past but it looks like that are on a heading right towards the whale. Also witnesses are coming forward to contradict the couple on the boat and also authorities are investigating.

Also remember that these people rented the boat. Rental sailors aren't always the best ones. In fact they're rather infamous in Coast Guard and other rescue circles.

[JanMichael]

10. Look...we are vegetarians, and damn near PETA members. The whale swam

TOWARDS the boat--

There were plenty of observers...

?

[slampoet]

13. video 12 secs in through 18 seconds in shows the captain taking no evasive maneuvers.

Then there is a slight CUT in the video and an undisclosed amount of time passes.


Then from 18secs to the end it shows the collision.


It doesn't matter that the whale swam towards the boat.

Maritime law focuses on the actions of the captain as unfair as that may seem to you.

But then again many people don't understand the logic behind being responsible for your boat's wake either.

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. "Guess who's coming for dinner..."

[sufrommich]

9. The couple is being investigated for possibly

harassing the whale? If true, I hope he/she soiled their panties real good.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. wow!

[Yavin4]

12. I've Told People: "Don't Make Fun of a Whale's Weight"

They're very sensitive about their looks.

[dtexdem]

14. I guess that boat now has a breach berth.

;-)

[slampoet]

15. you are just awful.

Sure, clever but awful.