The "Farley Mowat" is the flagship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society which was founded in 1977 by Canadian Paul Watson and which takes its role of Marine Protection and Education from the United Nations World Charter for Nature.   Paul Watson who had been one of the original founders of Greenpeace in 1972 left that organisation in 1977 to found the Sea Shepherd Organisation.

The vessel was originally to be named   "Ocean Warrior" when it was added to the fleet in February 2002 but as this name was already used by another vessel the decision was made to name it after the noted Canadian environmental writer Farley Mowat who is a patron of the Society.

Captain Paul Watson

The "Farley Mowat" arrived in Auckland harbour in early December 2002 to commence a active compaign against the Japanese Antarctic whaling fleet which was known to have left Japan and was headed for the Southern Ocean.

It departed Auckland on December 15th with a crew of 42 to look for the Japanese fleet.

Note: the above cover has been autographed by Captain Paul Watson and bears 2 cachets on the front and another on the back and the Captain's embossed seal at bottom centre.

Note: The above cover differs from the previous one in the variety of markings on it. It also has the sticker on its reverse as shown in the scan of part of the back of the cover at right.

Note: The above envelope also has another cachet on the reverse. It also the embossed seal of Captain Paul Watson at lower left.

The "Farley Mowat" spent over 1 month searching an area from 140 degrees east to 165 Degrees West and from 60 to 70 degrees South but during this time was not able to locate the Japanese whaling fleet. It appeared that a lack of spotter aircraft and the Japanese radio silence were critical features in this result.

At the end of 2005 the Japanese Whaling company Nissui sent a fleet south to catch whales in the Australian Antarctic territory. Despite this activity being illegal and in breach of several conventions the Australian Government declined to arrest the vessels involved and so it was left to Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd conservation organisations to hound the large Japanese fleet involved.

After several weeks of interveening in the kill, the "Farley Mowat" and the two Greenpeace vessels eventually had to retreat north to Capetown.

The view at left shows "Farley Mowat" berthed in Capetown in March 2006  at the conclusion of the Southern Ocean Anti-Whaling campaign.

The design at left is the back of the above envelope.

After the 2005-06 Antarctic campaign, the "Farley Mowat" returned to Australia to raise funds and publicise their 2006-07 expedition to try to stop the Japanese Antarctic bound whale fleet. For the 2006-07 season Sea Shepherd will have two expedition vessels.