10000 mile chase of world most notorious poaching vessel "Thunder". Sea Shepherd's 110day " Ocean Warriors: Chasing the Thunder"

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Ocean Warriors: Chasing the Thunder is a Vulcan Productions high-seas documentary about the Sea Shepherd’s epic 110-day, 10,000-mile chase of the "Thunder," considered the world’s most notorious poaching vessel. Across two seas and three oceans, the marine activists hunted the fugitive fishing ship through massive ice floes, storms-tossed seas, a near collision and violent clashes until the Thunder dramatically sank, burying the evidence of its crimes on the bottom of the South Atlantic.

The chase of the Thunder started in the "Shadowlands", the ice fields of the Southern Ocean, and lasted 110 days. From beginning to end it was a harrowing journey. Captain Peter Hammarstedt and his team faced daunting odds but surged forward.

Captain Sid Chakravarty, Captain Hammarstedt and the rest of the crew have worked aboard the Sea Shepherd to fight illegal fishing and help save our ocean’s wildlife. "For the past 10 years, Sea Shepherd has been defending whales in the Southern Ocean," said Hammarstedt. "This year we’re defending Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish." Toothfish are coveted by poachers because they are known as Chilean Sea Bass in restaurants throughout the north. They are flaky, delicious and very expensive. "The fact that these fish live in the most remote waters in the world makes these poachers feel like they can get away with anything," said Chakravarty. Captain Chakravarty ultimately joined the mission with his additional Sea Shepherd vessel.

Captain Hammarstedt knew that Interpol had put out a Purple Notice on the Thunder, stating their crimes and calling for them to be brought in. "It’s possible that they’re armed and I have no doubt that they will be willing to use violence to stop us from intervening," said Hammarstedt. "Our mission is to find these bandits, and shut down their illegal fishing activities."

Read more at High-Seas Hunt: Behind the Scenes of ‘Chasing the Thunder’, a Photo Essay

June 9 2018 "Chasing the Thunder"
Capturing arguably the single-most ambitious pursuit of an illegal fishing ship, the 2018 documentary Chasing the Thunder of Vulcan Productions offers a combination of passion, morality and drama brilliant enough commemorate this year’s Ocean Week.

The chase, which spanned an epic 10,000 miles across two seas and three oceans and lasted 110 days, was lead by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society crew in pursuit of the Thunder, considered to be the world’s most notorious poaching vessel.

In a manner no short of heroic, this group of marine activists tirelessly pursued the fugitive ship through massive ice floes, storm-tossed seas, and a series of violent clashes between opposing crews, demonstrating a level of courage and dedication that we can all learn from.

Human history has proven time and time again that we take our natural resources for granted, and this disregard for our environment has resulted in its destruction. The ocean, and its ineffable beauty, is no exception. While you may not be able to single handedly take down an illegal fishing ship, there are still things you can do to contribute. Cut down on plastic, hold your friends accountable for littering and waste, shut off lights and don’t leave the water running... just because it may not make the theatrical cut does not mean that it's not worth doing.

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Image courtesy Simon Ager