Hi Everyone!

I am currently training to run the Bristol half marathon on 6th September 2009 to raise money for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

I fell in love with the oceans during my time in the Irish Naval Reserve and especially when I started scuba diving. Once you spend time at sea or dive into the fascinating underwater world you quickly learn how fragile it is and how much damage humans are doing to it by overexploiting and polluting it, endangering many species and ecosystems. 

Captain Paul Watson founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977 and him and his volunteers are the key people who go out there and not only raise awareness, but also actively protect the oceans and their inhabitants against such activities, enforcing the laws that were made to protect the oceans. Please check out the you tube video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRMvmStq1Rk  

and go to www.seashepherd.org to find out more about Sea Shepherd and what you can do to help.

For over three decades the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been fighting the illegal hunting of whales, which is still done by Japan, Iceland and Norway. They oppose the yearly slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby seals in Canada, Newfoundland, Labrador and in the Gulf of St Lawrence and they continue their efforts of putting a stop to the gruesome killing of dolphins by Japanese fishermen in Taji. Sea Shepherd is also represented in the Galapagos islands were they work together with the National Park Guard to track down poachers that fish in the protected waters. They are currently setting up canine units on the Galapagos islands specifically for finding illegal cargo of poachers including shark fins, seahorses, sea cucumbers and sea lion penises. They are in need of more funding to be able to complete this project - you can read more on this on http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-090501-1.html. To find out more about the sad truth of the exploitation of the sharks watch the award winning film "Sharkwater", in which Paul Watson teamed up with filmmaker Rob Stewart!

Sea Shepherd is a non profit group and every penny you donate will go straight towards direct action to protect our oceans and marine wildlife. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Sea Shepherd UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now! Motivate me to train harder and get through this half marathon and support Sea Shepherd in protecting our oceans!                                        

ini x