Iceland anti-whaling mission a success: activists

A Saskatchewan activist, Shannon Mann, is now back in Saskatoon after being detained on an anti-whaling protest boat off the coast of Iceland. Mann was stuck on the vessel, the Bandero, for nearly a week in early August, unsure when she and her fellow crew members would be released. She feels nostalgic for the weeks spent at sea, despite the stress of the detention.

The Icelandic Coast Guard boarded the ship on July 30 after the whaling crew of Hvalur 9 requested assistance, believing their safety was under threat. The crew was detained when they ignored coast guard instructions to leave Icelandic waters and stop their engines. The band of activists, who were operating under the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, were deported along with the rest of the crew, though two are expected to leave Iceland soon.

Mann and fellow Canadian anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson believe their mission has been a success, as it drew international attention to Iceland's illegal whaling operations.