Since we first arrived in Tasmania, DorkySon has held a quiet fascination with Sea Shepherd.
When the Bob Barker was in port a couple of years ago he kept a wary distance. He loved the idea of protecting whales, but he wasn’t quite sure about those big, sharp teeth painted on the bow.
He loved to look out for Sea Shepherd supporters when we were out and about. At markets and festivals, the familiar logo was emblazoned across t-shirts, hoodies, and beanies, and he could always spot them a mile off.
The longer we have lived here, the more DorkySon has grown to love the ocean and with that has come a new appreciation for the work that Sea Shepherd does.
No longer content with showing his support through his hat collection and his beautiful wooden whale tail necklace, earlier in the year he sold some toys so he could make a donation.
Then, when the Grade 2 Peer leaders at his school had to pick an organisation to raise money for, he made the case for Sea Shepherd and won their support too.
A couple of weeks ago, the school enjoyed a visit from the education team and DorkySon came home full of stories about sharks, whales and turtles. He told me excitedly that more people are killed each year by vending machines than by sharks, and tried to describe just how huge the tape was that they unfurled in the playground to show the length of a blue whale. (33 metres, apparently!)
Last Sunday morning DorkySon and I joined about 40 other folk for a debris clean up on the Eastern shore. In just over an hour, we picked up almost 13,000 pieces of rubbish. From tiny micro plastics to cigarette butts to hubcaps and fishing line, it was grim work.
I was so impressed – not just with the dedication of volunteers giving up their Sunday morning to pick up other people’s trash – but with the family friendly community and the warm welcome. DorkySon obviously was too – he has persuaded his friends and classmates to do two more beach clean-ups at school this week!
DorkySon is only eight years old and there is a long way to go before he chooses his passion in life. But if he decides it is this – working for a better world and a cleaner ocean – nothing could make me prouder. I will give up as many Sunday mornings as he asks to support him in that endeavour.
Best to let DorkySon write about all this in his own words now, I reckon…
I like the Sea Shepherd because it’s satisfying knowing that by giving a donation or maybe picking up some trash you’re helping to save animals’ lives. Also, I think it’s such a good idea having an organisation that helps look after all marine creatures – from seabirds to turtles to sharks to whales.
When Sea Shepherd came to my school I think they were trying to get the message out to more people that we need to protect more lives. For example, we learned about one creature that there’s only 30 left of in the whole world – it’s called the Vaquita Porpoise.
When we went on the beach clean-up we were trying to stop the trash from polluting the river where all the fish live. It was really sad finding out that we had picked up 13,000 pieces of rubbish in just an hour, but it was also really good to know that we had saved 13,000 lives.
The people who run Sea Shepherd are really nice. Some of them are also quite brave, especially the ones who go out on the boats to stop whaling and sometimes have other people try to kill them.
Just today, our school went to do a beach clean-up and we picked up a few hundred pieces of rubbish. Other things you can do to help look after the oceans and the environment are turning out lights, cutting down on plastic, and doing more recycling.
When I’m older I might want to be a vegan like some of the Sea Shepherd people.
I am going to keep supporting Sea Shepherd and raising money for them for many years to come. I might even work for them – my friends and my teacher say they can imagine me working hard on one of the boats and wearing a pirate hat!
You can help too. There are a few things you might not know you can do.
The plastic rings around the top of milk bottles can get stuck and injure animals, so get your mum or dad to cut it in half before you put it in the rubbish or recycling.
When you have a party, you shouldn’t use balloons because they can float away and then the plastic can choke a bird.
You should try to reduce the amount of paper you use.
Also, the Sea Shepherd don’t get any money from the Government, so if you can make a donation it would help. Anything from $5 to $500 would be good! You can donate on their website here: https://my.seashepherd.org.au/donate
By Tom
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If you would like to learn more about the work of Sea Shepherd or make a donation then please visit their website.
If you’re in Hobart, Sea Shepherd Tasmania are holding an Artist Showcase to celebrate 40 years of the organisation. It runs from October 3rd – October 8th at the Waterside Pavillion on the docks. All details on their Facebook event page.
Photographs via: NoShoesSarah on Instagram and Sea Shepherd Tasmania.
Dorkymum | Stories from Tasmania 
Great job Tom. Very pleased we could support Sea Shepard by inviting them to SBIS. I have heard lots of positive messages from our students being shared. That’s a great idea not to use balloons. I say no to plastic straws! I wonder if we could make a school pledge and ask our students, families and community to say no to something?
Miss Vince
Tom says: That’s a good idea! Maybe the Grade 2s could talk about it next term?
Sea Shepherd is honoured to have supporters like Tom and his family – such passion from our youth bodes well for the future! Keep up the great work. Looking forward to continuing our friendship.
Tom says: See you next week at the art exhibition Michael!
Such a wonderfully written guest post Tom. The fact that you are willing to get down and dirty with your efforts to clean up the waterfront for the marine life you care so much about shows that you are passionate about making a difference. Thank you also for sharing your knowledge and suggestions on how we can all help. I have read this with my boys and it’s given us an idea to start up a reward system to make it their job to collect and cut the plastic rings off the top of our plastic bottles. Well done and keep up the good work.
Cheers, Sue, Gryph and Seb.
Tom says: that’s a good idea with the plastic bottles! Glad you enjoyed it so much.
I love your passion for conservation Tom. Some of the children from the school I work at in the UK recently took part in a beach clean up with a local marine conservation charity and they are just as passionate as you are now – you youngsters are going to change the world for the better! Also I must congraulate you on your writing skills – your parents and teachers must be delighted to have such an eloquent young writer in their are! Thank you for the top tips for things we can do at home to make the oceans safer.
Tom says: Thanks so much Sonya. Good job with your class cleaning up! Did you collect much trash?
Hi Tom, Marine debris is one of the biggest issues facing our oceans and planet so thank you for all your hard work and for helping to raise public awareness. For the oceans! From one ocean warrior to another 👊🏻
Tom says: Thanks! Do you help Sea Shepherd too?
I sure do! I love our oceans and marine-life and believe it’s my responsibility to help protect them. Keep up the good work, buddy 🙂🐋🐳🐬🐢🌊
Oh Tom. You write so beautifully and you are your mama’s son through and through. If everyone called for action and took action to keep this world wonderful how fabulous it would be. I am am very proud of you and so are Frankie and Annalise. Keep on being you. We think you are totally ace.
Tom says: Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
How refreshing to read a post so passionate about our world from someone so young – thank you for raising much needed awareness Tom x
Tom says: Thanks so much for reading it!
Fantastic work Dorky Family, Tom you are such an inspiration, keep up the good work, we’d love to see you on board one of the Sea Shepherd ships one day as a volunteer! Adrian and Allegra
Tom says: I’d love to do that one day! Thanks Allegra and Adrian. How are you enjoying England?
Top tips Tom! We see plastic bags and other detritus floating by when we are way out at sea and try to hook them out before they cause any harm. I can’t believe how much rubbish you all managed to collect, well done you! We need lots of people like you to stand up for our beautiful world and the creatures upon it, thanks Tom 😊
Tom says: That’s great that you do that! Thanks for reading 🙂
thanks for taking the time to write love reading what your getting up to and were you go when it comes up on my mail i all was go to your page before anything else best wishes danny
Tom says: thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!
Well written Tom. After Sea Shepherd’s visit to our school I told my mum to cut the bottletops in half. I also told my mum If we could send sea shepherd my $5 pocket money 🐧🐳🦈🐋🐡🦀🐙🦑🐢
From Fleur 🤗
Tom says: Well done Fleur! Sea Shepherd are great aren’t they?!
Wow Tom, you are an inspiration. Well done. My seven-year-old boys are also very protective of the ocean after having a talk last year at school about keeping our oceans clean. They don’t like plastic bags and hate people leaving litter. It sounds like you’re going to grow up to make a big difference in the world. Keep up the good work because we need more people like you out there to protect our oceans.
Tom says: Thanks Karen! Your boys look like great swimmers! I reckon the sea where you are is warmer than Tasmania so you probably have different fish yto us here?
How wonderful to read a post so passionate about our world from someone so young. Well done Tom xx
Tom says: thanks Susan! My mum says you are in Scotland where the sea is really cold!
Excellent post! Young Tom is a very good writer already, and an inspiration. There is real hope of change with youngsters like Tom and his friends- thank you!
What a lovely comment, thanks!
Well done Tom – I’m so impressed with what you are doing for our seas and the environment. By the way – your writing is rather good. I’m sure you’ll be giving your mum a good run for her money. Well done! X
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