'Journeys in Search of the Whale' took a significant leap forward today when Dr Pat Garratt confirmed that the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town are officially partnering with Noel on this unique environmental initiative. This second phase of the Sacred Ocean campaign is the latest in a long list of collaborations with this prestigious and internationally-respected institution.

Noel will present 'Journeys in Search of the Whale' at the 2010 Freewheeling Festival in Stanford, taking place over the weekend of the 19th - 22nd March. This is an important environmental initiative and we are pleased to be participating in it.

It has been confirmed that Noel will present two lectures at the important National Science Festival to be held in Grahamstown in the last week of March, where he will be speaking about his career as a whale and environmental specialist, with special reference to his work with Warner Bros Free Willy 4.

After many years of planning and writing, Noel is proud to announce the launch of 'Journeys in Search of the Whale', a unique Audio-Visual presentation which aims to encourage us to rethink our place within our changing world. This initiative forms the core of the second phase of the Sacred Ocean campaign and now gives voice to the driving forces underpinning this crucial global initiative.

Involvement in the unsuccesful recovery of 55 False Killer Whales in Kommetjie resulted in Noel presenting a lecture by invitation at the MTN Science Centre explaining these sad events, as well as a panel discussion on the Third Degree programme on SA-TV. Much public debate and confusion surrounded this event, and Noel was asked to clarify and add perspective to the strandings phenomena, during the public lecture, on television and various radio stations.

In a new application for his specialized process of morphologically mapping the whales and dolphins of the world, Noel has been collaborating with film-makers and modellers to create an extremely accurate anamatronic killer whale for Free Willy 4, the latest in the series with Warner Bros.

The fight for the whales received another signficant endorsement today when Rawiri Paratene, the renowned New Zealand actor best known for his role in the iconic film Whale Rider, voted in the 'Sacred Ocean - Global Voices Against the Cruelty of Whaling' campaign. Paratene, who played the lead role as the grandfather Kora in the award-winning 2003 film, voted at the Two Oceans Aquarium and gave the sculpture a sacred Maori blessing. Click on the Sacred Ocean link on this site to learn more about the campaign.

Sacred Ocean, the international anti-whaling campaign conceptualised by Noel and sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, was launched by Archbishop Tutu at the Two Oceans Aquarium. Noel's 3.5m iconic sculpture of a humpback whale mother and calf, suspended in a dome of aged whale bones, forms the centrepiece of this international campaign, with an Internet-driven 'Great Whaling Debate' signature campaign enabling people around the world to get involved in this ground-breaking anti-whaling initiative. Click on the Sacred Ocean link on this site to learn more about the campaign

Noel has created two new information boards on the Great White Shark for the Dyer Island Conservation Trust Education Centre. Each board includes scientific illustrations, a species painting, fascinating information, facts and diagrams, and offer a great introduction to this fascinating species.

On Monday 10th November, Noel took Team Russia Whale watching in Hermanus. This self-funded team, in association with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is aligning with the race in order to promote marine protected areas around the world. Time spent watching the whales, media interviews and discussions with international whale conservationists made this a memorable day... Read more

A new two-part series for German television is being filmed in Cape Town around the story of a whale researcher who is also a sculptor. Noel was approached to get involved with this project in a consulting capacity, as five 12m southern right whale casts needed to be created for a stranding scene. This process involved using the latest 3-D digital technology to generate the original shape, which was then scaled up and moulded to size for production.

Noel's public lecture titled 'Close Encounters with Whales and Dolphins' was presented once again at the MTN Science Centre.

As we get closer to the whales’ return from Antarctic waters, we are preparing for another season of research and time spent with the whales at the edge of the sea. I am proud to announce the release of the 2008 limited edition bronze which you can read about below. We are also very pleased that the Whale Show has attracted so much attention and positive response and will continue to be shown three-times daily in the Hermanus Whale Museum. The museum has also recently installed its new displays and we are very proud to have supplied the paintings and illustrations for these exhibits. My primary focus this year has been the Sacred Ocean sculpture and campaign which will be launched during the whale season in the foyer of the Two Oceans Aquarium, where it will go on permanent display. For more information on this project, please follow the links to Sacred Ocean.

WALKER BAY CALF - FIRST BREATH

Each year, Noel releases a special limited edition sculpture and the 2008 edition is entitled ‘Walker Bay Calf  - First Breath’. This sculpture is of a mother southern right whale gently assisting her new-born calf in rising to the surface to breathe and captures the poignancy and gracefulness of this moment in a young whale’s life.  The edition is limited to 50 casts and one Artist’s Proof.

Medium  |  Bronze
Dimensions  |   330mm (h) x 220mm (w) x 220mm (d)
Base  |  Zimbabwean black granite
Price  |  R18,000.00

With the whales’ return imminently on the horizon, we are busy distributing Noel’s highly acclaimed book ‘The Whales of Walker Bay’ which gives an anecdotal account of his passion for whale watching in Hermanus.

The Whales of Walker Bay is available at various bookshops in Hermanus, as well as Exclusive Books and Wordsworth Books in Cape Town.

For more information, please contact +27 (0) 82 382 2118

This unique 25-minute Audio-Visual presentation takes the viewer below the surface and into the fascinating ocean world of whales and dolphins, with a special focus on the visiting southern right whales.
Developed around Noel’s paintings and illustrations and narrated by John Webb, the show has been sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and is shown daily in the re-furbished Lecture Room of the Whale Museum in Hermanus.

Positive feedback to the Whale Show -

“The famous writer and artist, Noel Ashton, has produced a stunningly informative video of the Southern Right Whale.....” Liz McGrath, The Marine Hotel

"The recently launched Whale Show in the Whale House is an experience not to be missed. This unique presentation is something every resident of Hermanus and every visitor must see..." Storm Kreusch, Manager, Hermanus Tourism

"An exciting, unique and stunning production..." Llanda Bayers Cronje, Hermanus Times.

Show times 10h00, 12h00, 15h00 Monday to Saturday
12h00, 15h00 Sunday

Venue Whale Museum, positioned behind Market Square above the Old
Harbour in Hermanus

Contact IFAW +27 (0)21 424 2086 for more information