whaling

[Errata]

I understand those who are disturbed by whaling in 2013. Still, I have the nostalgy of the times when whaling wasn't a crime. I wish I could see Nantucket as it was two centuries ago.

A whaling town might be charming. Whaling was not. They would kill or maim a whale calf and tie it to the bow and sail slowly home, knowing that the pod wouldn't abandon the baby. They would then butcher the pod at their leisure in the harbor. Often they were skinned and flensed alive, so sunsick that they could barely breathe. You would just hear the groaning of the adults and the crying of the calves. Except for Sperm whales. Those they did kill immediately because sperm whales would breach onto the boats in rage and pain. It's something of a toss up as to whether they did that to dislodge the harpoons, or to break an attacking creature's back.

I get the sailing and the singing part. Wind in their hair and at their backs thing. But the hunt was horrifying. Still is.

[Robert]

This is a good song that looks at both sides of the issue :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baM62gOuqg8