HUGE WHALES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19156, 12 November 1927, Page 7

HUGE WHALES.

CHASE PLEASURE CRAFT. THRILLS NEAR SYDNEY. (from our own correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 20. Last summer a female whale cruised for weeks off the coast near Sydney after its calf had been stranded on one of our beaches, and scared several fishing parties in boats a couple of miles out at sea. On two occasions the great mammal chased boats .and the occupants had narrow escapes. Early this week a yachting party proceeding from Broken Bav to Sydney had an equally exciting time, two huge whales and their calf leaping out of the sea a short distance from the boat. The yacht was the Tanda, equipped with engines, and owned by Mr R. A. Prevost, a well-known business man of this city. He had a party of friends aboard, including Sub-Lieut. Graham de Chair, son of the Governor of this State. The party had been at' Broken Bay, about 30 miles north of Sydney, for the week-end and was returning to Port Jackson early on Monday morning. When the Tanda was off Long Reef, about seven miles from the Heads, two huge whales, of the blackback variety, and a smaller one, were seen about 150 yards from the yacht, on the port bow. Then they disappeared, and interested watchers on the Tanda's deck were surprised a few minutes later to see them leap out of the water in front of the vessel, and within 20 yards of it. The two larger whales, Mr Prevost said, were between 50ft and GOft long. Full speed ahead was rung aboard the yacht, which was swung to the starboard. The whales then passed astern. Sub-Lieut, de Chair was the first to notice the calf, which kept close to its mother's fin. Mr Prevost said that his party had a narrow escape, for whales were vicious in the calving season, and apt to take all precautions against possible aggressors. He had, ho said, lost no time in leaving their neighbourhood. Each of the whales must have weighed at least 70 tons, and falling from the height to which they leap from the sea, could easily wreck a yacht of the Tanda's size, to say nothing of the skiffs in which dozens of fishing parties venture miles off shore every week-end.