AN OCEAN COMBAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1924, Page 4

AN OCEAN COMBAT.

WHALES AT BAY. SYDNEY. Sept. 25. During the past week some huge whales have been causing intense interest and amusement for the visitors tit Tweed’ Heads and Cool,altgata, the popular twin seaside resorts on the hinder line of New South Wales and Dueenslunil. Whales are often seen in that locality, especially at tliis time of the year, proceeding south, hut it is seldom that they hang about one spot for long tit a time. Two of the whales of apparently huge proportions, altractril considerable attention oil Sunday morning, sporting in the waves, about, three-quarters of a mile from shore. 'Flic whales pro-eiited an inlrrctling sight. Minuting at regular intervals. and at times disclosing the greater portions el their huge bodies oiil of the water. During the afternoon a mod piironimiiu sight was witnessed. namelv. a combat between h hales and their implacable < neinies, the thrasher shark. It is a general belief that the thrasher sharks and swcrd-listi make a joint attack on their rommoii enemy, Ihe whale, the swindle.h til tacking from henrulh. ami driving the whale to the surface, where the attack is coni in nod by the thrashers, largely limn above. This would tippear in have l:"en the rase op Sunday, when the u hales were plainly visible at times, although the light look place a considerable distance hum the shore. The thrashers, of immense size, could he seen with the naked eve, making repeated attacks from above, leaping upright from the water, and desceinl,iiig on the enemy beneath, the plunge being accompanied by clouds of spray. 11l one case, two thrashers were noted making a united attack on one whale, and at one stage of the light both thrashers remained poised upright, in the air for several seconds, one swaying from title to side, apparentlv endeavouring to balance an the whale l>cnealh. Two lights were nrnceeding within half a mile of each other, and continued in sight for Howards of lialf-in-himr, when the comhnttmts disappeared round the point at I’oint Danger. The thrasher shark is known to ishermen as the fox shark, ifr sett-fox [Alnpins I’ulpes), and certainly appears :o display a good deal of the cunning if the fox in its lighting methods.