A WHALE HUNT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1927, Page 4

A WHALE HUNT

AX KXCJTiNX BACK. BHEXHKIM. .June 20. A Blenheim |;sirtv who spent the w. k-ond in the Smmtls luul the thrilling experience yesterday moniii /. of witnessing at close qitni fers t! t capture of a whale and a.n exciting race ia a honi.v sea by tlie launches of the rival whaling .parties t , he t lie first to gel the harpoon home. The parly, who comprised Messrs X. (I. Parker, -I. 15. M’Cal--11::; 1 ami I!. !!. Whiting. left town on Saturday and proceeded on Mr I’ar.ker's mix diary schooner-rigged vrehl, Queen (’harlotte, la Mr .fames. Jackson's hay. near the winders headquarters at Jo A write, it was intended to pink up .Mr James Jaeks :i and then to pmcccd out into Cook £ trait for deep-sea fishing. and also,

i! tlie occasion erase, to witness v.hrlie - operaticuis. hnt a south-easterly st r:n outside I ad brought up a heavy .si .v, and tin 1 prcorn.in.ino had to he n. diked. A somewhat trying night was -pent in Jackson’s Bay. and tlie party were h -Jy < n gaged yesterday Horning in snugging tilings down when they were hailed front the shore wit’i the cry "A whale! A whale in tim channel !",

The. Queen Charlotte immediately proceeded out into the channel. Here a wonderful and thrilling spectacle was witnessed, six of the fastest launches in Now Zealand being seen racing drenched in spray up the lory Channel in a heavy sea and against a south-east gale in an exciting race for the prize. Three of the launches belonged to the F.. C. I’ernno party, and the other three to the rival J. A. Perano party. On each launch the gunner was to he seen standing in the how behind his deadly harpoon gun, hnt the humihes themselves were almost out sight in tlie spume as they tore through due water. The Surprise, of the Is. C. I’eranO' fleet, which has a speed of forty-five miles an hour, was late in getting ft start, hut. raced past the other launches and w as first on the spot where the whale had sounded. Immediately on reaching this spot, ait the launches slowed down and cruised around waiting for the whale to rise again. Slowly the monster rose to tlie surface and sent a jet of water high in (die air. With a roar of exhaust pipes audible above the shrieking gale all the launches rushed towards the spot, but before any could get near the whale sounded again. This thrilling game of hide and seek went on for about a. quarter of an hour, the whale going first in one direction and then in another.

Suddenly there was a loud report, mid a harpoon was seen hurtling through the air. .). Kenny, of the .1. A. Perano parly," had fired his gun, but alter a moment of suspense it was seen that lie. had missed. A heavy sea striking the boat at the moment of firing had deflected his aim, and the harpoon passed harmlessly over the whale. As it was observed rising again the launches dashed for it. Surprise’s speed got her there first, and before the whale could sound again T. Norton had fired his harpoon and secured a hit for the K. C. Perano party. Great jubilation was immediately manifest among this party, for the first to get. the harpoon home claims the prize.

'l'ne fight was not yet over, for tile whale immediately sounded, but guided by the harpoon rope the other launches waited to got an opportunity to administer the coup de grace with a bomb. This was accomplished after two or three unsuccessful attempts, and the leviathan floated dead upon the water. Alter being inflated with air the whale was towed to the factory, and a start immediately was made to strip oft’ the valuable blubber. This is the third catch for the E. C. Perano party this season, and the .1. A. perano party have lour whales to their credit. It is very rarely that whales are killed inside Tory Channel, and it is thought that this whale must have come up the Sound during the night and was endeavouring to regain (jiie open sea when captured.