AMONG THE WHALES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 220, 15 August 1927, Page 6

AMONG THE WHALES.

OPERATIONS AT RUSSELL.

RUSSELL, Aug. 13.

The whaling station at Wliangamumu, situated six miles south of Cape Brett, has recently been the scene of much activity. During the last few weeks no fewer than 36 whales have been captured, some of which have proved to be in exceptionally fine condition. The whaling season for the fish going northward has now finished, and the steamer Hananui has returned to Russell for a clean-up and overhaul. The whales will return again to the coast of New Zealand in about four weeks’ time, and it will take these monsters of the deep at least two months to pass Cape Brett going south. As a matter of fact, when they return, the whales are accompanied by their calves, and this is the time when they are hard to catch, as they are on the alert the whole time, protecting their young. All the whales captured at the Captain Clook Whaling station belong to the humpback species. The season just closed may not only be considered good, but also a record one. The season lasts for two periods of ten weeks each, that is when the whales are travelling north, arid when they return later with their calves. It. is understood the whales proceed north as far as 15 south latitude and breed there, and when they return with their calves travel as far south as the Antarctic.

The whaling industry, besides keeping a number of hands employed on the steamer Hananui, when in commission, owns two fast launches Billy D and Lexie D, and when these launches are not in use at the whaling station, they are used in connection with deep-sea fishing'. * The boilingdown works employ a number of hands, and it takes some considerable time abstracting the oil and placing it into the barrels before it can be shipped overseas.

Captain Cook, who is a well-known and esteemed resident of Russell, has been engaged in the whaling industry since the year 1897, and has an excellent record of service.