SCARED BY WHALES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19989, 4 November 1927, Page 2

SCARED BY WHALES

EXCITEMENT IN A YACHT THRILL FOB GOVERNOR’S SON. SYDNEY, Oct. 20: A female whale cruised for weeks last summer off the coast near Sydney after its calf had been stranded on one of our beaches, and scared several fishing parities in boats a couple of miles out at sea. On two occasions the great mammal chaseiu* boats and the occupants had narrow escapes. Early last week a yachting party proceeding from Broken Bay to Sydney had an equally exciting time, two huge whales and their calf leaping out of the sea a short distance from their boat.

The yacht was the Tan da, equipped with engines, and owned by Mr R. A. Prevost, a well-known business man of this city. He had. a party of friends aboand, including Sub-Lieutenant Graham (de Chair, son of the Governor of New South Wales. 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. The whales at once disappeared, but 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 60ft. long. Full speed ahead was rung aboard the yacht, which was swung to starboard. The whales then passed astern. Sub-Lieutenant 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 aggressors. He had, he 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 a yacht of the Tanda’s size, to say nothing of tho skiffs in which dozens of fishing parties venture miles off shore every week-end.