Earlier this week, a whale got entangled in the propellor of a small boat off the island of Taransay, west of Harris. It was a miracle the boat didn't sink, but unfortunately, the 48 ft / 14 m long sperm whale, weighing 30 tons, died and was washed up amongst rocks near Nisabost, Harris. Read the sailor's account here.
In order to dispose of the whale, the Council had to employ a large low-loader. Suggestions to blow it up were rejected after an episode in the USA where a whale of similar size was blown up on a beach near Florence, Oregon. It showered everybody within a quarter of a mile with putrid whaleflesh and blubber, and wrecked a car when a large chunk landed in a carpark. Have a look at this footage.
I am endebted to Cllr Angus Nicolson for drawing this to everybody's attention.
No comments:
Post a Comment