[Wetwork]

I was stationed in Florence for eight years. Did a four year tour, then returned there for my twilight tour (final) before I retired 2009. Been in the exact spot they blew that thing up countless times. The epic explosion took place before my time there, but it's in the CG stations history books. We had to run safety patrols to keep boaters away.

The stank involved with a dead whale is beyond all measure. Period. I was raised on a cattle ranch, I spent twenty years in the CG and in my lifetime came across all kinds of horrid stank. Nothing is worse than whale. Nothing. Not dead cattle, not dead people, not sewage..nothing is even close.

Took the family to see a dead grey that had washed up on the beach not far from Florence down by Reedsport. Upon opening the car door, the air was hazy. Almost like there was a oily vapor you could see and taste. My son of eight instantly puked. I mean actually emptied his belly not two steps from the car. Just opening and closing the car door four times left a stench in that car that lasted a month. I kid you not. We dry heaved, and choked, and gutted it out to see the dead beast. Its one of those things you only want to do once in a lifetime. You will never forget I promise.

I can understand the need for the town to get rid of that thing ASAP. The oil in the air ruins things forever. The stories the locals told me of that day are priceless. These are folks who were there. The chunks of whale stoved in car tops and hoods. Covered everyone in a oily, bloody, drippy slime that some of them say they can still smell to this day. See the wind changed when they blew it up and the mist and gore blew down onto the parking lot with the crowds all standing there cheering. It was dumb luck nobody was killed.

I know they bury them now if they can. Most of the Oregon coast is too dangerous to try to tow one off the beach. The biologists do take samples then the big rigs come in and bury them. Lots of folks try to cut off pieces and such and with it being a federal offence to mess with marine mammal bodies or keep parts they have to bury them pretty fast.

One of the most classic examples of "hold my beer" ever .-WW