Exploding Whale State Park

[RWebb]

famed Orygun whale disposal event has now been signified with a new park

please don't pull down our statues!

bring your own pot and stove to make whale chowder

https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2020/06/now-you-can-visit-exploding-whale-memorial-park-on-the-oregon-coast.html

[HardDrive]

That's awesome. Honoring a great moment in American ingenuity.

[flatbutt]

huh, well how 'bout that?

[RWebb]

It was more exciting at the time - giant chunks of rotting whale blubber fell on people's heads and cars.

[pwd72s]

The event itself is another fine example of how well government "fixes" problems...

[LWJ]

We're not all red necks. Just some of us.

[Mark Henry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkdFT2zLTmA

[onewhippedpuppy]

Just like sharks?

https://youtu.be/D24ZWw5ZVXI

[Norm K]

I remember that event. Definitely a "hold my beer" moment for the experts who formulated and followed through with such a brilliant plan.

_

[stealthn]

Classic!

[RWebb]

The Hwy. Dept. did it.

[GH85Carrera]

I understand hindsight is 20/20, but what did they really think was going to happen to the whale when it was blown up? Did they expect it to vaporize and evaporate? For sure they knew it would blow it into smaller pieces. Maybe that was the real intention. I bet it was rather stinky in the area for a long time.

Of course I would have just brought in "A Sleuth of Bears" to just eat the whale. Yea, that would be a lot better!

[LEAKYSEALS951]

"The small chunks left were such a size no respectable seagull would attempt to tackle anyway."

[Seahawk]

I love stuff like this. Another Roadside Attraction.

Here is some additional info: https://www.ci.florence.or.us/publicworks/public-works-introduces-new-park

The last time I drove through Florence was in 1988. I had a '68 912 and I was moving from San Diego to Patuxent River and had 30 days to get there. April time frame so I drove the entire length of Rte 1 to 101.

I had no idea I was driving by history!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

The last time I drove through Florence was in 1988. I had a '68 912 and I was moving from San Diego to Patuxent River and had 30 days to get there. April time frame so I drove the entire length of Rte 1 to 101.

I had no idea I was driving by history!

Wow, yeah, that sounds fantastic! And probably much better then than now.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by masraum

Wow, yeah, that sounds fantastic! And probably much better then than now.

The whole trip took 27 days. Up, head east a bit, down, head east a bit...repeat

Jesus, 32 years ago!

I re watched the video of the whale again. Fantastic.

[GH85Carrera]

I certainly know my knowledge and experience on dead whale removal is even less than the highway department in that clip. It would be interesting to see just how they are disposed of now. I would guess a sling or some net type attachment is used to drag the whale out into the ocean, and then anchored off shore several miles, or weighted and sunk. No doubt it is expensive.

How do they dispose of dead whales now?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

How do they dispose of dead whales now?

I found your question interesting - that and how often does it happen?

https://www.livescience.com/63634-how-to-dispose-dead-whale.html

https://www.wired.com/2016/05/get-rid-dead-rotting-whale-beach-hint-dont-blow/

Pretty interesting options.

[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

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

How do they dispose of dead whales now?

Today, we send in teams of loggers on skateboards who carve the dead whale into small pieces that are then served as "clam" chowder to tourists visiting the coast.