Historical Society

Taking To The Waves

“Thar she blows!” The phrase is one of the most hallowed and romantic in maritime history, bringing to mind brave men going down to the sea in ships to do battle not only with the leviathans of the oceans, but with nature itself.

The whale is the largest animal on earth, sometimes nearly as long as the wooden ships that pursued it, and immensely larger than the small whaleboats that performed the actual close-up attack. In addition, on a voyage that might last for years, whalemen would face fierce storms, windless doldrums, extremes of hot and cold, and in the arctic whale grounds that became the mecca of the industry, the threat of inexorable crushing ice.

On Monday, October 16, at 7:30 pm, in the community room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Newtown Historical Society will set sail to examine the history of whaling through “Whales, Whaling and Whalemen,” a presentation by Herma Kluck of Mystic Seaport.

Herma Kluck has worked with the Mystic Seaport Education and Interpretation Department for more than 30 years. She is currently educator specialist for Mystic Seaport’s “History to Go” programs.

Her presentation, including a video segment, will focus on the types of whales hunted, their products, and the procedures of hunting and processing the captured whale. The audience will learn about life on board the ship, both “fore and aft,” and become acquainted with the technology of whaling.

Ms Kluck will offer photographs and artifacts in her presentation, which will couple the romantic impression of shorebound later generations against knowledge of the reality of voyages: Quarters were cramped, voyages might last three or four years, food often went bad between visits to port, crewmates were often surly… and this doesn’t even cover the dangers from the whales themselves.

Mystic Seaport is celebrating its 75th anniversary as the Museum of America and the Sea, and maintains the last wooden whale ship afloat, the Charles W. Morgan.

All Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation. For further information, call the society at 426-5937.