The Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time lecture series returns for its second season, starting on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at 7:30 pm, with a reception at 6:30 pm in the Jacobs Family Gallery. Join us in the New Bedford Whaling Museum theater for this series that blends science and history as our speakers examine historical and current aspects of a variety of whale-related topics.
All Tied Up
In the days of Yankee whaling, staying connected to the whale you harpooned was critical if you were going to turn that animal into the products that made money for the ship owners and crew. A vital part of the capture operation was the rope that ran from harpoon to whale boat. That rope linked you to the whale, and ultimately to the success of your hunt.
In recent decades, the opposite is true. Maximum effort is made to disconnect any lines that are found attached to whales. Disentanglement teams, sinking ropes, cooperation among a variety of resource users and new legislation comprise the current, ongoing efforts to keep the ropes away from the whales.
Michael Dyer, Maritime Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum has devoted a great deal of his research efforts to thoroughly understanding the process of the boat-based whale hunt. Mike’s presentation will guide you through the process of getting fast to, staying with, and bringing to ship’s starboard staging, the whales targeted by our ships.
Charles ‘Stormy’ Mayo, Senior Scientist, Director of the Right Whale Habitat Studies program at Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies has over two decades of experience in the risky but often rewarding field of whale disentanglement. He will share several experiences of the vital work that he and the staff at PCCS, in conjunction with a variety of federal and state agencies and university programs, lead along the East Coast to free whales from the lines that restrict movement and endanger survival.
Man and Whales will continue on March 31, April 14 and May 19, each night at 7:30 pm in the New Bedford Whaling Museum theater. Admission is free for all presentations. Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time is sponsored through ECHO (Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations) a program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.
