Who were some of the most famous captains at the whaling station?
Ches Stubbs was well known, Paddy Hart was known for the daring rescue of a tourist washed from the Gap and Gordon Cruickshank was with the Company longest.
What was the biggest whale ever caught by the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company?
A Blue whale was caught off of the South Georgia (in the Scotia Sea in the Antartic), that weighed 174 tonnes and measured 33 metres.
Who opened the whaling industry & when?
Meling, in Norway is the site of the oldest known representation of whaling - cave engravings from about 1800BC showing men in boats giving chase to a spouting animal.
Who closed down the whaling industry & when?
Whaling in Australia came to an end in 1978 with the closure of The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company. However, whaling still continues to this day in other countries under scientific research and exemption clauses. (For further information see the
International Whaling Commission website.)
What kind of whales did they catch?
The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company, which operated from the present Whale World site, mostly hunted Sperm whales. Humpbacks were taken from 1952 until the ban on Humpback whaling in 1963.
Where were most whales caught?
Most of the whales were caught at the edge of the continental shelf, due south of the Albany coastline.
Why did whaling begin?
In the beginning, whales were used mainly as a source of food. As you can imagine one whale would feed many. However, in more recent times the baleen from the baleen whales was used in corsets and umbrellas, Sperm Whale teeth were a source of Ivory, Ambergris (derived from the Sperm Whale) was used in perfumes, the rest of the whale was rendered down to oil. This oil was extremely valuable in many aspects of industry.
Why did whaling at Cheynes Beach stop?
The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company closed due to various factors. Fuel prices were on the increase and whale oil prices were on the decrease. People the world over were becoming conservation minded and protesting. The main reason for the closure was the economic down fall predicted and the fact that 3 of the company's 4 chasers were up for replacement at an average cost of $6 million each!
How long did the whaling industry last?
With the closure of The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company, 178 years of whaling in WA waters came to an end!
What were the whales used for?
The oil had many qualities because it could withstand high temperatures without thinning. It was used as a lubricant for fine precision machinery, in cosmetics and in pharmaceutical products. In the early days it was used for light (candles) as the oil was odourless and burnt for a long time.
Approximately how many whales were caught?
Over the 26 years that The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company operated, approximately 14,600 Sperm whales and 1,500 Humpbacks were taken.
Why were they only allowed to catch the big whales?
The whales that were caught were inspected for their size by Government inspectors and if it was undersized then the company lost all revenue from the sale of the whale as a deterrent or fine.
How many whales did they catch that were too small?
The exact number is unavailable. However, not many were taken undersize as there was a personal $2000 fine for the person who shot it, and the company had to forfeit the proceeds from that whale.
Why does the Australian flag on the Cheynes IV whale chaser display a red background instead of blue?
The red background is the Merchant Navy Ensign.
How many people worked at one time on a whale chaser? Who was in charge?
There were 15 to 17 crew at any one time and the Skipper was in charge.
What did they do on the chasers?
When not on a chase there was minimal activity. In whalers lingo; 1 barrel man, 1 on the wheel, 1 main, 1 engineer, 1 fireman and a deckhand. When the chase was on it was all hands on deck. The only exception was the engineers and firemen who were on 4 hour watches.
What type of equipment did they use?
Harpoons, Flensing knives, the Ships and the shore-based whaling station, Cookers and other machinery.
Where did they travel?
The Chasers would travel to the Continental shelf, - approximately 35 nautical miles due south of Whale World.
How long did they sail for?
Weather permitting, the Chasers would steam out of the sound around 4.30am and some times would not return until the early hours of the next day.
Who was the captain of the Cheynes IV?
Axel Christensen was the main Skipper, however the skippers were rotated between holidays and ships.
When was the Cheynes IV built?
The Cheynes IV was built in Norway in 1948.
What was the Cheynes IV made from?
Steel.
Who invented the harpoon?
Norwegian, Svend Foyn invented the explosive harpoon in 1864.
When did the Cheynes IV arrive in Australia and which country did it come from?
The Cheynes IV arrived in Australia in 1970 from the Natal Whaling Company based in Durban, South Africa, and was used right up until the closure of the station in 1978.
Questions about the Cheynes Beach Whaling station