tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post7305050179270657215..comments2024-03-23T12:38:46.260+00:00Comments on The History Girls: The Song of the Whale and my Visit to Biarritz by Carol DrinkwaterMary Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-23040864527736648422014-10-16T02:50:50.384+01:002014-10-16T02:50:50.384+01:00Such a lovely post Carol, thank you! I have always...Such a lovely post Carol, thank you! I have always been one to support any type of "no-whaling" rallies or events. I've watched all creatures great and small since I was a little girl and from that, adopted a great love for animals! I grew up watching you on my television, thus I wanted to say thank you for being a big inspiration and role model in my life thus far.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04997672678778334266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-55198298698816758302014-09-28T11:44:01.407+01:002014-09-28T11:44:01.407+01:00I didn't know about the Basque connection with...I didn't know about the Basque connection with whaling. Thanks for such a detailed and interesting post. When you said that you thought of the wives and children of the whalers, I thought of something I had seen on pinterest - link below- it's the story of a a young girl who was on a whaling ship with her father and mother. I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's fascinating to read her journal (and see how her handwriting develops!)<br />www.girlonawhaleship.orgBecca McCallumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09339982441409936532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-37606053334995874082014-09-26T22:11:33.037+01:002014-09-26T22:11:33.037+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Zizou Alphonse Corder, PhDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06353000341283769987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-26825916971546395772014-09-26T22:11:30.436+01:002014-09-26T22:11:30.436+01:00Ah, Carol. That's my Uncle Peter. Thank you fo...Ah, Carol. That's my Uncle Peter. Thank you for a lovely memory to weave in. He only ever really wanted to talk if it was about animals. <br />Zizou Alphonse Corder, PhDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06353000341283769987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-52342174100863748632014-09-26T18:09:52.737+01:002014-09-26T18:09:52.737+01:00I have watched whales and porpoises, from a big bo...I have watched whales and porpoises, from a big boat off the Massachusetts coast and been in a tiny rubber dinghy up close to dolphins in Panama but not had experiences like yours, Carol. Lovely post.Mary Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-5494321652113849732014-09-26T17:21:02.055+01:002014-09-26T17:21:02.055+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Karen Maitlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07658962341244062060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-10533908287187182162014-09-26T17:19:50.219+01:002014-09-26T17:19:50.219+01:00Wonderful post. I can just imagine the effect of l...Wonderful post. I can just imagine the effect of listening to that their song that night in London. I've seen whales only once from a tiny ex-fishing boat off Greenland. It was awe-inspiring to see that huge body arch out of the water as it slid alongside the boat. The men who first hunted them from such small craft with handheld weapons must have had immense courage, but equally it is heartbreaking to think of the pain, fear and grief of those gentle giant animals.Karen Maitlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07658962341244062060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-9452390232014813182014-09-26T17:11:32.557+01:002014-09-26T17:11:32.557+01:00once while sailing round cape wrath the sailing bo...once while sailing round cape wrath the sailing boat I was on was suddenly surrounded by whales! a large family pod, popping up and swimming round us. The largest was longer then the Ketch! over 44' while the smallest was just a small youngster. the two things that struck me was the grace and smoothness combined with the rank smell of the blow hole air. Most amazingly it is still in my memory nearly 20 years on. We had their attention for maybe twenty minutes to half an hour but the time was too short and the memory still clear!<br />beautiful creatures. Thank you for reminding me how amazing they are.Ruan Peathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17999492027801288004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-80753477234724631742014-09-26T14:31:10.238+01:002014-09-26T14:31:10.238+01:00Thank you for the comments. Clare, I didn't kn...Thank you for the comments. Clare, I didn't know that about shared family names. That is marvellous. I must try and find out more about it. What a pity Sir Peter is not alive to share his knowledge. Kate, no, I missed 'The Cove' although it remains on my list "To See". Sue, one of the real mind blasts, and that is what it really is, is being underwater in an area rich with coral and fish because the colours are brilliant and there is a quietude and a completely different rhythm. I was so taken in by the sheer vitality of everything beneath the sea that I nearly went way out of my diving depth, just following one beautiful creature after another. David Bellamy used to say that for him, lone of life's greatest joys was swimming with whales. I have never done that. I have swum amongst sharks, porpoises, dolphins but not whales, alas. Whale watching, Sally, is well worth making time for.Carol Drinkwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837854482139736944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-85315938813792655562014-09-26T13:56:25.135+01:002014-09-26T13:56:25.135+01:00Lovely post Carol, thank you. I think I remember b...Lovely post Carol, thank you. I think I remember being awestruck as a child to hear that whales have identification calls - names - and these include shared family names. I am not sure if this is true, so must now look it up, along with whale song. Clare Mulleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11592100764046914574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-9526772682585625592014-09-26T12:20:22.574+01:002014-09-26T12:20:22.574+01:00Wonderful stuff Carol, the new verse every year th...Wonderful stuff Carol, the new verse every year thing is extraordinary. Thank you.Tuscan Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11196343713837375340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-10595620591349645212014-09-26T12:12:39.128+01:002014-09-26T12:12:39.128+01:00Fascinating post, Carol - how extraordinary that t...Fascinating post, Carol - how extraordinary that they all learn a new verse. Am I right in thinking that Japan has gone back on their suspension of whaling? Perhaps you have seen the film 'The Cove'? Heartbreaking slaughter of dolphins, but had some interesting evidence about whaling practices.<br />Kate Lord Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00278515379867576350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-17389224605835996252014-09-26T10:24:42.594+01:002014-09-26T10:24:42.594+01:00Thanks for this -Thanks for this -Joan Lennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763862159032836768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-68009968921980172602014-09-26T08:24:00.302+01:002014-09-26T08:24:00.302+01:00Wonderful! Off to YouTube in a minute to find some...Wonderful! Off to YouTube in a minute to find some whale songs. I had no idea whaling started with the Basques - I'd imagined it started in the North.<br /><br />A couple of years ago, we went to an aquarium in La Rochelle, and I was amazed by the brilliantly coloured variety of marine life. (Never having been much of a swimmer, much less a diver!) A whole other world, which we are too careless of. Thanks for this, Carol.Sue Purkisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084528571944803477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-14912534728803971462014-09-26T08:21:51.041+01:002014-09-26T08:21:51.041+01:00Thank you for a wonderful post. I have tears in my...Thank you for a wonderful post. I have tears in my eyes. One of my life's ambitions is to see go whale-watching. <br /><br />I also have a great affection for the Basque people - the journey of their movements in pre-history as well as their language has been imposable to trace. Their history in general has been marginalised. But I'll never forget a Basque festival I witnessed. It lasted all night. The music and the costume, not to mention their energy were amazing.Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.com