Story: Whaling

Whaling in Cook Strait

This National Film Unit newsreel from 1950 follows the Peranos, of the Tory Channel whaling station, as they capture a whale. The clip begins with the gunner about to fire the deadly harpoon. Later the crew pump compressed gas into the carcass to prevent it from sinking. They then towed the whale ashore, and carved a notch in the lookout chair to record the catch. In 1950 the Peranos killed 79 whales.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: New Zealand Mirror 6. National Film Unit, 1950

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'Whaling - Modern whaling and whale watching', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/6282/whaling-in-cook-strait (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 12 Jun 2006