Whales & Man, or...Man & Whales?

This is Eden, the last major town before hitting Victoria. It's a beautiful place and a beautiful wharf where the commercial fishermen work out of. We spent plenty of time down on the wharf (especially since the wharf had a free hot shower :) and observed the lifestyle, and the history there.

Eden has a major connection with whales and has had, since the early 1800's. Once....killing whales for their oil was how they made their money down here (whaling was one of NSW's first serious export businesses).

Now....they still make money off whales, but not by killing them. Instead whale watching tours brings in the tourists.

It's an interesting argument. They are still making money of whales in some way. Can we really blame them for what they used to do to whales? They thought very different back then to how they do now, don't they? Did those early settlers know that the whaling would eventually lead or contribute to the extinction of some of the whale species?

As we said...it's an interesting argument no doubt! But what is even more interesting and incredible is the work done here between beast and man. The town has a rich and remarkable connection to the whales. Read on below to find out more...

This is Leonie enjoying her morning coffee overlooking Twofolds Bay. It was here, up until the 1930's, that whales would be trapped in this bay and harpooned, before being processed at Davidson's Whaling Station just around the corner.

It's a peaceful place nowadays, but we wonder if that deep and dark energy (death) still resides here...long since the water ran red with whales blood.

The impressive fisherman's wharf where Leonie's wonderful image captures where all the local fisherman make their living now. Not much has changed here from the old days. Most of the day's catch still goes to market at Sydney for sale. There are a heap of wonderful mussel boats here too, and they sell mussels straight from their farms, straight from their boats.

Below is Eden whale museum, and the skeleton of 'Old Tom'....one of the most famous killer whales that helped the whalers catch their prize. Read the incredible stories below.

Tom was a fierce figure no doubt.

The story (in three parts)...

What whales were used for, before newer manmade inventions came on the market :/

"Old Tom's" story...

"Old Tom's" actual fin size....shiiittttttttttttttttttttttt!

The hierarchy of killer whales that helped man during those years.

Some ridiculously stupid wives tales, of how whales could help people with different illnesses.

Would you sit inside the whale carcass at 40 degrees?

This was almost a case of Whales 1 Man 0 (incredible that he survived really)

Shows just how large and majestic whales are. Blue Whale jawbone.

Same Blue Whale vertebrae. Just like ours, but the size of small ship propellers. It begs to ask the question...how could we slaughter such amazing creatures?

"We Whales"

.....an insight into a whales heart!

So....after all that, what to make of it? Should we be ashamed of our past as humans? Or embrace it as something to learn from and never to be repeated again? So many questions.....so many conclusions one can come to.

You be the judge (or not)..............