A WHALE OF A STORY

A STORY ABOUT VIOLENT WHALES

“A WHALE OF A STORY”

June 1895, a Captain Mitchell , master of the steam tug “ Thomas J. Jones”

out of Philadelphia, was sailing southward along the Delmarva coast when he

rendezvoused with the Italian sailing bark “Oreb” which was in need of a 'tow' . After

making fast, the two vessels headed northward toward Fenwick Island.

Then, the wales showed up.

Whales once were numerous off the Delaware coast, but vigorous hunting by

New England whaling ships decimated the great schools of Atlantic whales. Late in

the 19^th century it was only on occasion that a whale was spotted off Fenwick Island

and Cape Henlopen. However, in 1895, Captain Mitchell aboard the “Thomas J. Jones”

spotted a school of the great sea creatures.

Captain Mitchell, thirty years at sea, had never seen such large whales in such

large schools, so close to land.

The very large whales circled the two vessels and then began to pound on the

“Oreb”, then on the “Thomas J. Jones”. It is fortunate both vessels were strong and

could withstand the hammering by the whales. At first Captain Mitchel tried to out run

the whales but the tug had all it could do to haul the bark in tow, and was too slow. In

the attacks by the whales, large amount of sea water was slashed aboard the tug, it became

in danger of being 'swamped'.

Failing to outrun or otherwise drive the whales off the “Thomas J. Jomes” and the

“Oreb” appeared doomed. Suddenly, the leader of the school changed his direction and led

the rest of the whales out to sea, and Captain Mitchell, the “Thomas J Jones” and the :”Oreb”

made the Philadelphia port.....

Abstract: Delaware Coast Press, June 6, 2018, Michael Morgan's Sussex Journal

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