Tales of Whales

Whaling boats were once a common sight along the North Sea coastline, both regularly leaving and returning home with giant carcases in tow. The Yorkshire village of Whitby was once from 1753-1833 a large whaling port. Here ships were built and set sail to hunt whales off the coast of Greenland. One local boat, the Volunteer held the town’s whaling record of 54 voyages, with a catch of 23 whales in 1811.

The North Sea’s whaling past is still evident on the West Cliff of Whitby with the presence of a bow head whale jaw bone arch. The original (constructed from a fin whale in 1963) was presented to Whitby from Norway, although after 40 years subject to the North’s Seas gales needed replacing. In 2000 this was replaced with a 15ft high bone from a bowhead whale abandoned by inuits on an ice-shelf in the remote North Slope of Alaska. This is one of the only lasting memories of Whitby’s whaling history.

For further information about Whitby - click here