Bequia Whaling 12:59.1N 61:14.0W
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Tue 6 Apr 2010 15:20
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Whaling in Bequia
I am worried, to an extent, about what folk will think
about the next entry, it is one of the most controversial things we have seen or
written about. But I might be building it up too much; but one family
have relayed the photographs to folk at home and the response was
not enthusiastic or positive.
Niether Colin or I are squeemish about culling, I
have worked and learnt to cook in the highlands of Scotland where the some
local communities rely on the in fluze of money during the sporting
season; there culling dear that could otherwise eat through entire forna and
flora, of northern scotland if not kept under control. This
isn't quite the case in the case of a Whale nor is it like the
question over fox hunting, well I don't think it is now we have attended.
Colin had been out on a Boys farwell to Giles, they bumped into Kirsty, one of Charlie Chans old friend, Kirsty lives in Bequai. I was woken that night by an excited colin telling be we're off to see a whale. Given a Whale had not been landed for a few years it was really rather exciting. It was really quite fantastic effort as 20 of us woke
breakfasted and where in a bus on our way over to Friendship Bay by 8.00.
Giles had to catch his flight up to Antiqua so couldn't join us.
Here the locals are allowed to catch 2 humpback whales
a year within a short season. Once at the town of Padget Farm,
previously named Derick due to the amount of Dericks that lived there, we
where ushered into a piroque with 75hp on the back, which took us over to the
Whaling station, in quite a choppy sea, one or two of the children where
unsure about what they were about to see, but we where able to tell them
that unlike the killing of most animals every single bit of Bequai whales were
used, and boy we were not wrong.
On arrival at the Whaling station I really did have to
swallow hard, It was really rather alarming having to step off the Piroque
into a blood red sea. The first sight was of the whale in almost it's
original state but with about 4 men sitting on top starting the butchering. One
guy clearly brandishing his blade at us. This is not for the tourist, it
is definitly something that is very much at the heart
of Bequinas community.
You do get over the foot bath pretty quick.
Once you come across the family chopping up the blubber, the
children found this fascinating to touch and everyone,
once ashore, was incredibly inclusive.
This really is a big community event, we met Miss
J from the book shop and she was saying it was the first time she had attended,
as previously she had never sure she agreed. But she became a convert once
she experienced, in her words, the energy and sence of bringing together of a
community. There was a fabulous atmosphere, insta drinks Bars were
set up, Ladys selling Yumming buns with spicy chicken and the old and
young doing there bit.
One of our friends from the Step Up Bar
had actually been on the Whale Boat so was able to give us an
amazing account of the whole process of the catch. Unlike other
country still permitted to catch Whale, Bequai is only only to catch 2 per year
and only under sail and with a harpoon (not the gun
type). It must be terrifying being towed by a
whale going faster than a 45 hp out board speed
boat..................
In my mind it just feels right and proper that a
country is able to continue it's cultural right. Young children to the
very ancient of Bequai worked together to show how things were done.
There were of course those who where celebrating a little to hard
and the drunks brandishing knives and yelling abuse at everyone was alittle
nerve wracking, but the St Vincent coast guard was called and a man with an AK47
arrives not letting the situation blow up! Unlike
some other countries not one iota of the mammal is wasted or thrown
away. Bequai/Belgian lady said she had been coming to Bequai to
visit here father for all her life and now lived in St Vincent, told
us how surprised she was when she watched the discovery channel
to see the guys and cranes in scotland taking 6 days to sort out the whale
that had been stranded in the Forth a few years ago. The boys
in Bequai can stripe a whale within 5 hours.
 Our first sight
of the whale   an event for all
the family    Whale
blubber         Man with
kalashnikov and Colin leaning on the whale.Experience finished, and we jump on the next water Taxi
back to Paget Farm. A hairy wobbly ride with kids screeching and parents
considering their tactics if the boat were to overturn. All worth
it for fresh roti and swordfish bakes washed down with Harroun Beer from a
hut at the other end, not bad for 10.30 in the
morning.
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