@orcaedits4: Whaling was once an integral part of Eden for almost a century. However, it was the remarkable cooperative relationship between the whalers in their open boats and the pods of killer whales that frequented Twofold Bay that made the local enterprise so outstanding, so much so that it became known as The Law Of The Tongue. And of the many Orcas that hunted with Eden’s whalers, Old Tom was undoubtedly the best known. Measuring 22 feet (6.7 metres) in length and weighing six tons, he was leader of one of the pods that herded passing whales into the bay, alerted the whalers and took part in the chase. Recognised by his distinctly tall dorsal fin, Old Tom regularly swum to the mouth of the bays and “flop-tailed” to signal the presence of a whale. He also often accompanied the boats during a chase, sometimes taking the rope in his teeth to tow the vessel. Evidence of this can be seen in the distinctive wear patterns on the teeth of his lower jaw. Sightings of Old Tom were first reported during the 1860s, but he was more commonly known by the Davidson's, a family that had moved to Eden for whaling. Old Tom was considered by the whalers as a bit of a joker for his humorous and sometimes annoying antics, The Davidson family history even indicated Old Tom had a distinct "sense of humor", as the name Tom appears to have originated from the word "tomfoolery", and his early nickname "Tom the Humorist.” Old Tom was also known to jump on the rope fastened to a harpooned whale, hanging onto it with his teeth to be towed around like a sea anchor by the injured beast. Old Tom returned to Eden season after season, sometimes alone. Old Tom was unfortunately found dead on 17 September 1930 by George Davidson in the southern part of Twofold Bay. The cause of death was unknown, however experts believe that Old Tom died of his age and/or starvation. Following Tom's death, the Eden Killer Whale Museum was instated the following year in 1931. Tom's skeleton remains are currently on display within the museum, with additional information about him and his former comrades. The museum also focuses on the immediate history of the area of Eden and Twofold Bay, detailing the whaling industry from the 1820s until 1929. . . . . . #fyp #oldtom #orca #viral #story #lawofthetongue #eden #beautiful #slideshow #educational #edit #orcawhale #killerwhale #dolphin #whalers #time #photos #skeleton #cute #orcatok #cool #true #trend #oldtomorca #australia #whale #trending #foryou #plsblowup #fypp

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Friday 20 December 2024 15:39:22 GMT