We've received your submission. Gunderson is responsible for Flo and Rence, two whale costumes serving as something of unofficial mascots for the history of the exploding whale. Sitemap The humor found in a rain of blubber chunks isn't everyone's taste, not even in Florence. A stinking whale carcass, a half ton of dynamite and an immortal local TV newscast — half a century later and the world is still in love with Florence's most infamous moment. ...a half-ton of dynamite was detonated under an 8-ton beached whale… “To have it live as a story still on the internet after 50 years is just amazing,” Brazil said. The event has been local lore for years so this year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the event, the city named a park “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” You can see the news report on You Tube by looking for “exploding whale Oregon.” -0-Here’s a joke a high school buddy sent me: In what was called a "controlled explosion," they used a … For the uninitiated: Nearly 50 years ago, a gigantic, dead whale washed up onto a Pacific Northwest shore and really stunk up the joint. This story has been shared 415,977 times. A textbook whale removal. It was purchased by the city in recent years and refurbished last year with numerous new features. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights The Oregon Highway Division had decided the best way to remove the dead 8-ton sperm whale that had washed up ashore was to stuff it with 24 cases of dynamite … "It was, of course, a big faux pas.". © 2020 www.statesmanjournal.com. Privacy Notice "It's fun with tongue-in-cheek humor that makes it a positive for our community.". "It's got a life of its own now. But 50 years ago, the highway patrol in Oregon decided to use a HALF-TON OF DYNAMITE to remove the dead body of an 8-ton beached whale. The Oregon Highway Division had decided the best way to remove the dead 8-ton sperm whale that had washed ashore was to stuff it with 24 cases of dynamite and blow it up. The results were truly explosive. If you've never seen Paul Linnman's broadcast detailing the saga for Portland's KATU-TV, do yourself a favor and watch it. So we decided on a community participatory altar," Abeyta said. It includes Linnman’s iconic closing line: “It might be concluded that should a whale ever wash ashore in Lane County again, those in charge will not only remember what to do, they’ll certainly remember what not to do.”. The footage has appeared on a smattering of TV clip shows and is spread widely online. November 12, 2020 | 10:35pm | Updated November 13, 2020 | 9:27am. On November 12, 1970, the good people of Florence, Oregon came together to address the issue of a beached grey whale that was apparently too big to be removed with any method other than dynamite explosion. A small coastal town... Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The weirdness of the exploding whale might suit the humor of younger generations, Hannigan said, but many of the residents alive at the time look back on the episode as an embarrassment. And so 50 years ago today, a half-ton of dynamite was detonated under an 8-ton beached whale. The story was reported by Paul Linnman with cameraman Doug Brazil who captured the event on 16mm film, the common format for TV news coverage in those days. Instead they blew it up, using 20 cases of dynamite… Waitress gets $2K tip — but restaurant refuses to give her a cent, This record-breaking baby is 27 years old — 2 years younger than her mom, Sasha Obama TikTok dance video deleted after going viral, 11-year-old dies after shooting himself during Zoom class, Clink-opatra: Photographer busted after sexy pyramid shoot with model in Egypt. The original story of the exploding whale first appeared on KATU Channel 2 Portland, OR in November 1970. "It's just a little too quirky for us as a businesses representative to do.". "People internationally are aware of the story, and we've had guests come from all over the country and the world to visit with us," said Terry Abeyta, who with her fiancé owns Exploding Whale Beach Camp in Florence near Heceta Beach. Authorities somehow thought using dynamite was the best way to dispose of the deceased sperm whale. "We wanted to do a memorial to the whale and not let the virus take that away. 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