Whale of a time!!

Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:20 pm

A whale in the river Thames - I suppose the sceptics on this site will say - "It wasn't a whale - maybe a large pike" - c'mon Glengomley Gavin - I know you will! Remember - anythings possible!

Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:22 pm

Jamie, I can assure you it was real. There were 3 whales in the lower Estuary during that week and we tried to keep quiet although one strayed upstream and that was the one reported on national news.
Loads of sprats are being taken by commercial guys at present and there have also been reports of dolphins and harbor porpoise in the upper estuary so possibly linked to fish movements.
I regularly come to Ireland to fish in case you are wondering why I read the website.

Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:49 pm

And why was the whale there? When asked this question, the whale replied "I just got lost, I didn't do it on porpoise!"

The whale is now having a post-mortem to find out why it swam up the Thames. Early reports suggest it may have been looking for a mate and spotted John Prescott from about 3 miles away.

Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:56 pm

I heard there was a Russian listening device planted inside it...

Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:31 pm

20 sharks slaughtered in Limerick at the weekend

Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:35 pm

heard they nicknamed the whale wally!
did any of you see graham norton on about it the other night? god, it was funny!

Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:48 pm

When I seen the aerial shot of the Thames on Sky TV, I thought the dish had moved and I was picking up Eastenders :lol: :lol: :lol:

That whale was OK until the do-gooders put their nose in and killed it, why does man always think he knows better. interesting point on the news about the whales autopsy report, they said it ruled out under water explosions.........er ... :shock: :shock: underwater explosions??

Tom.

Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:27 pm

It thought the millenemum dome was moby dick

Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:31 pm

The reference to explosives explained:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 30,00.html

In north Kent, residents reported blasts from Shoeburyness Range, a Ministry of Defence site where QinetiQ was carrying out controlled detonations last week.

?People suffered cracked floors, windows and ceilings.? Professor Rodney Coates, who specialises in marine acoustics, confirmed that such blasts could disorientate whales.

Re: Whale of a time!!

Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:51 pm

jamie wrote:A whale in the river Thames - I suppose the sceptics on this site will say - "It wasn't a whale - maybe a large pike" - c'mon Glengomley Gavin - I know you will! Remember - anythings possible!


I know it was a whale mate because you weren't responsible for any of the photos!!! :lol: :lol:

The whale must have been a bit daft to go up the Thames, surely it would have detected the change in the water from salt to fresh. Still - stranger things have happened at sea (so long as Jamie doesn't provide the photographic evidence).

One other thought - Kat Slater hasn't been in Eastenders for a while :idea: :idea:

GG

Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:23 pm

Word had it that the whale may have been full of illegal immigrants at one stage, the doctor who performed the autopsy found a pair of sandals and a copy of the Koran :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:28 pm

And the old chestnut:-

http://www.perp.com.nyud.net:8090/whale/av/whale-hi.mov

How not to get rid of a beached whale. Mind you, it's the ultimate in groundbaiting. Everythings bigger in the states :lol:

Prejudice

Wed Jan 25, 2006 11:40 pm

I'm surprised you who moderate have not lock this thread yet . . .
Given some of the excuses you have cited in the past for curtailing freedom of speech, the message from Rockhopper sniffs of an underlying prejudice , if not racism- our 'junior members' will be guffawing to it in the playground tomorrow - will they not.

Get consistent!

On this forum in the past, people have bleated on sanctimoniously about undersize codling been given the odd whack over the head, fair enough if it upsets you. But when a fine mammal (that anyone with a true interest in angling or marine conservation matters would surely find interesting) dies sadly in the Thames rather than the open sea, its ok to make fun. Aint been sentimental but from a marine science pt of view its sad but interesting.

You Hypocrites.

Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:30 am

Gillaroo,

Your right I may have a prejudice, if you have any issue you want to take up with me regarding that, then PM me, I will supply my phone number to you or even meet with you, if you so wish.

Regarding the humour... I see that in almost 3 years you have made 5 posts to this forum, each to his own, but seeing as your doing the singling out here, then I am telling you, chill out 8)

This is my last word in this thread.

Tom.

Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:47 am

Not singling you out Rockhopper, I was using your post as an e.g.
Just pointing out some inconsistent moderating on the forum . .

Zero desire to meet with you. I so chilled out I only posted 5!

Quality not quantity.

Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:53 am

OK lads before you guys get carried away, I keep fish, as well as fish ,(With a rod), a bit of contradiction i know, but I have been keeping them more actively than fishing for them.One thing I have noticed in the years I have kept (and yes I know a Whale is not a fish)the fish and that is, if a fish is dying/Serious iLLness, then all its behavourial characteristics change unless its envoiroment changes rapidly (VERY), and for Whales I would assume its directional sense, or maybe it was seeking a secluded spot out of illness, as it could have felt vulnerable in the open knowing it was sick. Just my twopence worth.

JohnnyF

Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:13 pm

In late june last year the NRDC returned a report to the UK district court and argued a landmark case to save millions of marine mammals from the Navy's deadly LFA sonar system. The system would flood ocean habitats with high-intensity noise that can harass, deafen, maim and even kill whales. NRDC has asked the court to impose a permanent ban on global deployment until such a day as the Navy can prove it has complied with environmental laws and will do no serious harm to marine life.

BUT.......It would seem as if the court ruled in the Navy's favour (quelle surprise!!) since then noone has heard any more about this,or have they and theyre keeping it quiet?

Apparently though, whales and dolphins are surfacing in great numbers with fatal symptons like the divers bends, boiling gases in the liver and other organs. The pain they're trying to get away from must be so great--or they no longer can sense what's up or down. The numbers correlate with nato exercises and the British Navy think it's all so wonderful they are now planning to implement these LFA systems also.

Goodbye whales.

Makes you proud to be human, eh.

Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:38 pm

hey woody - what happened with the sharks in co.clare?

Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:39 pm

Sale Sharks. Rugby. Don't worry, I missed the reference too.....

Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:45 pm

good god jesus! you had better hand me back the walking aid!