Whaling (1940-1949)

British Instructional Films Ltd presents a Classroom Film. Western Coast of Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Saldana Bay (sp?). Views of a harbour. Shots of a whaling boat - the Steenberg. C/U of man sailing boat. C/U of his hands on the helm and of ship's compass. Shot of the harpoon on the back of the boat. Top shot of a man winding rope into a coil, there is a kitten in the middle. The "lookout" climbs up to the crows nest by a ladder. He climbs into a barrel and looks out to sea. He shouts down that he has spotted a whale - "Whale ho!". Captain steers boat into position. The "gunner" runs along the side of boat and aims the harpoon. C/U of him firing the harpoon. The rope is fed out by means of a winch. Shot of the whale being lashed to the side of the boat. C/U of whale's tail. Name on the back of the boat reads: Steenberg, Capetown. Shot of the boat sailing back to harbour. The whale is dragged up on to slipway (it is big!). Shot of the winch which is hauling it. The whale is put beside other catches. The whale is measured with a tape. C/U of the Whale's mouth and its beleen (?). C/U of the whale's eye. Man sharpens large knife and several men cut up the whale. Blubber is cut and the winch pulls it away. The blubber is cut into smaller pieces. Blubber is fed down a chute. The rest of the carcass is pulled up the landing stage. More shots of men working on the blubber. Shot of vat where blubber is kept and storage tanks. FILM ID:1803.01 FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT http://www.britishpathe.com/