On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot, 8-ton sperm whale washed ashore near Florence, Oregon. Because Oregon’s beaches were technically classified as public highways at the time, the responsibility for removal fell to the Oregon State Highway Division (now ODOT) rather than a wildlife agency. The carcass was rotting quickly, and the stench was becoming unbearable. Burying it was considered, but officials feared it would just be uncovered by the tide.
The engineer in charge, George Thornton, consulted with the U.S. Navy and decided the best course of action was to treat the whale like a large boulder. He figured that a massive blast with 20 cases (half a ton) of dynamite would “atomize” the whale into tiny pieces that seagulls and crabs would then finish off. A military veteran in the crowd reportedly warned Thornton that 20 sticks would have been plenty and that 20 cases was a recipe for disaster. He was ignored.
At 3:45 p.m. on November 12, they pushed the plunger. The result was captured in a now-famous news report by KATU’s Paul Linnman. A 100-foot-high column of sand and blubber erupted into the air. Instead of disintegrating, the whale broke into large, heavy chunks. Spectators who thought they were at a safe distance (about a quarter-mile away) had to run for cover as “meaty” rain began falling. The most famous casualty was a brand-new car parked nearby, which was completely crushed by a massive chunk of flying blubber. Ironically, the car had been purchased at a “Whale of a Deal” promotion. The seagulls that were supposed to eat the remains were scavenged away by the explosion and didn’t return for some time.
While Thornton later claimed the operation was a success because the whale was “removed” from its original spot, the state never tried it again. When 41 sperm whales beached themselves nearby in 1979, the state opted to bury them instead.
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