4 years ago

November 26, 2019
at Rockstore Country
in Second Life

"A Nantucket sleighride is the dragging of a whaleboat by a harpooned whale while whaling. It is an archaic term from the early days of industrial whaling, when the animals were harpooned from small open boats. Once harpooned, the whale, in pain from its wound, attempts to flee, but the rope attached to the harpoon drags the whalers' longboat along with it. The term refers to Nantucket, Massachusetts, the center of the American whaling industry; as well as the speed associated with riding in a horse-drawn sleigh.

A Nantucket sleighride was extremely dangerous. The speed would vary depending on the species of the whale; humpback whales, for example, gave a faster ride. The sperm whale caused the longest drag events, reaching speeds of 23 mph (37 km/h).[1] The length of the drag lasted until the animal had no more energy. Fin whales and sei whales were the most dangerous species, as they would dive scores of fathoms deep, trying to take the longboat and its occupants beneath the surface. Once the whale had exhausted its energy, the sailors pulled in the rope, killed the animal, and rowed it back to the whaling ship, where they would butcher the carcass, remove its blubber, and render its oil."

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nantucket_sleighride)

Lyrics:

Goodbye, little Robin-Marie
Don't try following me
Don't cry, little Robin-Marie
'Cause you know I'm coming home soon

My ships' leaving on a three-year tour
The next tide will take us from shore
Windlaced, gather in sail and spray
On a search for the mighty sperm whale

Fly your willow branches
Wrap your body round my soul
Lay down your reeds and drums on my soft sheets
There are years behind us reaching
To the place where hearts are beating
And I know you're the last true love I'll ever meet
And I know you're the last true love I'll ever meet

Starbuck's sharpening his harpoon
The black man is playing his tune
An old salt's sleeping his watch away
He'll be drunk again before noon

Three years sailing on bended knee
We found no whales in the sea
Don't cry, little Robin-Marie
'Cause we'll be in sight of land soon

(http://www.songlyrics.com/mountain/nantucket-sleighride-redux-lyrics/)

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