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