Exploding Whale

On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot (14-metre) sperm whale carcass washed ashore one mile south of the Siuslaw River, near Florence, Oregon. The Oregon State Highway Division, responsible for Oregon beaches (which are classified as state highways), decided to dispose of it using dynamite — reasoning the explosion would disintegrate the remains and scavengers would clean up the rest. Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton supervised the operation, reportedly landing the job because his supervisor had gone deer hunting. On November 12, 1970, they detonated 20 cases (half a ton / 1,000 pounds) of dynamite. The explosion launched massive chunks of blubber up to 800 feet (240 metres), crushing a parked car (a brand-new 1969 Oldsmobile 98 belonging to Walter Umenhofer — a charcoal company executive who had warned them they were using too much dynamite) and sending spectators fleeing. Most of the whale remained intact. The story became one of the first viral videos when reporter Paul Linnman's KATU footage spread online decades later, after Dave Barry's 1990 column 'Moby Yuck' brought it renewed attention.

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