Nantucket sleighride

For the 1971 music album by Mountain, see Nantucket Sleighride (album).

A Nantucket sleighride was a term used by Nantucket whalemen to describe what occurs immediately following the harpooning of a whale. The whale, realizing it had been harpooned, would attempt to flee and thus drag the whaleboat along with it. The speed of the "sleigh ride" would vary depending on the species of the whale, with certain species (e.g. humpbacks) giving faster rides. The Sperm Whale was the whale that brought the most thrill, reaching speeds of 23 mph (37 km/h).^[1] The resulting thrill ride for the sailors would last as long as the whale could swim before it became exhausted. Once the whale expended its energy, the sailors would kill it and harvest its oil.

See also

• An engraving from The cruise of the Cachalot.

References

1. ^ "A Nantucket Sleigh Ride". excerpt from the book "You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th-Century Whaling Ship!", 2004, ISBN 978-0-531-16399-3. Salariya Book Company. 2004. http://www.salariya.com/web_books/whaling/sleigh/sleigh.html. Retrieved 2011-06-16.