The Whale Song

The whaling stations on Moreton Island and Byron Bay have been closed for a few decades. Humpback whales seem to be more prevalent. Whale watching is very popular around here at this time of the year as pods migrate to give birth in the warm quiet waters near Fraser Island. 

The first time I saw them up close was from an old prawn trawler that had been converted for tourists. Yesterday a newly born calf was seen near the Gold Coast by one group of excited watchers. Some people will sail whatever craft they can find to get up close to these wonderful cetaceans. 

Let's only hunt them in folk tunes like The Whale Song by Terry Fielding and Fred Dyer:

"So bend your backs and row me lads and take me to me whale.

Tonight we'll sing and dance and tomorrow we will sail.

We'll sail into the harbour no prouder man there'll be

We'll show them all we captured the monster from the see"

"Now a 100 years have passed since the Captain and his men

went down to spend their days in Davy Joneses' den

The whale it goes on living but inside it bears a scar

And if you're ever near that place a voice calls from a far

So bend your backs and row me lads and take me to me whale.

Tonight we'll sing and dance and tomorrow we will sail."