How many?

Some of the ancient accounts of Whales on the Southern Fleurieu talk about Encounter Bay as being a breeding ground for hundreds of whales. It is almost impossible to take in. At times the water is so shallow in the Bay that it must almost have been possible to walk along their backs.
Indeed the cruel way that they were brought in was to harpoon the calves and drag them into the Bay. The plaintive cries would draw the mothers and they would find themselves trapped. The whalers would then clamber over the dying carcasses and fininish them off. The shallow waters of the Bay would run with the blood of the dying whales. Cruel stuff.
We get excited when we see 3 or 4, it helps us to understand the magnitude of the exploitation when we see the stark numerical decline from hundreds to those that can be numbered on one hand. It helps us to understand when we engage with the cruelty necessary to effectively cull whales for what ever purpose. The Japanese almost seem noble by contrast!!

Some interesting FAQ's are found here at the SA Whale Centre