Fifty-four years ago and around 100 miles away, Florence, Oregon witnessed a hailstorm of blubber as a beached whale was filled with explosives and blasted away. On Nov. 12, 1970, the Highway Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was compelled to action by the danger the decaying corpse posed to those who might climb on and fall in. ODOT saw dynamite as the best solution. Coming upon the anniversary of this event, we can look back on these decisions with a different perspective. 

When interviewed by Oregon Coast reporter Larry Bacon, George Thornton, the engineer in charge of the operation, considered the execution a success. This “success” caught the residents and visitors of Florence completely by surprise with a shower of whale remnants and a stench so strong it lingered for days.

Immediately after the explosion, researchers debated on an alternative route for the future. At the time, they came up with the idea of simply burying the whale. Since then, researchers have believed that leaving the body to decompose on the beach is the best option. Doing so provides food for scavengers and nutrients for the surrounding environment.

This method was used recently on a whale that washed ashore near Astoria on Feb. 12, although it has its problems — consequences don’t include raining whale bits, but an exposed corpse is a hazardous distraction for beach-goers. Crowds are advised to avoid the temptation to approach whale corpses, as they can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, dogs and other animals. 

To commemorate Oregon’s eye-opening disaster of 1970, a new park was opened on the 50th anniversary of the explosion. Florence residents voted for the name “Exploding Whale Memorial Park,” immortalizing the drama of Nov. 12 all those years ago. While the event is not often looked upon fondly today, it has served as an example for years of what not to do when a whale washes ashore.