At Porlock Weir to see the large spring tide, I didn’t anticipate finding the cranium of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Sea-bleached and battered, it lay subsequent to a pile of logs a little bit above the excessive‑water mark.
At first, I assumed it was merely a lump of outdated plastic, maybe a polythene barrel twisted out of practice by winter storms. It had one thing of the yellowy‑whiteness and sculptural, moulded contours of injected polystyrene.
Tutting to myself concerning the quantity of waste washed up on our seashores, I went for a more in-depth look. It was clearly bone, with sutures operating in strains of indecipherable handwriting the place the cranium plates fused. One facet had damaged off the place an eye fixed socket would have been, revealing the marrow reamed out like the within of a rotted tree trunk. On the again was a ugly opening with a stub of spinal twine inside, a lot gnawed and pecked by rats and gulls. The spectacular lengthy jaw with its hanging curtains of baleen was lengthy misplaced, smashed away by the sea.
How did I do know what species it was? Again in late October, a useless fin whale about 50 ft lengthy was recorded floating within the Bristol Channel. I don’t know why it died. These are the second largest cetaceans after blue whales, and this specimen was not significantly giant for its variety.
The physique drifted into Porlock Bay, the place it first washed up on the stony promontory at Gore Level. The tide took it out once more, however a excessive return in early November introduced it again. This time the waves draped it over the harbour groynes, the place it lay like a large, rotting night glove.
Right here it caught quick, and stank. The carcass was reported, after which sawn in half in order that the motion of the ocean might disperse it naturally. It took some weeks earlier than the water was away from whirling shreds of flesh – a feast for crabs. I assumed it had all gone. However there was the cranium beside the harbour automobile park, each on a regular basis and extraordinary, detritus and treasure, value all the things and nothing.
