Whalers and Sealers

 Yesterday we started learning about whalers and sealers. We had to answer questions.

Whalers and sealers came to New Zealand Because they were looking to exploit local resources. They came around the 1820’s. They were also the first Europeans to arrive in New Zealand. The sealers came to New Zealand around 1791. They were the second Europeans to arrive.

People did Sealing and whaling to get products. They went whaling to get oil then they threw away the rest of the whale. Nowadays there's some countries that still do it. New Zealand is trying to stop it. They have found more ways to use the whale such as cartilage, and spermaceti . Seals were killed for their fur. To make into hats and jackets that look fashionable.

Whalers noted rope onto harpoons then fired it into the whales. The whale would drag it till it was tired and gave up. They would pull the rope in and get the whales. While killing seals some of the men slipped on rocks and drowned. They would kill the seals as fast as they could in groups then take their skin off and hanged it up to dry.

Whalers and sealers congregated in Antipodes, Auckland, Bounty, Campbell, Chatham, Macquarie and Snares Islands. In 1797 American whalers arrived and in the 1830's the french whalers arrived. There was a shore station in Dusky sounds for sealing.