Kevan Smith - Wales Whales

I think it is marvellous what great voices they have.

Some are large and wet and some hang around Snowdonia, Cardiff and Swansea….even Anglesea or Penygader.  Some have personalities and swivelling hips and get women’s underwear thrown at them.  Some do breaching, lobtailing and spyhopping. In antiquity, some used to pose as women and hang around dangerous rocky outcrops, perhaps singing songs, and luring hapless sailors to their deaths; or at least go mad and be tired to their masts.

I’ve heard of really big Blue ones who are the biggest animals that ever lived or smaller ones with long unicorn spikes on their heads.  Some are just Right; some have Humpbacks, just thinking, could Quasimodo sing and was he from Wales?  I’m told the Anglo-Saxons name for them meant ‘foreigners’ but only the ones that don’t live in water.  They’re not foreign to Antartica or any of the oceans actually.

We have all heard their beautiful songs. Tom and Bonny, even dear Dame Shirley and let’s not forget that Goon, Harry S.  They’re all whales or from Wales at least.  Their voices are strong and deep and powerful, travelling for miles both underwater and on top and hold many records. There are the toothless baleens and teethed Grays and Fin or Minke and even Sperm wales - I think Tom was a Sperm.  How about Orcas or Beaked and Pilots all happily living on the west coast of England.