Mountain- Nantucket Sleigh Ride

The term Nantucket Sleigh Ride was used by 19th century whalers . It described the "ride" that members of the harpoonboat were given once they struck a whale with a harpoon. Of course the harpoon was tethered to the boat by a strong rope. When the Whale felt the sting of the harpoon, it went ape shit an took off. Thus the sleigh ride. In 1820 the whaler Essex was rammed and sunk by a Sperm Whale 2,00o miles west of S.America. The crew drifted for 95 days. * of the 21 man crew survived....... by eating the flesh of the other crew members. Owen Coffin was the first to be consumed. This is a true story. It provided inspiration for Herman Melville's book Moby Dick