Pelorus Jack: Part Two of a Whale of a Story

This article is part of a series of 10 appearing every other Monday in the Observer during right whale calving season. Part one, the story of Pelorus Jack, was published Dec. 11.

By Lauri deGaris

Off the coast of New Zealand from Pelorus Sound to Tasman Bay is a stretch of dangerous waters known as French Pass. The narrow pass is no place to be when the sea turns rough. Many ships have wrecked trying to navigate this pass in poor weather conditions.

In 1871, Pelorus Jack arrived on the scene and guided the Schooner Brindle safely through the pass. For the next 40 years, Pelorus Jack met all ships coming into Pelorus Sound and piloted them through treacherous French Pass.

Pelorus Jack is about 14 feet long and bluish-white in color. Many thought he might be a white whale but eventually, scientists classified him as Risso’s dolphin. Many stories suggest that 50 or more Risso’s dolphins were reported to live near French Pass in the early 1800s. It is believed that Pelorus Jack is the sole remaining survivor of this group.

From the deck of a steamer, passengers watch for Pelorus Jack to appear. The captain and crew will wait patiently for Pelorus Jack to arrive before proceeding through French Pass. Stories of Pelorus Jack’s service to humanity date back 11 generations, more than 275 years according to Maori legends. They have a long relationship with Kaikai-o-wara aka, Pelorus Jack.

Not only is Pelorus Jack sociable with passengers on deck, he is an excellent pilot. The Maori call French Pass “Te Au-mitt,” or “the licking or swirling current.” To the east of French Pass is Pelorus Sound, which is generally here at the mouth of the inlet that “Jack” puts in his appearance. He was reported to swim near the bow of the vessel until it reached the entrance to the pass, then disappear.

When a steamer is coming from the opposite direction, bound from Nelson to Wellington, “Jack” is always ready at the entrance of the pass to pilot it for some 10 miles to the east. Altogether his range is about 12 miles.

It makes no difference whether a ship passes the locality by day or night, for Pelorus Jack seems to always be on duty. It has been reported that at night Pelorus Jack’s body is illuminated by the phosphorescent waters and can be seen quite well.

Tales of Pelorus Jack have traveled far and wide. They relate that on the few occasions that Pelorus Jack has not appeared to guide the vessel through the pass, accidents befall the ship. No one in New Zealand or the worldwide maritime industry of the day questioned the human-like intelligence of Pelorus Jack.

However, not everyone understood or appreciated the services Pelorus Jack provided to the maritime industry. In 1904, an English man traveling onboard the steamer “Penguin” awaited the arrival of Pelorus Jack to pilot the vessel through French Pass. To everyone’s great surprise when Pelorus Jack appeared, the man lifted his rifle and shot at him. Passengers and crew jumped into action and relieved the man of his rifle.

The captain of the Penguin immediately lowered a skiff into the water and sent the ship’s surgeon and crew to find Pelorus Jack. They located the dolphin in a cove floating in shallow water. The team was able to see that the bullet only grazed the side of Pelorus Jack’s head. It is said that it took Pelorus Jack a few months to fully recover and return to piloting steamers through French Pass.

This incident outraged many in the maritime industry. It also outraged the New Zealand government. In that same year, a proclamation was issued by Gov. Plunget in Wellington. On Sept. 24, 1904 it became unlawful “for any person to take the fish or mammal of the species (Gampus griseus), in the waters of Cook strait, or of the bays, sounds and estuaries adjacent thereto.” The proclamation by the New Zealand government was put in place to prevent another attack on Pelorus Jack.

Several times over the next few years, the steamer Penguin waited for Pelorus Jack to pilot it through French Pass. It is reported that Pelorus Jack refused to guide the vessel. Then, on Feb. 12, 1909, the Penguin approached Cook Strait as foul weather set in. One hundred two passengers, captain and crew were excited to see Pelorus Jack accompany the steamer for the first mile.

However, just as the Penguin got halfway through the strait, the weather declined sharply and a southern wind reduced visibility. Pelorus Jack submerged into the waves and was not spotted again. The captain reported he could no longer see the Pencarrow Light in Wellington Harbor and gave the order to turn back out to sea until the weather cleared.

Unfortunately, the Penguin was closer to land than the captain realized. As the ship turned it hit the rocks and took on water. The raging sea pulled the ship into the channel. The lifeboats were launched but were immediately swamped. One lifeboat held a woman and young boy underneath. They survived by breathing air trapped in a small pocket under the lifeboat. They washed ashore and walked for help according to maritime news accounts of the wreck.

Seawater flooded the Penguin and soon the boilers exploded, tearing the ship apart, sending the Penguin to the bottom of the sea. Seventy-five people died including 17 women and 14 children.

Pelorus Jack continued to guide ships through Cooks Strait after the wreck of the Penguin in 1909. Pelorus Jack was last seen in 1912 according to the New Zealand Evening Post, 19 Oct. 1944.

Pelorus Jack greeted passengers on boats travelling between Wellington and Nelson from 1871 – 1912. He became world famous for his ability to guide ships through the pass. And many people booked passage on the ferry just to catch a glimpse of this famous dolphin. In 2016, a bronze sculpture of Risso dolphin Pelorus Jack was unveiled at French Pass, near Cooks Strait in New Zealand to honor the service Pelorus Jack provided humanity.

This is a poignant reminder of how we can communicate with other species if we take time to observe and honor their behavior. Pelorus Jack, you are not forgotten.