Happy 43rd Exploding Whale Day!

Today — November 12, 2013 — marks the 43rd anniversary of Oregon’s Exploding Whale. So, Happy Exploding Whale Day to you!

Of course, we’re all missing George Thornton, the Oregon highway engineer most responsible for the infamous blubber blast. He passed away just over two weeks ago.

Alas, life goes on. And occasionally we even learn something new, such as this gem from The Oregonian which had escaped me until today:

November 12, 1970. A day that will live in infamy. And hilarity. Call it Infalarity. Or Hilaramy. Whatever. But 43 years ago today, on November 12, 1970, at 3:45 p.m., the famous Exploding Whale – yes, THAT exploding whale — was blown up on the Oregon coast, in Florence. Meanwhile, in Portland, some 132 miles away as the exploding whale blubber flies, Tonya Harding was born.

Yes, that Tonya Harding.

Even if you don’t care about Tonya, you need to click through so you can read the first-ever set of “Tonya-and-the-Exploding-Whale” limericks!