Time Frame - Bolides/meteor showers and whale strandings. Full report coming, update with minor changes, 1839 to present.

Whale-stranding figures are badly assembled. The earliest I have found was in 1839. A pod of Black Dolphins were located on a beach in South Australia. From here on information is sparse, for a while at least. Odd strandings of the single whale, a pair of individuals here and there, and the occasional meteor were seen. Then in 1860 the bolides arrived. Two major ones in South Australia that had a Bass Strait relationship. Ironically, and the only time its written, 1860 was described as a poor season for whales. Then in 1861 the Great Victorian Bolide event rocked the colony. Melbourne dodged a bullet. From then on the years started to produce whales more and more coming onto the beaches. Yes, whaling had something to do with this, undoubtedly but there was momentum starting. The reason I say this is that people were amazed when they saw one, literally trains, (later in the 1900's) would be filled with thousands descending to see one. So its well documented when a single whale was found dead on a beach let alone one swimming in the sea. So there is very good information flowing through the records.

By 1874 the bolides were hitting New Zealand and were spreading north throughout the Australian continent. These caused great excitement and like whale strandings well documented. So the skies started to was a shooting gallery. It seems it was a global situation with events documented all over the world, some very well known cases of impacts, simple rock falls and airbursts were freaking people out. Mass fish kills were documented sometimes and the whales kept coming. No mass strandings but basically the whalers were shooting anything within sight so it wasn't possible to really know. The word “stranding' didn't seem to be a popular phrase they used, it was more opportunity when they did strand. You have to remember whales were shot for sport or just fun. If you weren't clubbing seals you were running whales ashore and taking pitchforks to them and skinning them alive.

Then in 1899, a bolide exploded off the coast of Bellinger Heads in New South Wales, resulting in mass fish deaths. On March 16, an extremely violent bolide explosion caused severe tremors resonating from three distinct explosions. The meteoroid was travelling NE to SW over the coast 30km south of Coffs Harbor. Fish disruption was witnessed over 10 km inland along Bellinger River. Dead fish were reported washed along 10km of the coast the next day, some rather large ones. Remember this was an airburst, not an impact. What would be the consequences for marine life if it had been an impact?

It seemed the bolides were increasing in violence until they became extreme. A couple of violent bolides in Queensland were the start of tremor-type bursts of energetic breakups. The following are just examples of the strongest noted. In 1901, on November 11, Western Australia, a bolide came in from the Indian Ocean and burst as it traversed the coast 140km south of Perth at Bunbury. The other was in 1902, January 7, NSW at Werris Creek. It was travelling from NW to NE. Two sonic booms were reported when it entered the atmosphere west of Tamworth eventually crossing the coast at Jervis Bay 400 km away still dismantling before disappearing across the Tasman Sea.

In 1908 Tuntuska, Russia was struck by the most powerful explosion ever experienced by modern man. Across the world, not a month goes by without a report of some large meteor falling. This was the start of bolides in Australia going from the odd frightening event to a very real reality. On February 15, a mild bolide burst was seen in Bass Strait that was seen from Victoria. In May 6 and 19, two large meteoroids were seen in Hobart and surrounds both heading south. On May 28, New South Wales, a bolide burst over Cobar causing a violent tremor lasting 30 seconds. On, July 22, Victoria, Bass Strait, South of Bairnsdale, multiple meteors were observed, which were probably objects from a breakup of a primary body. Eventually, in September, five cachalots washed ashore at the Murray River mouth in South Australia at Goolwa.

In 1911, Tasmania, at Perkins Island in the north 37 cachalots were stranded and died.

Because of WWI data is scarce because of the turmoil in world politics, however, there were reports. In 1914, on September 15, a meteoroid over Bass Strait was seen during the day. It left a trail 100 km long in the sky. Any debris would have impacted approximately 300km west of King Island. There was one reported in 1917, November, Tasmania, Cloudy Bay, when 120-130 Black Dolphins.

In 1918, the world's worse stranding happened with 1000 Black Dolphins beaching themselves in the Cachtam Islands east of New Zealand. In 1919 the bolides were documented again and whales kept coming ashore, for all sorts of reasons. In 1924 England and Ireland had an impact at sea and a meteor causing a fireball that killed fish and birds respectively. Then in 1926 the bolides picked up in Australia, going from uncommon events to common. In 1927 bolides from Queensland down to Bass Strait corresponded with mass fish deaths in the coastal waters of NSW. In 1929 it started to get extreme. Three massive explosions in the Indian Ocean in June resulted in the first case of a Bottlenose dolphin pod washing ashore. Then in October, an extreme bolide airburst off the coast in NSW near Coffs Harbor resulted in fish deaths. The explosion was near Solitary Island and for two weeks dead fish washed up on the coast. This rolling bolide death sequence didn't stop. A massive bolide south of New Caledonia was terrible, corresponding with the migration of Shearwater birds. This bolide was accompanied by one off the coast of NSW and another that nearly hit a lighthouse in New Zealand that impacted the water. Into January and February, dead birds were washing up across Bass Strait. This track continued with whale strandings becoming increasingly common with more and more happening. This was even as the whaling industry was flourishing. In 1930, 100 black Dolphins washed up in New Zealand after a bolide burst described as extremely violent impacted the Tasman Sea. In far north Western Australia the following year a bolide burst on the coast coincided with a whale washing ashore.

In 1930, July 21, Queensland, Southport, A extreme bolide crashed into sea south off Cook Island west of Point Danger just after 8am. This came in at the same time the other one did in northern New South Wales (See same day, Multi-event, below). The low altitude passing and accompanying detonation shook houses and scared animals. It was witnessed in places over 300 km apart. Electrical interference, violent tremor (felt 10km inland) and sonic boom created a thunder that lasted 90 seconds. A dull thud was heard on impact.

On the same day in New South Wales, Billinudgel, three different meteoroids flew over coast into the sea. The first two were small at 4am and 8am, however, a larger one came in at 10am. A sonic boom occurred 3 minutes after its sighting. Further into the year; another violent bolide entered the Tasman Sea in August. Even though I can't link these events it is interesting to note that in New Zealand from July to October, a Blue Whale and 100+ Black Dolphins washed ashore. Here in Australia, a third whale in a year came ashore at Esperance.

In 1931, July 9, Victoria, a bolide travelling north was seen over the eastern sky as it passed the Gabo Island lighthouse. The tremor was felt 10 minutes later. The explosion was calculated to have originated 112km east of Bodalla New South Wales in the Tasman Sea. The largest event was four meteoroids over two events from Queensland to Central New South Wales.

In 1932 a small impact in rural NSW created a tremor felt 40 km away. Bolides and dead whales were regularly seen. In 1934 the Tasman Sea was hit again resulting in bird deaths with a toll described as the worst ever seen.

The next year a bolide was seen travelling into Bass Strait from South Australia. Months later 300 Black Dolphins are stranded in Stanley in NW Tasmania. This is an interesting circumstance because I can't place this into my probable cases because of a time frame I have set myself; just a commonsense timeframe. What it does refer to me is that where there is debris coming in, the chances of other parts of this stream being just as violent are almost 100%. As I've said before these streams can stretch out considerably and debris can come into the same area minutes, hours, weeks, months or even years later. So it gives you an understanding of the complexity of the issue and what we are missing or should I say what we are not encountering out there in the wide ocean expanse. Also in 1935, October 14, Australia, Tasmania, Stanley, East Inlet, 300 Black Dolphins, 10 to 25 feet. Wounds, injured. Out of 194 examined there were 80 males and 114 females.

The 1936 event is more straightforward. A bolide exploded 440 km south of South Australia. The bolide classed as violent crossed the Victorian border region SW of Warrnambool. Its approximate airburst/impact was near the continental shelf. Two weeks later a Cachalot washed up at Stanley, Tasmania. At this stage, Tasmania was ablaze with meteors and continued for the next month. Then three strandings occurred over days at relatively the same location. These occurred west of Stanley when 21 Black Dolphins came ashore at West Inlet Beach. Twelve were found at one location and another nine 3.5 km away. Two days later at Walkers Island (Small Island above Robins Island, 20 km west of Stanley), another 20 Black Dolphins were stranded. Then seven days after this at Robins Island, another 124 Black Dolphins became stranded. This brought the grand total to 165. For the next 8 months from Victoria to Queensland there were over 8 violent bolides, five of which caused tremors. Almost the same time in May 100+ False Killer Whales were stranded and died at Adventure Bay South of Hobart at Bruny Island.

1937 (Still working on this year).

1938 to 1943 WWII. Strandings and bolides did occur however I think these are underreported. In 1943 there was a multiple bolide event on the north coast of Tasmania. It was spectacular. Six giant explosive fireballs over 9 hours. These were highly dangerous and it was lucky no one was injured or killed.

Then in August 1944, in South Australia, a bolide was seen travelling SW heading towards the continental shelf west of King Island. Over a month later a split stranding occurred at Port Gawler of 250 then 50 Black Dolphins; a total of 300 individuals. This stranding showed to me that there were two types of stranding. The spread out or multiple/split stranding is caused by concussion and the compact pod stranding is caused to panic.

In 1945 no strandings or bolides were detected.

In 1946, 150 Black Dolphins were stranded at Manns Beach in Victoria. In South Australia, a pod of Orca were found beached. Even though I can't link bolides to these events the following happened. Two explosive bolides were detected in the months before in NSW. Both these bolides were frightening to the people underneath them. Then another was seen later on in the year in a slow break-up over Bass Strait. So the bolides were active during this period.

1947, (Currently working on two strandings).

1948 was quiet.

In 1949 a bolide travelled in from Bass Strait and crossed Melbourne. Nine days later a whale washed onto rocks at Port Phillip Island. On November 19, South Australia, a meteoroid impacted the sea south of Victor Harbor.

The 1950 strandings are very interesting and frustrating at the same time. I would say there is something here that can link all this. In mid February a large meteoroid was seen travelling NE across the Tasman Sea. It was described as larger than the full moon. A week or so later a pod of 70 Orca were found on Flinders Island stretching 32 kilometres. To me this was a concussion-based event. The whales were decomposing which suggested a split stranding. So even if the bolide before this was big and violent it didn't add up. Then I thought about the decomposition information and looked back in time. I thought about the August bolide however this was to the east of Flinders Island. So I looked at New Zealand and found a meteoroid stream had been travelling into the Tasman Sea late in the year of 1949. This stream was in the same direction as a later event in April 1950 when a daytime bolide travelling “slow” traversed the Bass Strait for several minutes. This stream had been going on for 3 weeks until a cachalot washed up at Portland in Victoria. This would have been basically at the same time the Orca's washed ashore.

1951 to 1952 (Still processing).

1953 was the year of a peculiar incident involving a mass fish death. The meteoroid stream extended from Queensland down to Tasmania. One violent bolide was observed in a four-minute breakup when it travelled east to west. In Bass Strait almost every night from the 1st to 21st high altitude meteors were seen traversing the sky. In February a 100 km long mass of fish, described as a saltwater species, was located between Gabo Island and Wilsons Promontory. It took a ship five hours to steam through it. In 1954 no mass strandings were recorded however some events need to be shown to show two things; what was going on in the atmosphere and that these events were common. In July a bolide burst in central Australia. It had a flight time of five minutes over Lake Ayre. Reports came in 500 kilometres away. And people saw the cloud 150km away. The most serious episode probably in Australia's history was the close call in August when a bolide flew over Sydney and impacted the sea. If it had been a couple of seconds slower it would have wiped out a city block. Two days later a second hit the sea after travelling over Canberra. These two meteoroids were connected, there is little doubt of this. These events closed the bolide era, sort of.

1955, December 22, Tasmania, Marion Bay, 200 Black Dolphins.

1956, (Month Unknown), Tasmania, Marion Bay, 20 Black Dolphins.

1957. (Still working on events)

1958 (Data Blind), September 19, South Australia, Seal Bay, 50 Black Dolphins, Kangaroo Island. Calves up to 20 foot Adults.

1959 to 1962 all was quiet. This was seven years of no bolides and no strandings. This is significant or coincidence however it is extraordinary after the previous six decades. What happened next would make it even more intriguing. Out of the blue in July 22^nd - 24^th 1963 a fisherman by the name of Mr K Ashaman was on his boat in the Great Australian Bight off the coast of South Australia. All of a sudden a meteor glowing like the sun passed over his boat and landed in the sea with a terrific roar. Two weeks later a farmer by the name of Mr H. Gurney reported he had found a pod of 59 whales dead on a beach 8 miles east of Eucla near the Western Australia, South Australian border. The longest was 18 feet and consisted of 35 females, 24 bulls and 3 calves. They were scattered along a 4.5 km stretch of beach that, by my observations into strandings, had all the hallmarks of a concussion stranding.

1964, NEW ZEALAND BANS WHALING.

In November 1964 at Friendly Beaches in Tasmania a unknown number of False Killer Whales stranded and died. The next month just north at Bicheno, on December 16, at Friendly Beaches, 50+ False Killer Whales died. These two strandings could be a split stranding of the same pod.

In 1965, July 14, Tasmania, Flinders Island, North West River and Suichui Inlet, over 100 Black Dolphins were found dead over 4km of coast, a possible CTE because of split stranding. Average length was 20 feet.

After this, apart from a bright meteor travelling over Bega there were no bolide/whale deaths until 1967.

1967, March 26, Tasmania, Pardoe Beach, 150 Black Dolphins.

An interesting point to make about this date is that six years later 59 cachalots were stranded in New Zealand. A concussion event. It was the first time this had ever happened. The only thing I can think of is that the numbers quickly responded to protection measures or the bolides were travelling south. I think both had a hand in this.

From here on in it seems whales did arrive and die on Australian beaches but they were very much in the south of Australia and individuals not pods. As I mentioned above it seems bolides did exactly this. What makes me think this is that all the time this bolide activity was going on before, and apart from a handful of events, Tasmania seems to have been the quietest of all the states. I know geographically it's small however it appears Queensland, from Brisbane to Bass Strait, was the hot spot, and that was latitude correct over the continent. There also appears to be a pause and then a pulse of issues as you will see to the south of Tasmania. Whether bolides are completely left is unknown, and more research is needed, however from the data, that I will continue with, this seems to be the case. And it appears they are on the way back. Whale pod deaths are telling us something and I think plankton plumes fed by bolide iron is the answer to this.

1970, Tasmania, Cape Grim, September 58 cachalots died, this was a nursery pod with 48 females and 10 males, most juveniles.

1971, No bolides however 32 cachalots stranded and died at Stanley.

1972, a pod of 27 cachalots became stranded at Strahan in Tasmania. This was the first time this had happened since 1911 when 37 stranded at NW Tasmania, 3 years after the Tunguska event in Russia.

1973, No bolides so far. January 14, Tasmania, Boomer Beach, Maria Is., 33 Black Dolphins, mostly females but one male, 4.2 m.

1974 No bolides so far. In 1974 at Perkins Island in Tasmania, on June 18, 43 False Killer Whales were stranded and died.

In 1975, February 18-19, Tasmania, Two Mile Beach, Dunalley, 200 Black Dolphins. The sex ratio was 39:54. The mean total length of 39 males was 5.055 m and of 54 females was 4.087 m. Later in the month on the 28, Tasmania, Two Mile Beach, Dunalley, two Black Dolphins. In October, three Cachalots were stranded at Flinders Island in Tasmania. I haven't found any bolide activity as of today for this event. In December, Tasmania, from Adam's Bay to Simpson's Point on the Channel side of Bruny Island, 109 Common Dolphins, The only large stranding of this species in Tasmania, Stranded over about 30 km of shore. (PCTE).

In 1976, no bolides or whale strandings detected. (still working on these dates).

1977, March 18-19, Tasmania, Ocean Beach, Strahan, 5 Black Dolphins.

In 1978, 253 False Killer whales stranded at Pukekohe, North Island, New Zealand. I'm hoping to find something to link this event to bolide activity.

1978, NEW ZEALAND PROVIDES PROTECTION OF ALL MARINE MAMMALS

1978, COMMERCIAL WHALING BANNED IN AUSTRALIA.

1979, no bolides or whale stranding detected, (Still researching)

1979, AUSTRALIA ENDS WHALING IN TERRITORIAL WATERS.

In 1980, January 26, a bolide burst was detected over Bass Straight. In March south of Trial Harbour in Tasmania; three Cachalots stranded. The carcasses were decomposing.

From 1981 to 1985 no bolides were detected. Whale stranding were the following. I'm only showing mass strandings and shorten it to make a point. Mass means more than one to me.

1981, Macquarie Harbour, Braddons Head, Strahan, Tasmania; 26 Cachalots stranded, 17 died.

1981, Fotheringate Bay, Flinders Island, Tasmania; two Cachalots were stranded and died.

1982, Ocean Beach, Strahan, Tasmania; 14 Cachalots stranded and died.

1982, Seven Mile Beach, Perkins Beach. Stanley, Tasmania. 8 Cachalots.

1982, Perkins Bay, Stanley, Tasmania; 9 Cachalots stranded, 4 survived.

1983, Victoria, Beach between Point Hicks and Mallacoota. 87 dead Black Dolphins.

1983, Double Sandy Point Bay, Tasmania, 90 - 120 Black Dolphins.

1984, Perkins Bay, Stanley, Tasmania; 8 Cachalots stranded and died.

1985, north NSW, 28 False Killer whales (Tasmanian Whales), refloated 21, Crowdy Head.

The above shows that the bolides were south of Tasmania. Apart from one mass stranding in NSW, the last one, they were all located in Tasmania. Totals, 57 Cachalot deaths, 207 Black Dolphins and 21 False Orca.

1986, WHALING BANNED.

The years 1986 to 1991 I call the Book End era. New Zealand and Tasmania. In 1986, in Western Australia, the Unfortunatelymouth of Blackwood River, Augusta, 5 False Killer Whales washed ashore. In 1987 and 1988, no bolides or strandings in Australia. On January 24, 1988, in New Zealand, a violent bolide exploded on the east coast of the North Island at sea. It created a low-pressure sonic boom. In February a Minke whale washed up dead.

On September 28, Western Australia, Augusta, 40 False Killer Whales. Found 30km east of Augusta. After a two-day rescue attempt 32 were saved. Unfortunatly on October 1, 23 False Killer Whales died on an inaccessible beach near the first stranding. Probable Split stranding of a larger pod.

To end 1988 in Tasmania, 20 Black Dolphins. They were found along a 3 km of coast line south of the Pieman River. The following year in Whangarei, New Zealand, North Island, 46 Black Dolphins. Then another 40 Black Dolphins at Ninety Mile Beach in New Zealand. In 1990 four Rough Toothed Dolphins were stranded and died at South Island New Zealand, Marlborough. Then in 1991 at Sandy Cape Tasmania 160 Black Dolphins were stranded and died. As you can see there is a pattern in location.

At the start of 1992 it continued in this motion when 76 Black Dolphins were stranded and died at Strahan in Tasmania. Then a stranding in the middle of the year in NSW at Seal Rocks near Forster where 47 False Killer whales, the majority that were saved, seemed to be the catalyst of something new brewing.

The bolides arrived, or should I say, seen again. The first was inland in Queensalnd. It was large and violent. Then on the same day in Canberra, a number of large bolides were witnessed. To cap it off Tasmania was in the firing line with multiple bolides witnessed. The sky was active on the east coast. Then in the same month 10km north of Bicheno, Tasmania, 200 Black Dolphins were found stretched out along 200 m of beach. It was the third stranding within 12 months; that's 426 Black Dolphins in 12 months in Tasmania alone. But it didn't stop. A lone heavy meteor shower broke out on the NSW – Queensland border. It showed trouble was still in the air and culminated in more strandings in Tasmania with 76 Black Dolphins and then 10 Cachalots beaching themselves.

There was a six-month break then in April 1993 the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, were again under bolide attack. Dozens were seen travelling east from Australia into the Tasman. Later on in the year 134 Black Dolphins washed up in split strandings in New Zealand. South Australia recorded its 17^th whale stranding in a year and a Humpback washed up dead in NSW.

In 1994 it was semi-quiet. A meteor impacted the ground in South Australia, there was a bolide burst in central Australia and a single Cachalot washed up in New Zealand.

In 1995 an interesting set of events are correlated together with further research needed. In May an extremely violent air burst from a bolide occurred NE of Perth. This came after a fish kill from Albany to Victoria and up to NSW occurred involving millions of pilchards. Something happened to do this and hot weather or poisoning doesn't fit. Not linked but eventful was in December down in Antarctica where a bolide burst over the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica lasted one minute. This was an extremely violent event that can only be described as destructive atmospheric bruising.

From 1996 to 2003, 8 years, it was quiet for both bolides and strandings, only single whales consisting of a calf and a single Southern Right Whale.

2002, FIRST WINDFARM INSTALLED IN AUSTRALIA. This in itself represents that windfarms are not the cause of whale stranding because strandings were happening before this. New Zealand installed its first turbine in 1993 and was a single land unit. The first whole-scale structure farm was built in 1996 with seven turbines and another eight in 2004.

From 2003 to early 2020. Due to data blinds, it is hard for me to attempt to explain or deliver any results within this time frame. Given time the story should be completed, however, I really couldn't say anything credible at the moment. I'm sure the answers will come once I gain the information required. There are some major strandings, and one the worst in Tasmania's modern history, so it should be interesting to resolve this event. I will say a bolide was detected however I need to make sure this was responsible by locating further information. Finally in this section is between 2003 and 2020 there were 8 mass strandings each in NZ, Tasmania and WA and one each in QLD, SA and Victoria.

In late 2020 I have the added benefit of Pacific Ocean satellite data. In November, bolides were detected around Chatman Islands, 15th -37.4, -176.0, 16th, -42.4, -166.2. Unfortunately, 100 Black Dolphins and a single Common Dolphin were stranded at Wailang West, Chatman Islands. Luckily a research ship at the Huon Marine Park south of Tasmania caught a very bright bolide on camera. Even though this is far away from the stranding location it shows the bolides were active across the ocean latitude.

In 2021, no bolides or whale strandings witnessed or detected.

In 2022 a bolide was detected in March (-45.9, -171.4), East of New Zealand. The next day 31 Black Dolphins stranded on the South Island.

There is two very serious stranding in Tasmania in September with 14 Cachalots deaths at King Island and 230 Black Dolphins at Strahan. Only 44 survived.

In July, August, September and October bolides surrounded Chatham Islands which resulted in a split stranding of 480 Black Dolphins.

In 2023, 97 Black Dolphins strand at Cheynes Beach, east of Albany, Western Australia. This is the second time I can say a meteor shower was responsible for a stranding. A panic stranding. Panic stranding seem to be prolonged or quick by the state of the animals. A average meteor might only have a 25 db sting to the ears however when you start muliplying this over hundreds and then thousands over hours and ten of thousands over weeks you can see how a dolphin with highly tuned echolocation could get incredibly tormented. One observer counted over 200,000 an hour and another 20 a second. At 25dp each the calculation is astronomical. Once irritated and on the move, pushed away from food sources, unable to rest peacefully; this would lead to discontent and confusion within the pod dynamics until the pod starts falling like a pack of cards. Also what else is coming in that humans don't detect or understand that dolphins are picking up on.

Strandings can also be extremely traumatic for those who try to rescue them.