As we head back into the school season at Sound to Sea we have the exciting addition of the skeleton of a Dwarf Sperm Whale for students to learn from. The reticulation of the bones of this skeleton is a labor of love passed down from many Sound to Sea staff groups. Most Sound to Sea Instructors stay with us for a year or two. This whale first washed ashore at Trinity Center in 2014, making this a 10-year endeavor with at least 60 staff members lending a hand.

The Dwarf Sperm Whale washed ashore on Trinity Center’s beach on March 14. A few of that staff were invited to go to the necropsy (like an autopsy, only for animals) which was done at the Marine Lab at NC State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology to observe and help. While there, Keith Rittmaster from the Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the N.C. Maritime Museum offered Sound to Sea the skeleton to use as a teaching aid in our program.

On a rainy blustery day that March of 2014, the bones were brought back to Trinity Center. The bones were wrapped in hardware cloth and then covered in chicken wire in order to prevent bones from being lost in the sand or from being dug up by foxes and other predators. They were then buried on the top of the dunes just in front of the pavilion. There they stayed for almost two years!

On January 25, 2015, Keith Rittmaster and Josh Summers, one of his assistants, joined Sound to Sea staff to unearth the bones. We first removed roots and the outer covering of soil, and then began a careful dig using shovels. After about ten minutes, we began to find the mesh wire holding the bones and carefully brushed away remaining dirt with gloved hands. One by one, the packets of bones were unearthed and carried to a makeshift archaeology site full of various tools to help organize and document the bones. In pairs, the Sound to Sea staff focused on cleaning, aligning, labeling, and photographing the ribs, vertebrae, skull, teeth, flippers and pectorals. Every bone we looked at was an incredible learning experience, and Keith and Josh had their hands full answering our questions!

A few days later, a lengthy soaking process began in order to de-grease the bones. For several weeks, the staff diligently stirred the bones in an ammonia and Dawn solution that helped remove the rest of the flesh and dirt. After that the bones were soaked in a hydrogen peroxide solution, which aided in whitening the bones and removing any remaining dirt, flesh or bacteria. After the soaking process, the next step was to dry the bones in the sun for a few months. The bones were held in protective cages to keep them dry and to minimize the risk of wild animals gnawing on them. Dry bones were then weighed and assessed for any cracks or damage. The final step before putting together this giant puzzle of bones was to paint them with diluted glue, dry them, and carefully mount them onto a portable frame. 

In June of 2015, the staff created a Go Fund Me Page. Many school groups and members of the diocese donated the funds needed to keep this project going. I have included a link to see the cute video the staff produced to inform folks about our project. As you can see we surpassed that goal and put the funds to good use in the coming years: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/soundtosea

Many years of Sound to Sea staff worked on the sometimes daunting task of reticulating the 177 Sperm Whale bones, not including teeth. We took many trips to Bonehenge, the working lab run by Keith and his dedicated staff to learn how to drill into the bones and the different techniques of putting the bones back together. We used deer bones and other found bones to practice drilling to make sure we knew just how to do it before we began putting holes in our whale’s bones. The vertebral column was held together using a steel rod, and pieces of foam were placed in between each of the vertebra. A resin was also used to firmly fasten the bones into place.

In 2020 the Sound to Sea staff found themselves stuck and unable to figure out how to attach the breast bone to the ribs. It was at this point that we used some of our funds to have Keith and his lab finish putting the skeleton together. As Bonehenge is working on so many projects (some even for the Smithsonian!), it took a few months to get our whale back on property. Once here, we did not have a staff to enjoy using the whale for classes as we were closed due to Covid-19 shut downs. When Sound to Sea was back up and running after the pandemic in the fall of 2021, we started having school groups see the whale in one of our small beachside classrooms. We set out mats to make sure they stayed back from the table so that it did not get jostled in any way.

In October 2023 we spent the rest of our Go Fund Me money on a case for the whale. The construction crew was excited to do this project. They used Plexiglas to create a box around the whale and put it on a wooden stand with wheels. The whale is now displaced in the Sharp building. Next time you come to Trinity Center and are in the Sharp building take a moment to see it and as you do keep in mind the many hands that went into creating this amazing educational opportunity, that school children will see for years to come.