What is meant by Nantucket sleigh ride?

: a run in a whaling boat fast to a harpooned whale.

What does sleigh Ride mean?

/sleɪ/ a large sled (= vehicle for traveling over snow and ice) pulled by animals, esp. horses: a sleigh ride. (Definition of sleigh from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

How fast was a Nantucket sleigh ride?

23 mph
The speed of the sleigh ride could reach up to 23 mph (37 km/h) and some powerful species of whale could dive and drag the longboat and its occupants beneath the surface. Once the whale had exhausted its energy, the sailors (if still afloat and alive) would kill the whale and harvest its oil for lighting and heating.

Who wrote Nantucket Sleighride?

Felix Pappalardi
Gail Collins Pappalardi
Nantucket Sleighride/Composers

How old is Nantucket?

The town of Nantucket was incorporated in 1687, and the county was formed in 1695. Whaling, begun in the early 18th century, reached its peak as a Nantucket industry just before the American Revolution, when the island was home port to more than 125 whaling ships.

Who sang Nantucket sleigh?

Mountain
Nantucket Sleighride/Artists

What language is sleigh?

Dutch
The word sleigh comes from the Dutch word ‘slee’, a shortened form of the word ‘slede’ meaning ‘vehicle mounted on runners for use on snow’. The word sleigh originated in American and Canadian English around 1703.

When was Nantucket Sleighride released?

January 1971
Nantucket Sleighride/Release date
Nantucket Sleighride is the second studio album by American hard rock band Mountain, released in January 1971 by Windfall Records.

Is Nantucket snobby?

Both islands, of course, are summer paradises of great natural beauty. They are also very expensive, very exclusive, and very preppy. Nantucket, the broad-brush argument goes, is just more extreme in all categories. But, Willauer and others said, being “snobby” was precisely what made Nantucket better.

Why is Nantucket famous?

Nantucket is known for whaling, Nantucket bay scallops, foggy weather, lighthouses (three of them!), Main Street, Cisco Brewers, fantastic fishing, iconic holidays like Nantucket Stroll and the Daffodil Festival and the Rainbow Fleet. …

Who did Mississippi Queen?

“Mississippi Queen” is a song by the American rock band Mountain. Considered a rock classic, it was their most successful single, reaching number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 record chart in 1970.

What was the purpose of the Nantucket Sleighride?

Nantucket sleighride. A Nantucket sleighride was a term used by Nantucket whalers to describe what occurs immediately following the harpooning of a whale. The whale, distressed by the harpoon, attempts to flee and thus drags the whalers’ longboat along with it. The speed of the “sleigh ride” would vary depending on the species of the whale,…

What kind of whale was on the Nantucket Sleighride?

A Nantucket sleighride was a termed used by whalers to describe the result of harpooning a whale, usually a sperm whale.

Who was the youngest person to write the song Nantucket Sleighride?

Leslie West recalls the song with mixed feelings: “Felix came up with the idea, and Gail wrote the lyrics. Owen Coffin was the youngest guy in the long boat they sent to harpoon the sperm whale.

Who was killed in Nantucket Sleighride by Gail West?

In the end Nantucket Sleighride would hold bitter-sweet memories for West, after Gail shot and killed Felix in 1983. “There were terrible problems with heroin in Mountain. In the beginning they were a great husband and wife team, but when the dope started she got the hook in him and it was out of control.