Ooh, and here, of course, is the big-time Martha’s Vineyard thing: Whaling.
LORELAIThey have whaling?
LUKENot any more, it’s just a fun fact. ‘Martha’s Vineyard was one of the world’s largest whaling ports.’ Says here, people used every part of the whale back then. The most important being spermacetti, used in candle production. Yuck. They couldn’t think of a less gross substance used for candles?
LORELAIYou know, it’s a good thing I don’t drive a compact.
LUKEHerman Melville once shipped out of Martha’s Vineyard. Here’s a quote from Moby Dick! ‘Oars! Oars!…grip your oars, and clutch your souls, now! My God…pull, men.’ Wait a second. That isn’t the pulling they had to do to get the spermacetti, is it?
LORELAII don’t think so. Let’s go. We’re already late.
LUKEComing. Now, what else, what else, what else? ‘The first people on the island of Martha’s Vineyard were Indians of the Wampanoag tribe. This tribe still makes up a large part of the town originally called Gay Head.’ Hmm. Figures. The Indians survived poverty, disease, then get stuck living in a place called Gay Head.
LORELAII guess.
LUKEDo you think there’s any connection between Gay Head and spermacetti? Ha, ha.
LORELAIGilmore Girls
“A Vineyard Valentine” – ep. #124, original airdate 02/14/06
Written by Daniel Palladino
Perhaps the writer did research on this page?