A Whale of a Halloween
BY LUCRETIA VOIGT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Nantucket is known for its whales. Once the whaling capital of the world, the face of Nantucket affixed to most tourist wear is a whale, Nantucket's public school has a whale for a mascot, and green slacks worn by only the most preppy tourists are adorned with pink whales. Nantucket's largest museum is the Whaling Museum which houses the skeleton of a sperm whale. It is no wonder that the Nantucket Historical Association decided it was time to bring the elusive talisman to life in the form of Clara the Sperm Whale.

COURTESY OF THE NHA Stacey Stuart as Clara the Sperm Whale, the Grand Marshall of this year's Holloweeen Parade & Pageant, which begins at 5 p.m. tonight at the foot of Main Street.

Breathing life into a legend does not happen by chance. There is usually a story attached, and Clara's beginnings are no different. To find out how it all began, we of course had to go straight to the horse's mouth - or in this case, the whale's spout.

"There is a little story behind Clara," recalled Stacey Stuart, Events Coordinator at the NHA. "When we were building the museum and raising funds, laughingly I said, 'If we get a whale costume, I'll be a dancing whale outside to draw people in.' It became a joke. So, when Bill [Tramposch] came to the museum, he didn't know the history, but thought getting a mascot for the Museum would be a good idea. I went on vacation, and there was quite a bit of plotting behind my back. They researched getting a costume online, but they couldn't find any sperm whales. They asked Clara Urbahn to make a costume, and she agreed. One night after I returned from vacation they brought Clara the Sperm Whale out and said 'Here's your whale costume!' I had to put my money where my mouth was! The good thing was that I was tickled to be wearing her."

Clara the Sperm Whale, named in honor of her creator Clara Urbahn, is over 10 feet long, including her tail, and about four feet tall. She sports a cascade of large white plumes from her spout. "She's quite a remarkable costume," explained Stuart. "Clara Urbahn is amazing at what she has designed. The costume actually looks heavier than it is. Clara [the Sperm Whale] is hollow on the inside. I'm strapped into her - almost like harnessed in to carry her. She's cumbersome, but not heavy."

Due to her size, Clara the Sperm Whale can be a bit of a bull in a china shop. The person inside the costume does not have use of her peripheral vision and must rely on "Clara Handlers." According to Stuart, "You can't turn quickly or you will knock someone down. The handlers are like Clara's own little Secret Service."

Last year, Clara the Sperm Whale brought up the rear of the Halloween parade. Stuart took her place inside, dancing first up Main Street, then in front of the Whaling Museum, just as she promised. "After we walked up the parade, we were out in front of the Museum," Stuart recalled. "The kids' eyes would get huge when they saw Clara [the Sperm Whale]. There certainly are people who know about whales, especially on Nantucket. Nowadays, kids are also enthralled with underwater life. There were a couple of kids, four years old or so, who would squat down and stick their head into Clara's mouth to see what was inside. The kids are just absolutely amazed."

This year, Clara the Sperm Whale will be the Grand Marshall of the Halloween Parade, leading the ghosts, ghouls and kids dressed as their favorite superheroes up Main Street. Stuart will be safely ensconced inside, dancing her whale dance, still happy to be bringing Clara the Sperm Whale to life and amazing both kids and adults

while trying not to knock them over. I