Two facts for the price of one?

You heard right—it's a fun fact EXTRAVAGANZA!

Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. Today’s fact is smack dab in the middle of things.

Photo by David Ireland on Unsplash

Nebraska is the only U.S. state to be triple-landlocked — and whaling is banned in the state.

Nebraska has a few notable things going for it. The Little League World Series is an exciting time in Omaha every year. Alliance, a city in the northwest part of the state, has a fun “Carhenge” attraction. The movie Nebraska with Bruce Dern and Will Forte is an understated yet very moving film.

Nebraska is also great for people who hate the sea because you have to cross at least three other states or countries to even set foot in the ocean.

This map does a nice job of illustrating just how tucked Nebraska is. Yes, it does border the Mississippi River, though the term “landlocked” typically refers to a state that doesn’t touch the ocean, seaport, or other saltwater. That excludes rivers, lakes, and puddles that cars drive through to splash mud on a guy who’s just trying to walk home in the rain.

Every state has some peculiar rules among its bylaws. Nebraska has many, in fact. If you have gonorrhea, you can’t get married. Sneezing or burping during a church service is a no-no. Do you have false teeth? They better not be made from leather, or you shouldn’t head to Nebraska.

Yet perhaps the strangest law is that whale fishing is illegal. I am certainly not a whale expert, but one thing I know about whales is that they live in the ocean (or at Seaworld). Since Nebraska is so far from any ocean, you would have to travel for a while before you’d even spot a whale in the wild. I don’t think a fishing rod that can cast thousands of miles exists…at least not yet…

Also, the Pokemon Wailord, clearly modeled after a whale and blimp, has a height of 47 feet and 7 inches but only weighs 877.4 pounds. That feels very light, doesn’t it?

By comparison, a sperm whale can get up to 50 tons, which is over 110,000 pounds. I also don’t think you could find a fishing rod that could support that weight.

So, next time you head to Nebraska, leave the whaling—and snorkeling—gear at home. There are plenty of other sights to see instead.