shiplover wrote:
Hello,
I would like to transcribe for the North Star. Since there does not seem to be any assignments yet and I being new to this, I will ask your recommendation where it would be best to start. I am also willing to work on any other ship you might want more help with. Just looking to get started and gain experience. Thank you
AvastMH wrote:
Hello shiplover!
You are very welcome to help. The North Star looks like nice writing to start with. They even use plenty of ink (some logs get rather pale!).
Section C looks like a good place to start. They are heading up into the Arctic after wintering in the South/Mid Pacific to catch whales there. To speed up our reports on the ice I am leaving those earlier sections of the log to some other time.
What type of file format would you like please? Excel, GoogleSheets, or LibreOffice?
I'd like to start by transcribing for the North Star as well. From the samples it looks like nice, dark legible writing which should be a big help to start.
I was trying to get stream B of section D done but I've had no time so you are very welcome to work on that Having reasonable writing does help - but always feel welcome to post a query. Some of the log-keepers spell phonetically, although they don't always spell the word in the same way twice even so
I'll drop you a personal message (PM) with the link to the Excel version.
I wanted to get started and see that Log A, Stream C looks to be available for this ship. I reviewed the instructions but at this point I need to figure out how all this works and how the logs are put together as I am new to this. I am familiar with Excel but presently use an Apple iPad so I presume I will need to get Google Sheets? I am open to suggestions and to any other ship log you think needs assistance. Thanks.
Starbuck19 wrote:
I am new to this so hopefully I am in the right location to record the following information regarding the North Star. I was naturally curious regarding the whaling bark before I got into the logs. I expect the following is known - this post can be deleted if redundant - but I found it at alaskashipwrecks.com. The departure date agrees with the first page of the log so I expect it is a correct match.
NORTH STAR (1882) The 489 ton steam bark North Star was crushed in the ice two and a half miles from shore at Point Barrow July 8, 1882. She was on her maiden voyage out of New Bedford, having departed August 2, 1881 for whaling in the Arctic. The force of ice was so great that her timbers cracking could be heard on shore. The crew made it over the ice to the U S Army Signal Service Station.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 71 23 29 N 156 28 30 W Chart 16003
Source: Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)
Also found this at another web location:
[North Star (Steam bark) of New Bedford, mastered by James S. Carter and L.C. Owen, on voyage from 2 Aug. 1881-1882]
....owner-agent: William Lewis, built at Bath, Me., 1881
I am reaching out for some help in deciphering several logs entries for the North Star from pages 14-16. They are mostly are general comments. I believe I know the actual word in some instances but the log entry appears to be misspelled or abbreviated, or at least that?s my interpretation. (For some reason quotes, etc became ? in my post. Hopefully I was able to fix it.)
So thanks and here goes:
Page 15; 10/24
?...gunwale of S.B. ?...? Appears to be Boat.
Page 15; 10/25
?...moderate but a very ? sea...?
Page 16; 10/26
?...Light Baffling winds...? Presuming Buffeting but it sure looks like Baffling.
?..carpenter repairing S.B. ? ....? Presuming and looks like Boat. What is S.B by the way?
Page 16; 10/29
?...with heavy head ? Sea....? Not sure about head, too but it?ll probably make sense once ? is determined.
Page 16; 10/31
?....James the ?... ? Sure it?s Fireman or its abbreviation as James the Fireman was referenced on a previous day but not sure of the actual abbreviation used here. Fwm?
'Rolled down once and Broack [broke] the gunwale of Starboard Bow Boat otherwise behaved Nobly.' I agree with Randi's words - see below when this problem crops up again.
Thanks Randi Nice reference document. My very simple description is that it covers winds that come from any old direction in a higgledy-piggledy way. Usually they are light airs or winds. They leave you baffled about their direction because it changes a lot.
?..carpenter repairing S.B. ? ....? Presuming and looks like Boat. What is S.B by the way?
Yes - you're right Starbuck. It is Boat. SB could be Starboard Bow, or possibly just Star Board. Reading the log might show the way that the log keeper breaks up words. Some writers do split the word 'starboard' into two bits. This chap's one who speckles plenty of capital letters into his text (I see a lot of this on the whalers), check the word 'StarBoard' in October 29th. So I do think that he's referring to a Starboard Bow Boat.
Page 16; 10/29
?...with heavy head ? Sea....? Not sure about head, too but it?ll probably make sense once ? is determined.
'head Beat sea' vessel on StarBoard tack
Head sea: A sea where waves are directly opposing the motion of the ship.
Beating or beat to: Sailing as close as possible towards the wind (perhaps only about 60?) in a zig-zag course to attain an upwind direction to which it is impossible to sail directly (also tacking)
Page 16; 10/31
?....James the ?... ? Sure it's Fireman or its abbreviation as James the Fireman was referenced on a previous day but not sure of the actual abbreviation used here. Fwm?
Tough one. I'm slightly edging towards 'Furm'. Here's the largest view I could get. Luckily it's not critical data, but I appreciate you showing the sincere care that is so typical of OldWeatherers
Thanks!
You're very welcome Starbuck! And Thank You again to you, Randi
Starbuck19 wrote:
Thanks very much to both for your quick response and comments! They confirmed some of my suspicions and improved my knowledge base of some of the terms. Familiarity with a loggers style and writing is certainly a big help. I?ll update my entries and press on! Thanks, again.
