Shipyard Page. Example Transcriptions, General Questions and Answers
Welcome on board the Mermaid on voyage from the 17th March 1896 to 9th November 1896, mastered by David F Devoll. The log is kept by a familiar hand - Mr WH Joseph
Here you will find an example transcription of details
This is also a place to ask questions and request help with oddities in the log
You can bring the ship to life by sharing interesting finds from the log pages and other information about the ship
General help with marking and transcribing whaling logs
Weather and ice records from the whaling ships of the USA which contains the following
'must read' topics...
Tip: use ctrl+Pgup or ctrl+PgDn to quickly swap between the different worksheets as you move through start, primary, weather, and remarks worksheets to record your findings
Treasure trove of information in the Library
Over the years this forum has accumulated a broad spectrum of detailed information which is kept in the
Library
Please do take time to visit the Library because it will afford you a great deal of help. However, do feel welcome to ask questions at any time.
Help with images
- If you want to query some text please supply the page reference (the reference changes as you view the middle of a page), and an image of the text if you wish. Help for manipulating/posting images can be found in Guide to posting links and images. If you have any problems with imaging this is the board to post that question.
- Accessing pale images. The example page used below, opened through the 'Irfan' program, 'color correction' and adjust the brightness, saturation, and gamma correction. You may have your own program for adjusting brightness and contrast. Here are the before and after images using Irfan. Click to see them at full size.
Names of the crew
Names of the crew and notes of other ships mentioned or visited can also be recorded.
Crews and Ships Met.
To find the shipyard pages for other whalers
Link:
Find your ship, & the full list of ships logbooks for OWW
Select 'view single page':
When the log book image opens you will see two pages. It is easier to read the details accessing one page at a time. Use the icons at the bottom of the screen:
You can walk through Mermaid's log pages in chronological order. All you have to do is increment the number at the end of the link: page/
2/mode/1up, page/
3/mode/1up, page/
4/mode/1up etc.
Here is a log page that has been transcribed to help you to be familiar with the writing. Click to view logbook.
6th & 7th of August 1896
Here is a transcription of the above log page.
| Simple transcription | Phrases of text bracketed |
Thursday Aug 6th 1896
Comes in with strong S.E winds head-
ing into the N.E by N. under all sail
scrapeing and washing bone passed
Stmr Bear, also large field of Ice
Middle part passed blossom Shoals
wind hauled to the N.+E. latter part
light E winds heading into the N.E
put bear skins in Cask. Floged casks
for water
| Thursday Aug 6th 1896
[Comes in with strong S.E winds] [head-
ing into the N.E by N.] [under all sail]
[scrapeing and washing bone] [passed
Stmr Bear,] [also large field of Ice]
[Middle part] [passed blossom Shoals]
[wind hauled to the N.+E.] [latter part]
[light E winds] [heading into the N.E]
[put bear skins in Cask. Floged casks
for water]
|
Friday Aug 7th 1896
Comes in with Moderate N.E winds on
Starboard tack heading into the N under
all sail scattering Ice put up cutting
gear. repairing bulkhead of Stearage
Middle part come on to rain heading
the same some Ice in sight 1 oc.
P.M. wore round heading into
the E. 5 Oc. PM working Ice
saw Stmr Bear 7 P.M. Calm
thick fog 9 P.M. breeze from S.W
Stearing SE Ice scattering
Pumps + Lights cared for | Friday Aug 7th 1896
[Comes in] with [Moderate N.E winds] [on
Starboard tack] [heading into the N] [under
all sail ] [scattering Ice] [put up cutting
gear.] [repairing bulkhead of Stearage]
[Middle part] [come on to rain] [heading
the same] [some Ice in sight] [1 oc.
P.M.] [wore round] [heading into
the E.] [5 Oc. PM] [working Ice]
[saw Stmr Bear] [7 P.M.] [Calm
thick fog] [9 P.M.] [breeze from S.W]
[Stearing SE] [Ice scattering]
[Pumps + Lights cared for]
|
Start worksheet (top section)
If you discover any metadata in the logbook please enter it on this page. Metadata means 'data about data', barometer readings or temperature readings. See under 'Weather' at rows 32 and 33. For example, if you see that the temperature is in Celsius or Centigrade, that fact should be transcribed as metadata.
This ship log works in Civil time, see notation on Start page of workbook: October 20th 1896: Comes in [...] 4 AM [...] 7 AM [...] 6 PM [...]
https://archive.org/details/logbookofme ... 7/mode/1up
Click on the worksheet images below to see them at full size.
Primary worksheet
Weather worksheet
Remarks worksheet
Notes:
The ship is close to, or in, sea ice. All the clues that you can detect about the ice are valuable. The direction that they are heading in, and the state of their sails, all help to describe the state of the sea ice.
The Steamer Bear is seen and therefore it is noted in the Remarks Column. The latitude and longitude of the Bear (a Government ship keeping strict records) can thus be used to pinpoint the Mermaid's position on this day.
Here's a link back to the list of Mermaid's 1897 logbook sections for transcribing
Log Pages for Transcribing - apply here!
Warning: AUTOFILL function between worksheets.
Do not drag and drop the date or time on any of the worksheets because you may disrupt the autofill function.
If you are unsure that the autofill is in proper order you can check by pressing two keys on your keyboard.
You are certainly welcome to ask for help with this action.
The remainder of this topic is for you. Ask questions and share interesting discoveries with us to make these logs live.
