Old Weather Forum

Please mention any names of ships seen, or met, or gamed with. It is possible that a nearby ship may have a latitude and longitude for that small area of sea, but that is missing from this ship's log. Equally this ship might provide the position of those other ships.

Not all logs provide a crew list. You might find names in the log to post here.

July 30th 1894. Member of the crew: Tony

Awwwe - lovely story. One of those little nuggets that get reported that helps you feel part of the life they led. The Thrasher is part way along the coast of northern America, between Point Barrow and Herschel Island, near the Return Islands. Although it's July I'll warrant the water was very cold.

'Tony the cat fell overboard we got her again'

Ok, I've arrived in the Bering Sea and suddenly have a veritable conference of whaling ships to report.

May 4: "met the Wanderer at 8 pm. Capt. Parker came on board." (I'm not sure I have that name correct)
May 5: "steamed most of the day close to the coast. Saw (?) the Wanderer. Beluga. Orca." At first I thought she meant the animals!
May 7: "Saw a sailing ship ahead and one coming up. Spoke the Wanderer after supper. Capt. Parker came on board and stayed till 11 am. It is the first ship we have spoken since leaving Frisco."
May 8: "The John and Winthrope came alongside and Capt. Simmons came on board. He did not stop after he and Charlie steamed up to the edge of the ice to see if he could find a lead. He couldn't and we made fast in the ground ice."
There's more on May 9th, but I'm having a hard time making out the ship and captain names. "Spoke with Captain Cook (?) of the Navarch in the am before breakfast. I invited Capt. [?] and wife, and Capt. [?]. Saw three sailing ships, [?] Belvadere, John & Winthrope, Wanderer. The natives (?) came aboard. The first time."
May 10: "1 PM steamed again to the E in company with the Navarch. Belvadere. Saw the Jesse Freeman."
May 11: "Got to Plover Bay. Nevarch and Belvadere in company with us."
May 12: "Spent the day on the Navarch with Capt. and Mrs. Cook"
May 13: "Charlie is on the Belvadere"
May 15: "The Belvadere is off, but the Navarch is with us."

In googling these various ships, I also found this article if anyone is interested: https://www.nps.gov/nebe/learn/historyc ... rescue.htm
In 1897, just a few years after this, the Orca, Jesse H. Freeman, Belvadere, Navarch, and Wanderer, along with several other ships, were trapped in the arctic ice, stranding 275 people. The ice cutter Bear was sent by the US Revenue Cutter Service, and with the help of a group of natives, they were able to save the people, though most of the ships were destroyed.

Great list Molly!!

It is actually really nice to see it here. And you are so right about those ship names They are part of the North Pacific Whaling Fleet. They tag around after each other almost as if on a piece of elastic Later in the summer, when they can get far north, you find that some head left into the Chukchi sea (over to Herald Island), and some turn right along the Alaskan/Canadian coastline (Herschell Island and further east). Eventually they compare notes and I've seen ships heading over to Herald island from Herschell Island in order to try to catch some whales before the season is over or they settle into winter quarters.

Wonderful that you discovered the great Overland Rescue Expedition. Isn't it an amazing story?? The first time I learned about it I was bowled over. It's a good article.

I located the Navarch log for May 9th 1894 which you mention in your list, but the entry is sadly too brief to mention the ships by name (or the captains):


If you have a look through the Shipyard you'll find the log books of Belvedere, Orca, Freeman, Rosario, Beluga, Newport, Navarch etc. Most excitingly you can read the logs of the ships caught up in the overwintering disaster of 1898, even read the record of Jarvis, Call and Bertholf arriving as recorded in the Belvedere log (there are twin logs). This is from Belvedere 545 on the Shipyard listing for the 26th March 1898

(He made a mistake noting that they started from New Bedford )

What is not mentioned, and I'm trying to finish an article for the forum on this, is the amazing journey of Mr Tilton of the Belvedere who, the previous October, set out to walk to find help. He intended to walk right to San Francisco about 3500 miles. He bumped into the Bear's Officers part way down the coast, but kept on walking even so.

It's one of the magical bits of this project - becoming so familiar with the Whaling Fleet family. I'm so glad that you are enjoying it

For a more full report please see this entry in the topic Re: Burials at sea and other recorded deaths

The death of Captain Charles E. Weeks of the Thrasher, 29th March 1895.

The log of the Thrasher was kept by A.F. (Fanny) Weeks, the Captain's wife.

On the 28th March Fanny notes:
We went out For a walk [...] and talked with Capt & Mrs Porter for a long time.

The next day a terrible event occurs. 30th March
5.15 P.M. cleaned the after cabin. Charlie left me at 5-15. I was a the table hadnt finnished my tea. When Mr. Tihitu came in and wanted some whisky as husband had fell. I got it. It seems he went out to see one of the men that was going out hunting but the man had been taken coal out of the middle hatch he went down to see and fell. He was taken up. He was unconscious condition but come to before he was brought in the after cabin. All the Capt of the Fleet were their but could not help him he knew all and suffered terrible. He lived just one hour. And a half. Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Cook were with me. Capt Cook. Capt Tilton. Capt. McInnis.

My thanks to April (arboggs) for the Thrasher logbook transcriptions.