Old Weather Forum

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On the weather page, please enter: date, locations, distances (nautical miles and tenths), courses, and all the weather data in the columns outlined in red in the spreadsheet.
It is not necessary to record State of the Sea.
However, ice mentioned in the weather grid should be transcribed using the magenta Sea column.

On the events page please enter: ice, location information, and sailing information.
Aurorae, volcanic, and seismic activity should be reported in the forum.
The names of US Navy and Coast Guard ships met should be noted. This gives the science team a chance to compare weather readings. You can include all ships mentioned in a single entry without a time or any additional data.
Other events are optional.

One person can do both weather and events (Stream 1), but the system also allows one person to do the weather page (Stream 1) and a second person to do the events page (Stream 3).
Unlike in OW3, where three transcriptions were required for each page, we are doing only one transcription per page.

Every transcriber needs to enter the date.
The date is used to organize the pages.

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See Chelan — General for some general background and discussion.
See Chelan — Examples for a quick introduction to transcribing or a refresher.

See Transcribing Guide to learn how to transcribe the data.
Post in Ask Questions Here or this topic if you have questions.

OW web site: Chelan

Direct links:

• Tracker
• Spreadsheet
• File Upload
• Transcription Status

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Wednesday, July 5
57 15N 155 16W

Sounded fire alarm; fire in galley, caused by excess oil in carburetor igniting while securing range fire: the vessel was stopped,
headed across the wind; the fire was extinguished by use of chemicals; and no damage to vessel or personnel was done.

Saturday, July 15
Unalaska

4:15 p.m. Discovered a smoldering fire aboard the Alasco 4, diesel screw, on S. W. side of dock. Sent a fire and rescue party with foam fire extinguishers. Extinguished fire which was apparently caused by defective electric wiring in engine room of boat. Estimated damage ($25) twenty-five dollars.

Good work, Michael!

Thursday, July 20
Nome

07:45. Received information that a plane believed to be that of Wiley Post, 'Round the World flier, had been heard on board the NORTHLAND. Plane did not stop, but proceeded eastward.

1340. Sighted Russian Sea plane with James Mattern, 'Round the World flyer, aboard; the sea plane was drifting in shore,
bearing 300T and about 5 miles away; Cutter Northland an Nome C. G. Station sent boats. Engines standing by throughout watch.

1848. Russian plane with Mattern relief expedition took off.

The Wiki article explains why Mattern was on a Russian seaplane:

June 3, 1933: Mattern flew a rebuilt "Century of Progress", largely a different aircraft, and this time solo, from Floyd Bennett Field across the Atlantic. On June 14, 1933, he made a forced landing in Siberia, where the "Century" was abandoned. He was eventually rescued by Eskimos and flown to Nome, Alaska, by Sigizmund Levanevsky. Mattern flew the rest of the way back to New York.

It's interesting that these two competitors were in the vicinity of Nome on the same day.

Sunday, 23 July
Nash Harbor

A party of several people went to survey the reindeer herds and range lands and to check on the conditions of the people in the two villages on the island. Considering the state of the 136 villagers: in debt, low on food in spring and eating mainly seal and fish, I was shocked to read this:

Enroute to Cape Etolin, the party landed to observe a reindeer herd close at hand; the number was estimated to be over a thousand reindeer. Four such herds were seen and were observed to be in excellent condition.

From the survey of the two villages on Nunavik Island.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/23677362/content/dc-metro/rg-026/585454/0002/Chelan-1933-08/Chelan-1933-08-0010.JPG]Friday, August 4
Unalaska

0900 a.m. Observed Coast Guard Day as a holiday
0930. Boats crew defeated Tahoe's crew in 19 ft and 26 ft surf boat race.

Friday, 11 August
Dutch Harbor

11:15 a.m. The following passengers came aboard from Unalaska to be transported to Unimak Island for the purpose of trapping foxes to be taken to Biorka Island for propagation purposes; by authority of the Commander, Bering Sea Patrol Force and permit No. 33-975:

• W. P. Zacharoff;
• J. A. Yatchmeneff;
• G. Steptin;
• W. Diakanoff;
• W. Shiashnikoff;
• D. Prokopief;,
• T. Sirebrinikoff;
• I. Borenin;
• G. Yatchmenoff;
• P. Shemaknesky.

They brought two skiffs, supplies and traps.

I could find nothing about this particular project, but there were references to to other similar ones done in the early 1900s. Apparently the arctic sea birds that colonized these islands weren't used to predators, so there was a large food supply for the foxes. There were other references, as well, to sheep being taken to some of the islands. Currently, there are attempts being made to eradicate rats on some of these islands. The rats, which came aboard ships, have devastated the bird populations.

Sunday, 13 August
East Anchorage, St. Paul Island

I've never seen this before:

4:50 p.m. Party of Natives came aboard to purchase Canteen stores.

Me neither.

Saturday, 19 August
Unalaska

11:20 The Bering Sea Patrol Force Commander and the Commanding Officer left to make an official call on the British sailing yacht TAI MO SHAN of Hong Kong. The crew of the Tai Mo Shan is composed of five British Naval Officers who are on leave and are en route to England from Hong Kong, China.

The article is MOST interesting, and I recommend looking through the interior of the yacht.

Super find!

The voyage for 1933 has been done. The voyage plot can be seen here and, for more detail, you can download the KML file and view it with Google Earth. Some of the people mentioned can be seen here.