Whaling

[happy daze john in oz]

I see the Japanese have begun another whaling season in the southern oceans. You may have seen footage of the colision between the factory ship and the Greenpeace life boat. It looks very much as if the Japanese deliberately altered course to ram the smaller boat. Now a Kiwi scinentist has come out and said that they need to continue killing the whales to determin what condition the herds are in? Maybe the sadest point in all of this is the fact that there is reportedly about ten years supply of whale meat in Japanese freezers as the younger generation anr not interested in eating it, only the older generations.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, Hi happy john in oz, I have an old cook book full of ideas, how to cook and eat Whale meat or as it was know as, before green peace "SEA BEEF, Dont' fancy it myself, but according to book very tasty and good for you? The whale was killed for they oil many other uses' years ago that why they were none left, I dont know any old whalers{ hunters} but they must be still a few around, Milford haven now a big oil and gas port, was the main place for them here ? The Japenese will eat all the yellow fin tuna in the sea then when there are none left will eat all the Whales.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi happy john in oz ,Hi Shipmates Did any one sail on a Whaler? I met some one who did ? But not a British ship the pay was very good, and the food was the very best and he had all free work gear boots and every thing else did you? We had nothing in the British merchant navy? the ship owners were mean ,the only thing I remember was oil skins which every ship had, and on a tanker free overalls .

[jimmys]

Salvesens was one of the main companies and were based in Leith. They were still going up until 1963 when they exited the business. They had a couple of big factory ships. I never sailed with them but I remember people who did. Lots of catchers as well. I think they used other UK ports as well as Leith.

regards
jimmy

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates Hi Jimmys thanks for the information but there must be still some one, who was a crew member on a ,whaler ? Was Selvenson a british company? or a norwijan, he was only on british ships' later on as cheif steward, I will post his details soon as he gives them ,He was at sea for years on many ships all types with some very strange trips and all diffrent crews on them.

[jimmys]

Hi Louis, Christian Salvesen himself one of the founders, was as you say Norwegian. The Company he set up was a British company and had British ships. Lot of East coasters sailed with them I dont know if they got to the Welsh ports. A lot of trawler lads had a spell at the whaling. Whaled in both Arctic and down South and had a base I think in South Georgia.
I think you will get someone who was sailing in the fleet. Shut up shop in 1963 that's a dog watch ago to some of the worthies on this site!! A big presence in Leith. Crewed out of the UK pools as well. Lot of dispensation Mates and Engineers, I remember them being in the records when I handled that stuff.

[jimmys]

Hi Louis, Christian Salvesen himself one of the founders, was as you say Norwegian. The Company he set up was a British company and had British ships. Lot of East coasters sailed with them I dont know if they got to the Welsh ports. A lot of trawler lads had a spell at the whaling. Whaled in both Arctic and down South and had a base I think in South Georgia.
I think you will get someone who was sailing in the fleet. Shut up shop in 1963 that's a dog watch ago to some of the worthies on this site!! A big presence in Leith. Crewed out of the UK pools as well. Lot of dispensation Mates and Engineers, I remember them being in the records when I handled that stuff.

regards
jimmy

[Colin McClelland]

The two factory ships were the Southern Ventue and Southern Harvester, they used to come to the Tyne with the catchers for refit.
As a boy I remember eating whale steaks, quite good but a bit tough.

In the early seventys my brother was engineer on a whale catcher on the west coast of canada, after catching a few they towed them in to port where they were dragged up the beach to be cut up.

regards
Colin

[Geoff Anderson]

HI All .
There were a few whale chasers always tied up in Capetown.Once passed a whale factory ship down off the cape, Lee side that was a big mistake the smell would make you chunder. How they lived aboard ive no idea they also must have stank. Phewwwww.

[happy daze john in oz]

Taff that reminds me of Durban and the whaling depot there in the 60's. Worse stink than some of the lads who never washed their socks.