AMONG THE WHALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 13

AMONG THE WHALES.

RETURN OF SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS.

OIL CARGO VALUED AT £245,000. INVERCARGILL, February 28. Laden almost to the gunwale with 49,000 barrels of oil, representing a gross return of approximately £245,000 and a catch of 543 whales, the 3000-ton whaler Sir, James Clark Ross steamed into Paterson s Inlet, .Stewart Island, at 4 p.m. yesterday, after a lour months’ cruise in the frozen waters ot the Ross Sea. The season in its earlier stages did not promise well, but later the five chasers attached to the factory ship struck rich whaling grounds, and the men were kept at it in 12-hour watches day and night to cope with the large numbeis of whales brought in. Captain G. Ihorstensen was again in command of the vessel. The chief officer, Mr C. Johansen, told a reporter who visited the shi, on her arrival that the season’s operations came quite up to expectations. Better weather than had been experienced last year was met with on this occasion, and although they procured fewer whales, the amount of oil war greater—49,ooo barrels compared with 48,000 last year. He noticed no diminution in the number of whales in the area visited, and no reduction in the plant was to be made next year. In fact, the reverse would be the case, and at least two new Star boats were to come out from Norway. From the inlet the vessel proceeds to American ports, via Panama, to discharge her valuable cargo, leaving probably on Tuesday after coaling. By the middle of May she will have made her home port of Sandefjord to refit for another voyage to the Antarctic, which will be undertaken early in September. The Sir James Clark Ross steamed out of Paterson’s Inlet on November 7 last with her course set for the Ross Sea whaling grounds. Making a good 10 knots, she passed the Campbell Islands on the following Friday. The voyage proceeded uneventfully until the seventh day out from the base at Stewai Island, when the first view of the ice was gained —a thin white ribbon extending across the horizon. Next morning when the day watch came on deck the ice extended for miles around the mother ship and her chasers.

Ten to 12 days were spent in breaking through this barrier, but before the ships were clear Star X came alongside with the first two whales of the season. The crew set to with a will and before long the blubber was in the boilers. Small floes and huge icebergs were everywhere to be seen, even in the clearer waters of the Ross Sea, and navigation was rendered still more difficult. By November 18 the chasers had begun to settle down to work in earnest, and on the following Monday morning six whales were moored alongside ready for the flensers. On November 27 the total number of whales accounted for had reached the 50 mark, producing somewhere about 5000 barrels of oil.

The occupants of one of the cabins were rudely awakened on the morning of December 3 when one of the Star boats, which was being coaled, rammed the Sir James Clark Ross, and knocked a big hole in the fore part of the ship, fortunately well above the water iine. It seems that one of the men accidentally knocked the telegraph of the chase:, and signalled full speed ahead to the engine room, with the result that she charged down on the mother ship before the mistake could be rectified. Two days were spent in repair work before the plates were relaid.

Whales proved scarce in this particular part, so it was decided to send a Star boat’farther south to report on the conditions there. This resulted i:: the anchor being heaved up and a move made farther south. On December T2 the Hobart factory ship, the Neilsta Alonso, was sighted. The report which had been current that she had been in the habit of taking only the blubber from the whales and leaving the carcasses was referred to Mr Johansen, who replied that it hail certainly not been done this year, or in any other year, to the best of his knowledge. It was a fact, however, that she was working in the Ross Sea. soiwiimes within sight of the Sir James Clark Ross; but at other times 100 to 200 miles away.

On December 19 Star I was found to have developed a slight leak in one of her plates, caused, doubtless by a collision with the ice. The coal was trimmed over to one side of. the ship and all the chains were shifted to the same side so that she was given a list. This allowed the engineers to get at the centre of the trouble, and she was soon pronounced ready once again for her allotted tasks. All the chains were called in shortly after this and the fleet set off again still farther south. By this time there were 10,900 barrels of oil aboard, the number of whales caught being 122. On New Year’s Day Star IX set out to pick up the first mail from New Zealand and Norway from the C. A. Larsen, the secoiW ship of the Rosshavet Whaling Company operating in the Ross Sea, where it had been left by the Eleanor Bolling on her way to the Bay of Whales with supplies for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Days off were now a thing of the past for the crew, and 12 hours and sometimes more seven days a week were worked. Whales were arriving everyhour until on Sunday, January 6, 13 lay alongside _ the Sir James Clark Ross. When boiled down these 13 whales produced 1200 barrels of oil.

The next day the ship was turned about, and steamed northward toward the C. A. Larsen, where whales were reported to be more numerous. This proved to be correct. For miles around the men could see whales spouting, many quite close to the ship, and a good percentage of them being “ minks,” or young whales. Some days later keen eyes detected a killer whale about 100 yards off the ship. About January 25 the whaler again got under steam.for the north in a very rough sea. On the morning of that day the Eleanor Bolling was sighted on her second trip to the Bay of Whale... The rail was well lined with inquisitive faces until she was left far astern. Star X brought over a parcel of letters on the

Sunday, and the men had the latest newa from home."

By February 2 the oil tanks were rapidly filling up, and it was decided to make room for more oil by dumping coal over the side. This was kept up for several days until the officers were certain that all the oil procurable could be stowed away. . The season was at its height about this time, and a record week was experienced from January 31 to February 6, during which period 60 whales were captured, an average of two whales per day per chaser. This brought the tally up to 443 whales and about 40.000 barrels of oil.

Everyone was busy, and hopes had risen high by January 11 when the first whisper of “home” reached the 20 odd New Zealanders serving on board, and conjecture was rife as to when the last tank would be filled.

February 16 saw a cessation of the season’s activities. The chasers were called in and coaled and watered for the long trip home. Before the signal was given for “ full speed ” everything had to be stowed safely away, as rough weather was expected before the vessel reached her base at Paterson Inlet. The order came at midnight on February 17, and the homeward vovage had commenced. The Sir James Clark Ross proceeded dead slow, however, until she had cleared the iceberg zone. Star XI was left behind to assist the C. A. Larsen’s chasers and hurry the 12.000-ton whaler on her homeward journey. The Ross Sea was cleared on February 20. and heavy seas were encountered, which gave many the excuse to clamber into comfortable bunks. Star V proved laggardly on the voyage, however, on account of engine trouble, and the S ; r James Clark Ross had to slow down to half-speed to allow her to make up time. Meanwhile, the Star I shot ahead to Bluff and picked up the Customs officer and Captain G. Hooper, the Government’* nautical adviser.