If the whale swam away, it would tow the whaleboat behind it. A seaman caught in the line could be dragged to his death. If the whale dove, the crew would let the line run out so as to not be dragged down with it. The jaws or tail of a 50-ton whale could smash the boat and send crew tumbling into the water. A rope attached to the harpoon kept the boat near the thrashing whale. In the late 1800s, the standard harpoon was the Temple toggle iron.Īfter the harpooner caught the whale, the creature would either dive, turn on the boat, or take off swimming. For a four-year voyage, a whaleship would carry 150-200 harpoons. The harpoon was not designed to kill the whale. The harpoon, known as a "whale iron," would penetrate the whale's blubber and secure the whale to the whaleboat. Whales have acute hearing, so it was important to approach quietly as to not scare them into diving or swimming further away.Īs the whaleboat neared the whale, the harpooner would step up. The men could not simply row fast, however. The crews raced to reach the whale first, guided by the boatheader (a mate or captain). Whaling was filled with long hours of boredom until the whaleboats were launched and the chase began. Photo courtesy: New Bedford Whaling Museum Catching Whales Whale underneath whaleboat, pushing it off water (1922). The shipkeepers - usually the cooper (who made and repaired casks), the blacksmith, the carpenter, the cook, and the steward - were left behind to handle the ship. Teams of six would row each whaleboat and chase after the whale. Then, the crew would launch the rowboats. A mate or captain would call back-and-forth with the lookout to determine the whale's location as precisely as possible. The lookout would yell out, "There she blows," to alert the rest of the crew. It took an experienced seaman to identify the kind of whale it was based on its tail shape, spout location, or size. Under ideal conditions, a lookout might spot a whale eight miles away. Two pieces of lumber and a pair of iron hoops were the lookout's only support as he steadied himself 100 feet above the deck.
The whaleman would climb up the mast to the "crow's nest," where he would look for whale tails, the spout, or a vapor plume caused by the whale's breath.
Photo courtesy: New Bedford Whaling Museum Finding WhalesĬrewmen would take turns scanning for whales in two-hour shifts, from sunrise to sunset each day. Two men stand on the crow's nest scanning for whales.
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