MothInBoots
Whale chaser showing the harpoon gun - Banzare Voyage 2.
Banzare 1929/30 and 1930/31 Voyages to the Antarctic. A prevalent time for Whaling in the Antarctic. Scanned from a silver gelatin negative. (Historic Images). [E Douglas photography and Collection]. Eric Douglas - 15th Dec 1930 "...On a wooden platform in the bow is mounted a swivelling gun which takes the harpoon. From this platform leads a narrow gangway up to the ships bridge. This is for the use of the Captain or Gunner as he is called to enable him to get quickly from the bridge to the gun when they are chasing whales. On board are eleven men or 13 counting us [Frank Hurley and Eric Douglas] Captain or Gunner, mate, two engineers, two firemen (fuel oil is used) one cook who acts also as steward and four seamen. There is one man in the lookout continually. That is a man who does two hours in the lookout then comes down and changes places with the helmsman, who then goes up to the lookout. In another two hours time they are relieved by the other two men. But the Gunner and mate get very little sleep, probably two hours a day when whales are about. Steaming full ahead (what a difference in life and speed to our lumbering ship) we could soon see the whales spouting right ahead, when we were about 200 yards away they sounded (dived to remain down for periods of four to fifteen minutes)..."
Whale chaser showing the harpoon gun - Banzare Voyage 2.
Banzare 1929/30 and 1930/31 Voyages to the Antarctic. A prevalent time for Whaling in the Antarctic. Scanned from a silver gelatin negative. (Historic Images). [E Douglas photography and Collection]. Eric Douglas - 15th Dec 1930 "...On a wooden platform in the bow is mounted a swivelling gun which takes the harpoon. From this platform leads a narrow gangway up to the ships bridge. This is for the use of the Captain or Gunner as he is called to enable him to get quickly from the bridge to the gun when they are chasing whales. On board are eleven men or 13 counting us [Frank Hurley and Eric Douglas] Captain or Gunner, mate, two engineers, two firemen (fuel oil is used) one cook who acts also as steward and four seamen. There is one man in the lookout continually. That is a man who does two hours in the lookout then comes down and changes places with the helmsman, who then goes up to the lookout. In another two hours time they are relieved by the other two men. But the Gunner and mate get very little sleep, probably two hours a day when whales are about. Steaming full ahead (what a difference in life and speed to our lumbering ship) we could soon see the whales spouting right ahead, when we were about 200 yards away they sounded (dived to remain down for periods of four to fifteen minutes)..."