Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday, October 23, 2016
photos/EverythingWestport.com except as
noted
The perils of Westport whalers detailed in
historical society talk.
Schmid Commended for Support of Drinking
Water Quality Research in Massachusetts.
Southern New England Livestock Conference on
Saturday, November 5th.
Area legislators nominate recognition awards
for two South Coast firms.
Westport River Watershed
Alliance Welcomes Second Commonwealth Corps Member.
Westport Economic Development Task Force announces
Vendors for upcoming Winter Farmer’s Market.
|
The
perils of Westport whalers detailed in historical society talk. EverythingWestport.com Thursday, October 20, 2016
Special Correspondent to
EverythingWestport.com “Stove Boats, Shipwrecks and Cannibalism”
was the formal title of an October 20th lecture by Westport Historical
Society president Tony Connors (pictured below, right) on the perils that
faced local sailors who shipped out for long, hard voyages on Westport
whalers during the 19th century. The catchy title referred to only a few of
the many dangers faced by the captains and crews of the whaleships that
called Westport Point their home port, and made their hometown known all over
the world.
Westporters had been involved in small scale
whaling close to shore since colonial times, but got seriously involved in
the growing whaling industry as the 1800s got
underway. “The last (whaling) ship went out of Westport in 1879,” Connors
noted. The typical voyage in the first half of the 1800s was about six months, “but by the 1850s, voyages of two to three years were common,” he
explained. “The longest voyage by a Westport ship was four and a half years.” As whaling trips grew longer and longer, the
occupation caused greater strain on the lives of the family members left
behind, never knowing when and if their loved ones would return from those
journeys. The longer voyages also presented more opportunities for danger and
misfortune for those who sailed off in search of whales and their precious
oil, bone and spermaceti. “Whaling was a dangerous business. On long
voyages, so many things could go wrong. Men got sick far from land. They fell
overboard. Boats were stove by whales. Ships were wrecked, or simply never
heard from again. Some of the crew of the bark Janet even resorted to
cannibalism to stay alive.” - Tony Connors The greatest peril for those sailors was the
actual chasing down and harpooning of whales from small whaleboats, typically
28 to 30 feet long and manned by six rowers and a harpooner in the bow. An
adult sperm whale “was twice as long as these boats and weighed 30 or 40
tons,” Connors said. Understandably, the harpooned whales often
became “very dangerous” when stuck with one or more sharp iron lances, and
would often turn on the offending whaleboats with murderous intent, he
suggested. The “stove boat” in the lecture’s title referred to the smashed
planks or gunwales of the whaleboat, crushed by a whale’s massive flukes or
jaws.
Inset: The most famous
Westport whaler, the Kate Cory tied up at the Westport Point mud dock. Obviously, Pettey
survived the encounter with the angry whale, and was able to make light of the
near-death experience. The humorous tone of the letter was typical of the
“macho” whalers who would not easily admit to being afraid during such
encounters, even though most sailors could not swim, and being “spilled” into
the sea could prove fatal if there was no wreckage to cling to, Connors
suggested. An 1849 log entry from the Westport whaler
President similarly hints at the stern stuff that seamen were made of, with a
brief, emotionless report on a killed crew member... the starboard boat had
been lowered to hunt down a nearby whale, but “got stove... whale took one
Ansel Juel in his jaw... never saw him again,”
Captain Albert Gifford reported. Even on board the mother ships, sickness and
the lack of medical care threatened the lives of the captain and crew. One
Westport captain indicated an outbreak of smallpox had incapacitated a good
portion of his crew for weeks; another wrote his ship’s owners that an
outbreak of scurvy had killed several men, and left many others too weak to
work the ship. Occasionally, the wives and children of the
captains would come on board for multi-year voyages, and face the same
dangers of terrible storms, shipwrecks or medical emergencies, Connors said.
Abbie Hicks, the wife of Captain Edward Hicks, spent two and a half years
aboard the bark Mermaid with her husband; when she was about to give birth,
he put her ashore in a rented cottage on an Indian Ocean island to give
birth, and continued on with his whaling business. During the Civil War years, the threat of
Confederate raiders aiming to destroy the North’s economy was added to the
danger list. The Westport whaler Kate Cory was one of 60 Union whalers
captured or sunk by the Confederate raider Alabama. Caught off the coast of
Brazil, the ship and its valuable cargo were burned, and the crew put ashore
to make their own way home, Connors noted. Even in peacetime, a boat that sprung a leak
far from shore or struck a reef could be lost, along with all the oil and
bone gathered over months and months of work.
In 1856, the Westport ship Catherwood was
wrecked off one of the Galapagos Islands, and the crew stranded for five days
before being rescued by a passing ship; the vessel and all of the cargo were
lost. In 1860, the whaler United States sprung a
leak in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and was then battered by a
hurricane before sinking about 800 miles out of New Bedford. The crew was
rescued by another vessel before their $20,000 ship sank, taking another
$20,000 of oil and bone with it; the sailors, working for mostly a share of
the profits, got home empty-handed. Other whaling ships, like the Theophilus Chase of Westport, left port in 1849 and
“simply disappeared,” Connors said, with no word of the fate of the ship or
its crew. In the year 1854 alone, some 2,500 men were
lost on whaling voyages, according to industry reports; the following year,
336 whaleships were wrecked, Connors reported. You can imagine the “horrible
effect” those losses had on the families left behind, he suggested. Other sailors turned to desperate measures
to survive being shipwrecked or marooned. Connors wrapped up his storytelling
of the whaling days with the tale of the Janet, owned by Westporter
Henry Wilcox, which returned from a whaling voyage without its captain and a
whaleboat full of crewmen. It was one of several tales of cannibalism that
came out of the whaling industry. Captain Charles Hosmer and a whaleboat full
of men from the Janet (pictured left) were left stranded at sea in the middle
of the Pacific, over 1,000 After three days without food or water, a
Malay crew member convinced the others that they should kill and eat one of
the others so all would not starve to death. They all agreed, and drew straws
to see who would be eaten. “Every two or three days, this pattern is
repeated” until four or five of the crew is consumed, Connors said of one
version of the story; a sixth man who died was used as bait in hopes of
catching some fish. They spent three weeks rowing and sailing
east towards South America, finally landing on an uninhabited island where
some food was found. A few days later, they were able to signal a passing
ship, and were rescued, adding a new chapter to the “perils” experienced by
Westport sailors and ships. “Of course, Westport is still a maritime
town... with fishing and lobstering and so forth
still going on,” Connors concluded. “It’s still dangerous” to make a living
at sea, though modern technology has greatly reduced the perils faced by
Westport sailors of the 19th century. Schmid Commended for
Support of Drinking Water Quality Research in Massachusetts. EverythingWestport.com Sunday,
October 23, 2016
Schmid
was among state legislators recently honored with a certificate of appreciation
for their support of the research, which aims to study the link between
cancer and emerging contaminants frequently found in drinking water. The
certificate was presented by the Board President of the Massachusetts Breast
Cancer Coalition (MBCC), Margo Simon Golden
(pictured right), who praised the legislators for
their support for MBCC's mission to prevent breast
cancer for future generations. "Massachusetts
citizens join our call for more research to be conducted on exposure to
chemicals of concern in our drinking water, such as herbicides and consumer
product chemicals. We need state funding since many of these chemicals have
been linked with breast cancer and other diseases. Without state funding, we
will not obtain the answers we need about common exposures in our daily
environment" said Golden . Massachusetts
Breast Cancer Coalition is gathering allies in the State House to advance
legislation regarding the funding of Silent Spring Institute, which was
founded by MBCC in 1994. The bill, H.4166, An Act relative to drinking and ground water
research, filed by Representative Paul K. Frost (R-Auburn), seeks to
establish a trust fund for Silent Spring Institute to expand their studies
throughout the Commonwealth. For the first time in over a decade, Silent
Spring Institute received $25,000 in the Fiscal Year 2017 State Budget to
pursue these research efforts. “The
quality of our drinking water in Massachusetts is fundamental to our personal
and public health and wellbeing,” said Schmid. “I am proud to support MBCC and the Silent Spring Institute in their endeavors
to provide valuable research in the Commonwealth and look forward to the work
they will now be able to do with increased state funding.” Massachusetts
Brest Cancer Coalition’s educational program Let’s Talk Prevention: Reducing
Toxic Exposures was displayed at the State House for the awarding of the
certificates. Let’s Talk Prevention describes basic steps for
individuals and families to reduce problematic exposures and choose safer
alternatives to toxic products. The goal of this program is to reduce toxic
exposures which have implications for reducing the burden and cost of all
environmentally-linked diseases, including breast cancer. Massachusetts
Breast Cancer Coalition is dedicated to the prevention of environmental
causes of breast cancer through community education, research advocacy, and
changes to public policy. For more information about the organization and to
learn how you can support their efforts, please visit www.mbcc.org. Southern
New England Livestock Conference on Saturday, November 5th. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, October 23, 2016 On Saturday, November 5th, 2016, The Livestock
Institute of Southern New England (formerly the Southeastern MA Livestock
Association) and our partner, the Bristol County Agricultural High School,
will co-host the 1st Annual Southern New England Livestock Conference &
Expo at the Aggie School in Dighton, MA. The conference is geared toward
aspiring, beginning, and experienced livestock farmers, homesteaders,
students, chefs, foodies, and anyone wishing to learn more about the issues
surrounding sustainable livestock production in Southern New England. The Bristol County Agricultural High
School has been a strong supporter of TLI’s
efforts, and for the first time, they are coming together to offer a full
day-long conference focused exclusively on sustainable livestock and meat
production in Southern New England.
Registration is only $25 / $10 for students.
EverythingWestport.com Sunday, October 23, 2016 The Massachusetts Legislative Manufacturing Caucus hosted its first
annual Manufacturing Award Ceremony at the State House recently, an event
attended by Westport Senator Michael Rodrigues and Representative Paul
Schmid.
Insert: Ocean Server Technologies builds the first commercially
developed family of low cost Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Iver, ideal for coastal
applications such as sensor development, general survey work, sub-surface
security, research and environmental monitoring. These modern AUVs are single man-portable and feature simple point and
click mission planning. “Manufacturers such as Matouk & Co. are
reshaping the South Coast’s economic landscape and, through innovation and
determination, are putting us back on the map as a major manufacturer,” Sen.
Rodrigues said. “As both growing and established companies continue to call us home,
our communities are able to share the benefits of an increased workforce and
innovative technologies” said Representative Paul Schmid. “Thank you …for
recognizing Ocean Server Technologies as a leader in marine technologies in
the Commonwealth.”
The goal of the caucus is to increase Massachusetts’ competitiveness in
manufacturing by providing legislative support. The caucus is focused
on expanding opportunities in vocational high schools and community colleges
to combat the skills gap. Westport River Watershed
Alliance Welcomes Second Commonwealth Corps Member
Originally
from Freetown, Lauren moved to Westport two years ago, and has spent many
summers at Horseneck Beach with her family. Much of her time now is spent studying
Biology at UMASS Dartmouth, but she enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring
nature whenever possible. As a Commonwealth Corps educator, she hopes to
encourage young students to love and respect the world around them. Inset: Ryan Palmer (left) and Lauren Arruda. Westport Economic Development Task Force announces
Vendors for upcoming Winter Farmer’s Market. 5-week Saturday market
highlights offerings from 13 vendors. EverythingWestport.com Sunday,
October 23, 2016 Photos
| EverythingWestport.com Click here to watch short video of Westport’s
fabulous new Winter Farmer’s Market! The
Town's Economic Development Task Force is sponsoring their First Annual
Westport Winter Market on five consecutive Saturday mornings - November 19th
and 26th, and December 3rd, 10th, and 17th from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Above,
left: Market promoter Maury
May. Above, right: The team
that made it all happen from the left – Jim Coyne, Maury May, and Steve
Connors (Liz Collins is missing.) The
idea for the winter market came from Economic Development Task Force Chairman,
Steve Ouellette, and the ball was picked up by Maury May who with the assistance
of Steve Connors, Jim Coyne and Liz Collins, carried the concept into reality
that so far has been met with enthusiasm from the vendors and the community. The
market will take place indoors on the basketball court in the basement of the
Westport Town Annex, 856 Main Road in Central Village, Westport. Participating
area farmers and crafts people who plan to participate in the Winter Market
are Paradise Hill Farm with vegetables, apples, jams, wreaths, honey
and more; Quansett Farm with baked
goods and freshly brewed coffee; Skinny Dip Farm with organic produce;
Sweet & Salty Farm with cheeses and yogurt; Weatherlow
Farms with beef, chickens, eggs, flowers and more; Barri
Throop with jams and jellies, wreathes and other holiday items; and Gray’s
Grist Mill with Jonnycake meal, maple syrup,
and bean/ground coffee.
Also
on the craft side, they have Hill Crest Alpaca with “everything
alpaca;” the team of Sharon Owens and Barbara Allen with hand woven
baskets and other items; Silk Tree Farm with goat’s milk candles and
soaps; Lynn McCarthy with jewelry and other crafts; Hidden Gardens
with flower arrangements and wreaths; and Liz Wilcox with Lookout! embroidery designs. Promoters
of the Winter Market are pleased with the enthusiasm they have received from
local farmers and crafts people for the upcoming Westport Winter Market. This is the first of what they hope will
become an annual event showcasing the Westport area’s wealth of agricultural
products and hand-made crafts.
For
more information, please call Maury May at 508.636.9934 or email: maurymay@hotmail.com. © 2016 Community Events of
Westport. All rights reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
