GAY HEAD (1871) The 300 ton wooden whaling bark Gay Head was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871. Her home port was New Bedford, Mass. and value at the time of the disaster was $40,000. Master of the Gay Head, Captain William H Kelley revisited the site the following year and found the vessel was burned where she lay.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 47 40 N 159 39 02 W Chart 16005
Source: Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”
GEORGE (1871) The 259 ton wooden bark George was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871. The George was in the whaling trade out of New Bedford, Mass. and had a value of $40,000 at the time of the disaster.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 47 40 N 159 39 02 W Chart 16005
Source: Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”
GEORGE AND SUSAN (1885) The 343 ton whaling bark George and Susan was driven ashore and wrecked in a heavy SW gale after dragging anchor and colliding with the 188 ton whaling bark Mabel at Wainright Inlet at 3:00 p.m August 10, 1885. Both vessels were lost and all crew but 3 rescued by the U S Revenue Cutter Thomas Corwin. The George and Susan was valued at $50,000 with her cargo of whale oil and bone. The vessel left San Francisco March 7, 1885 bound for whaling in the Arctic.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 36 N 160 W Chart 16005
Comment: Some reports have this wreck site between Pt Belcher and Pt Franklin but I have mapped it at Wainwright Inlet because of the Mabel wreck report and RCS records. WG
Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914, 3. U S Customs Wreck Report for Mabel filed at San Francisco October 19, 1885
GEORGE HOWLAND (1871) The 361 ton wooden bark George Howland was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871. The George Howland was in the whaling trade out of New Bedford, Mass. and had a value of $43,000 at the time of the disaster.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 47 40 N 159 39 02 W Chart 16005
Source: Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”
GRAMPUS (1901) The 326 ton steam whaling bark Grampus was beached and condemned near Point Barrow July 18, 1901 after being “nipped in the ice”. The vessel had departed San Francisco March 14, 1901 for a whaling trip to the Arctic. The Grampus was valued at $50,000 with cargo. Her crew survived.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 71 23 29 N 156 28 30 W Chart 16003
Source: Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)
GRATITUDE (1865) The 337 ton whaling bark Gratitude was stove in by ice and lost June 26, 1865 while trying to get into the protection of grounded ice 40 miles from Cape Lisburne. She had departed New Bedford June 19, 1862 with Lewis N Herendeen as Captain and had a cargo of whale oil and bone.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 68 53 N 166 13 W Chart 16003
Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. 19th Century Commercial Shipping Losses (2006)