Northern Alaska Shipwrecks ( M )

MABEL (1885)     The 188 ton 100 foot wooden bark Mabel went ashore in a heavy gale at Wainright Inlet at 3 p.m. Monday August 10, 1885.  The George and Susan drug anchor and collided with the Mabel causing her to drag as well.  The vessel departed Saipan, Caroline Island February 10, 1885 bound for whaling in the Arctic with 35 crewmen aboard.  She had 100 tons of whale oil and whaling gear worth $6,000 stowed in her holds.  The U S Revenue Cutter Thomas Corwin attempted to get a hawser to the Mabel but her anchor cable parted and the vessel and her cargo were lost.  The Mabel was valued at $12,000.  The crews of the Mabel and the George and Susan were rescued by the Thomas Corwin.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   70 36 N 160 W   Chart 16003

Comment: Some reports have this wreck between Pt Belcher and Pt Franklin.  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 188.09, Length 100.2, Breadth 25.1, Depth 10, Built 1877 Bath ME, Registered New Bedford MA, ON 91013, Master Thomas J McLane of Falmouth MA, Owner William Lewis of New Bedford, Insurance unknown

Sources: 1. U S Customs Wreck Report October 19, 1885 by McLane, 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1886-1888 (1966)

MARENGO (1876)     The 478 ton wooden whaling ship Marengo was caught in the ice abandoned in the Arctic NE of Point Barrow Sept 12, 1876.  The Marengo was out of New Bedford, Massachusetts and valued at $40,000 at the time of the disaster.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   71 23 29 N 156 28 30 W   Chart 16003

Sources: 1. Northern Mariner (April 2006) Pg 63 “19th Century Commercial Shipping Losses” by J R Bockstoce , 2. U S Commission of Fish and Fisheries : The Fishery Industries of the United States Section 5 Volume II “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet, 1876” Pgs 83-84

MARY (1871)     The 373 ton wooden whaling ship Mary was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871.  Her estimated value at the time of the disaster was $57,000.  The home port for the Mary was Edgarton, Massachusetts.  Most of the Arctic whaling fleet was lost with the Mary and in total 1,219 sailors had to be rescued.  The survivors of the Mary and more than 30 other shipwrecked whaling vessels reached Honolulu on seven remaining whaling ships on October 24, 1871.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   70 47 40 N 159 39 02 W   Chart 16003

Sources: 1. Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”, 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914 Microcopy 641

MARY AND SUSAN (1888)     The 327 ton 115 foot wooden whaling bark Mary and Susan was lost on the reef four miles south of Point Barrow during a storm on August 3, 1888.  The vessel departed San Francisco March 9, 1888 with a crew of 31 bound for the Arctic.  At the time of the loss, the Mary and Susan was carrying $12,000 worth of “whaling supplies”.  The vessel was valued at $8,000 and became a total loss along with her cargo.  Four other whalers were caught in a lee shore and wrecked along with the Mary and Susan in the same ferocious gale; the Fleetwing, Young Phoenix, Jane Grey and the Ion.  The shipwrecked crewmembers were taken aboard the revenue cutter Bear and transported to San Francisco.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   71 23 20 N 156 28 30 W   Chart 16003

Additional Information: Tonnage 327, Length 114.7, Breadth 29, Depth 16.8, Built 1857 New Bedford MA, Registered New Bedford, ON 17556, Master L C Owen of Vinyard Haven, Owner J H Bartlett & Sons of New Bedford, Insurance $20,000

Sources: 1. U S Customs Wreck Report by owners at New Bedford December 13, 1888, 2. Lewis and Dryden’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1895) Pg 361

MASSACHUSETTS (1871)     The 356 ton wooden whaling bark Massachusetts was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871.  The vessel’s home port was New Bedford, Massachusetts.  Her value at the time of the disaster was $46,000.  Later reports claim the Massachusetts drifted around Point Barrow and was later pillaged by the natives.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   71 17 30 N 156 47 15 W   Chart 16003

Sources: 1. Alaska Packers Association Record (1982 Microfilms), 2. Harpers Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”

MEXICAN (1851)     The 226 ton whaling ship Mexican was lost in the Arctic in 1851.  She departed New Bedford May 31, 1848 bound for whaling in the Arctic.  She was valued at $22,000 with her cargo of whale oil and bone at the time of the disaster.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska Unknown

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. Marine Disasters of the Alaska Route (1916) Pg 31

MINERVA (1871)     The 337 ton wooden whaling bark Minerva was abandoned in the ice around Point Belcher September 14, 1871.  The vessel was out of New Bedford and valued at $50,000 with cargo at the time of the disaster.  “The Minerva drifted around to the entrance of Wainright Inlet.  The following spring the hull was in as good condition as when abandoned.  The bark Florence went up to the wrecked whalers during 1872, and from the wreck of the Minerva secured 250 barrels sperm oil, 1200 barrels whale oil and 15,000 lbs. whale bone, which were brought to San Francisco.”  Some accounts report the Minerva salvaged in 1872.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   70 36 N 160 W   Chart 16005

Sources: 1. Alaska Packers Association Records (1982 Microfilms), 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914 (1966) Microcopy 641

MONTICELLO (1871)     The 356 ton wooden whaling bark Monticello was abandoned in the ice near Wainwright Inlet September 13, 1871.  She hailed out of New London, Connecticut and was valued at $45,000 with cargo at the time of the disaster.

Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska   70 36 N 160 W   Chart 16005

Sources: 1. Marine Disasters of the Alaska Route Andrews (1916) Pg 31, 2. The Northern Mariner (2006) “19th Century Commercial Shipping Losses” Pg 62

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