Harpon Whaling Boat - Lahaina, Maui Island, HI
Posted by: 
denben
N 20° 52.326 W 156° 40.507
4Q E 741877 N 2309741
This whaling boat is located to the left of the cellblock, on the grounds of the Hale Paahao/Lahaina Prison in the historic whaling town of Lahaina, Maui.
Waymark Code: WMRA45
Location: Hawaii, United States
Date Posted: 05/30/2016
Views: 1
The sign reads:
"Harpon Whaling Boat
The American whaling industry saw its greatest prosperity from about 1820 to 1860 which was known as the Golden Age of Yankee Whaling. Fleets based out Nantucket and New Bedford, Massachusetts sailed all the world's oceans but the majority of whaling took place in the Pacific Ocean.
When a sperm whale was sighted from the large whaling ship, a hunting crew was sent out on a small open boat like the one here. These boats were commonly used to approach a spouting whale, get in position for an attack, and pull up close from which to hurl a harpoon or lance. Up to six whalers could fit in this boat. At one time, it was rigged for sail but typically it would be rowed.
Salvaged from the Whaling Disaster of 1871, this boat is 30 feet in length and was built in New Bedford, Massachesetts. In the fall of 1871, a massive ice storm blew Siberia to Alaska just as the Nantucket whaling fleet was preparing to sail for the Hawaiian Islands.
Thirty-three of the fleet's 40 ships were damaged and sank. Thanks to about 100 of these open boats, over 1200 people from the ships were able to escape. Navigating south through open waters for 70 miles, they were taken aboard seven of the ships that survived and no lives were lost.
The small whaling boats were left to drift away and were lost or wrecked. This one was salvaged at Point Barrow, Alaska and used by the local Inuit tribe. You can see repairs made from whale hide and bone on the hull and along the keel."
Group that erected the marker: Lahaina Restoration Foundation
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
187 Prison Street,
Lahaina, HI, US
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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