An important part of history is the Nantucket society whaling industry. Philbrick’s “The Heart of the Sea” discusses the men who were gone for long periods of time and the women who had to handle the businesses and keep life functioning void of their men. Due to the nature of the business, there were many families who were left without fathers or mothers who lost their sons. The heart and soul of this community showed the commitment of their people and their true character. The tale of the Essex’s voyage is the center of the growing and profitable whale industry. As with any industry, there was a substantial decline in whaling and the community essentially withered, but during the height of their success, the sailors were heart of what the world new as successful whalers.
Philbrick tracks the epic and historical voyages of the Nantucketers in search of the legendary Moby Dick. The story follows Severin while he hunts whales with the Indonesians.
The dangers that these men took on in their boats against the unknown sea environment and the potential threats without any guarantee of reward was substantial. “Nantucketers saw no contradiction between their livelihood and their religion. God Himself had granted them dominion over the fishes of the sea” (Philbrick, pg. 9). The commitment that these whalers had set was historical in that it set a standard for all those who were in the same industry. They belonged to the sea, and their lives revolved around the time that they were gone.
Philbrick tells of the events that took place in November 1820. The tiny whaleboat, the Essex, with Captain George Pollard and his crew faced the unforgiving Pacific. “At twenty years of age, the Essex was reaching the point when many vessels began to exhibit serious structural deterioration” (Philbrick, pg. 19). They set out on another voyage in pursuit of finding whales. “Like a skier traversing the face of a mountain, a Nantucket whaleship took an indirect route toward Cape Horn, a course determined by the prevailing winds of the Atlantic Ocean” (Philbrick, pg. 37). The crew’s determination to complete their mission allowed them to face the continual obstacles that the sea would throw at them. However, this mission, unlike others proved to be disastrous.
The expectation of the whalers was significant. “High winds and rugged seas made every aspect of whaling doubly onerous. Instead of providing a stable platform on which to cut up blubber and boil the oil, the Essex pitched back and forth in the waves…and soon the decks were a slippery mess of oil and blood” (Philbrick p. 190). The fire on the ship was used to melt the whale’s blubber. It would create a thick cloud of black smoke along with a horrible stench. They would kill an average of one whale every five days, this expectation was exhausting for the crew. In addition to the unfavorable ship conditions, the Nantucketers would be on the sea for two or three years at a time. They would only head home to visit their families for a few weeks before they had to go back out to sea. The conditions were rough and the lack of food and long days in inevitably took its toll on the sailors.
The crew’s unplanned direction was not the worst part of this mission. “Not until the Essex had crossed the equator and reached thirty degrees south latitude-approximately halfway between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires did the lookout spot the first whale of the voyage” (Philbrick, pg. 48). It was in a matter of minutes that an angered sperm whale rammed the ship shattering it. Quickly the hunters became prey. There had never been a historical situation where a Nantucket ship has been rammed by a whale prior to this instance. The crew was a significant distance from safety, yet still managed to survive. The story told how the sea almost mocked the men as they fought for their lives, safety, and ration of water and food. The men who dedicated their lives to the industry were facing a new challenge of survival.
The men found that the nearest island was more than a 1,000 miles away. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Marquesas was downwind and rumored for being the home of savages that feasted on human flesh. Getting back to South America proved to be impossible considering it was 2,000 miles upwind. It did not even seem like an option to get back to South America. The Nantucketers’ however, full of arrogance, choice to face the impossible and headed for South America. The crew spent the next 93 days using their knowledge and wisdom trying to reach their chosen destination. However, storms and winds kept placing them further and further from their destination. During their long excursion of hunger, thirst, and eventually death – they could have lived if they would have chosen to go to the island. The captain and first mate, along with a few other men were rescued by another whaling boat near the South American coast. The horrific environment and industry are historical because of the dedication and commitment these sailors gave to their profession.
