It is pleasing that a continued interest in this
book justifies the production of more copies.
Unfortunately the relatively small market for such a specialist book
does not justify the ‘re-set’ costs of a new edition, nor is a simple reprint
possible because of deterioration of the original plates. This has left the option of facsimile
copying the very last copy! It is hoped
that the digital scanning technique that has been used and the resultant slight
loss in the quality of the photographs, is acceptable. However, it is fair to
note that many photos were never of the best quality for reproduction anyway.
An early decision was made to include plenty of illustrations, even if the
originals (which were often gleaned from private albums) were not perfect. The
interest factor was deemed more important.
In the intervening eleven years some additional
information has come to hand, and new friends have been made in the
process. For example, Ernst and Grizel
Johansen of Oslo visited Stewart Island in 1996. From Ernst’s own childhood recall and his access to family
photos, some corrections in detail have been possible. His liaison with the
Whaling Museum in Sandefjord, has also resulted in plans for a special display
in 2001.
Corrections and addenda from all sources are given
below. I thank everyone for their
interest. Jim Watt.
Corrections and Additions.
General:
Terminology. The term ‘whale chaser’ is used in the book. This follows popular usage of the term in
New Zealand. However, in Norway and
elsewhere the term ‘whale catcher’ is more universally (and accurately?) used.
Units of measurement. Measurements in the book are quoted in imperial units. While Norwegian units have always been
metric, and New Zealand has been metric since the late 1960’s, I have chosen to
use the New Zealand system of the day.
It is also the system that appears to have been actually used at The
Base, judging from the careful measurement of the remains.
Specific:
p16. Photo caption. The visit by Stein Hoff and Odd
Romterland in 1987 successfully culminated
in
documentaries screened on TV in Norway.
A written record (Hoff, 1988) was also published.
For
‘an ex-patriot from Sandefjord’ read ‘an expatriate from Sandefjord’.
p30. Column 2. The paragraph commencing “It is
recorded…..’ should be typeset in lower case.
p53. Column 2. For ‘Jock (Mac) McCrystal’ read
‘Arthur (Jock) McCrystal’.
p56. For ‘Sigval Johanssen’ read ‘Nils Sigvald Johansen.’ This correction applies throughout the
book on pages 61, 70, 77, 83,93, 188, 190.
p56. Column 2. For ‘RANUI (still oystering out of Bluff)’ read ‘RANUI (was oystering out of
Bluff but now (1999) refitted for private use and operating out of Port Chalmers)’
p58. Column 2.
For ‘Jock McCrystal’ read ‘Arthur (Jock) McCrystall’.
p59. Column 1.
For ‘Arthur and George’ read ‘Bill (Shorty) and George
(Mac)’.
p65. Columns 1 and 2. For SJALYST read SJÆLYST.
p65. Column 1.
For ‘Glimpse of the Sea’ read ‘Sea Pleasure’.
p69. The Ammunition Store. Millar’s Beach was known as Krutt (Gunpowder) Beach at the
time. (Else
Bentsen, pers.comm.)
p77. Nils Sigvald Johansen (note correct spelling)
arrived in New Zealand in October/November 1926. He
was
joined a year later by his wife Emile and sons Arvid (4 1/2 years) and Ernst
(16 months). They at
first
rented a house in Halfmoon Bay from the Rout family. Emile’s uncle was Gunnar Thorstensen,
captain of the SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS.
When they left to return to Norway in 1930 they left two
Newfoundland dogs, ‘Bamsie’ and ‘Doggie’. Ernst is today (2000) a noted
Norwegian artist, but it is
not
correct that he has an item hanging in the Oslo Radhus. Some of his paintings remain at Stewart
Island from his 1996 visit.
Arvid became a sea captain. He
died in 1982 “one month before reaching
the
age of 60. (Ernst Johansen, pers.comm..)
p77. For
‘The Hunter’s name snekka’ read ‘The Hunter’s snekke’.
p92. Column
1. For ‘Areowit’ read ‘Aqua vitae. (Brandy, or possibly a
Norwegian potato liquor).’
p118. Column 1.
For ‘W. Banyon’ read ‘W. Baynon’.
p166. Column 2 line 10. For ‘designed to
handling.’ read ‘designed to handle.’
p178. Column 2.
“The day the ROSS was going out for the last time was not the day my
father died but the
day
he was buried. A very fitting
end.” Berit Klaveness Rasmussen, pers. comm.
p187. The Bollinder Launches. Column 2. For sentence beginning ‘It
has not been confirmed…
read ‘One Bollinder named TARL
was bought by Eric Johnson of Lyttelton from a Mr.
McKenzie of Timaru, and was used by him for trawling and craying out of
Lyttelton from
1945-1955. She was lost somewhere off Lyttelton Heads on 15 January 1956
and took with
her a new owner T.H. Haywood, and A.F. Keith. This Bollinder was most likely the
PEARL. The name change was
probably ‘some person’s bad writing on an application for a
Fishing Licence’. (D.
Eric. Johnson, pers. comm.).
p188. For ‘The Snekka Launches’ read
‘The Snekke Launches’. (This spelling should be
corrected throughout the book).
p188. For ‘In 1929 at least two other snekka
..’ read ‘In 1930, two other snekke ..’
p193. Caption to lower photo. For ‘but none have survived’ read ‘but only one is known to have
survived and may be viewed (1999) at the Bluff Maritime Museum, New Zealand.’
p194. The Chasers. Readers are directed to Harland (1992) for a comprehensive and beautifully
illustrated treatise on catchers and their associated technology.
p199. Left photo caption should read ‘The PHYLLIS,
as the Wellington trawler WN2 in the mid
to
late 1940’s’. (R.McDougall pers. comm..)
p199. Lower (main) photo is printed back to front.
p202. KARRAKATTA.
This whale catcher currently (1990) lies in remarkably recognizable
condition on the hard at Husvik, South Georgia. A steam line connects
its boiler to a shore
facility, testimony of the ship’s last duty. (Dag Naevestad, pers.comm.). (For photos and
assessments of the rusting remains of the whaling industry on South
Georgia, see Basberg
and
Naevestad , 1990).
p210. Column 1, line 8 For ‘500-600‘ read
‘probably 150-160’!
p231. 09-MAR-30. It was the chasers, not the SIR
JAMES CLARK ROSS that were ‘laid up for
the
winter’.
p234. Appendix 2. Norwegian Overwintering Parties at
Paterson Inlet. The term ‘overwintering’
refers to the southern hemisphere winter and therefore, broadly in this
context, the period
May
to October.
p243. The
heading for Appendix 3(e) should be screened (as are Appendices 3a-d).
p243. Add
‘ Beck, John A. Wairio, Southland. SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS 1929/30.’
p243. For
‘Greeves, (Greaves?), Bill “Snowy” read Greaves, W.E. (Bill, “Snowy”).
p243. For
‘Pettersen,? (Norway?)’ read ‘ Pettersen, J.B. (Sweden).’
p243 For
‘Samuelsen, Hawkin’ read
‘Samuelson, Haaken Sverre (Harry)’.
p244. Add
‘Tatham, ?. (Otatara), SIR JAMES CLARK
ROSS 1929/30; SIR JAMES CLARK
ROSS II 1930/31 (?)’.
p244. For
‘Webber, ?’ read ‘Webber, Jack.
C.A.LARSEN, for 4 seasons’.
p263.
Index. For ‘Benyon, W.’ read
Baynon, W.’
p265. Index.
The McCrystal entries should read ‘McCrystall, Arthur (Jock);
McCrystall, Bill
(Shorty); McCrystall, George (Mac)’.
References:
Basberg, B.L. and Naevestad, D. 1990.
Hvalfangstminneregistrering pa Syd Georgia.
Meddelelser nr.110. Norsk Polarinstitutt, Oslo, 1990. 32pp.
(In Norwegian).
Harland, John H. 1992. Catchers and Corvettes. The Steam Whalecatcher in Peace and War.
Jean
Boudriot Publications, Ashley Lodge, Rotherfield, East Sussex, TN6 QX,
England. 432 pp.
Hoff, Stein. 1988.
Rosshavets base pa Stewart Island.
Pp 55-80 In: Norsk Sjofartsmuseum
Arsberetning 1987. Oslo 1988. (In
Norwegian).