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Spanning - Whales and
Whaling pictures 30
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On
whalers as other sailing ships, ropework was an ever present and
important part of shipboard life particularly during quieter
periods. Here a sailor is splicing a rope onto an iron whaling
harpoon. The pointed implement in his hand is a tool that opens up
the twisted rope allowing the interweaving of the unwound end of
another piece of rope.
A splice so formed is stronger than a knot, but
much more time consuming a join to make in rope. |
The
whaling gallery is a collection of images from a
whole range of sources. It is intended to inform
and illustrate a now (thankfully) vanished occupation and way of life that for the men
so engaged was hard and often
dangerous. It is intended for historical interest rather than a commentary on the ethics of whaling. |
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