2 Evolution in the South


It was established many companys the following years that started hunting in the southern areas. Everyone hoped to make good money in a hunting that seemed to be inexhaustible. During the First decade after the opening of the hunting areas at South Georgia, many new district became available; deislands to South – Shetland, Falkland Islands, Orkney Islands, Kergeulen and along the coast of Africa and South-America. It was often in Norwegian owner in almost every whaling company. They all have one thing common; everyone came one of tree small towns in the country of Vestfold ( South Norway ) – Sandefjord, Larvik or Tønsberg. Like the vikings did, the vessels where loaded up with people, one by one, and sent to the southern hunting areas.

South Georgia 

Most of the hunting in the south was base don South – Georgia, mostly because of the high number os whales. In 1904 did C.A.Larsen establish one station in Gryteviken for the Argentine company “Compana Argentina de Pesco SA “. A few years later came six other stations in Stromness, Husvik, Godthull, Leith Harbour, New Fortuna Bay ( Ocean Harbour ) and Prince Olav Harbour. The seasen for whale hunting in South – Georgia was from October – April/Mai. It means that the hunting was done during the summer months in the southern hemisphere. It could be more than 2500 people working in this period, mostly Norwegian’s but also men from Sweeden, Denmark, Engeland and Argentina. It was not easy to keep contact with their family at home since letters and postcards where the only options. The postal service between Norway and South – Georgia was delayed and irregular.

Before World war II was all mail going in cargo vessels that transported supplies southwise and whale oil in return to Europa. The number of sailings depended om the hunting, and a good season gave many sailings. Anyway, with seven different stations was the need for supplies contant


Advertisement in Sandefjords newspaper,  for delivery of mail to South Georgia.

Factory ship Thor I leafs Sandefjord in October 1914 to the whaling grounds, in the Antarctic. 


 

Thor I build 1890 by Harland and Wolff Ltd. Belfast, as Imaum and in  1910 sold to Bryde & Dahl’s Hvalfangertselskap AS Sandefjord. And renamed THOR I and converted to a whale factory ship by A/S Framnaes Mekaniske Vaerksted, Sandefjord. Whaling operations : South Georgia ( Godthul ) 1910/17 and 1922/29. Worked in conjunction with help-cookeries Thorøy and Whale. South Shetland Islands/Greham’s Land 1917/22. West Antarctic pelagic/ice-edge 1929/31 ( worked in conjunction with factory Thorshammer. 1937 sold to Eckhardt & Co, Hamburg for breaking up. 

                                                                  Gryteviken December 1904


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