Whaling Links on the Web

New Bedford Whaling Museum

http://whaling
museum.org/
index.html

An excellent site with a first-class 'Exhibits' section on various aspects of whaling. The 'Research' section provides a very good overview of the history of American whaling.

The Nantucket Whaling Museum
http://www.nha.org/newsiteshome.htm
Unfortunately, this excellent whaling museum is closed for renovations until the spring of 2005, and so the web site is rather sparce. But it does include links to other sites that are relevant to the history of Nantucket.

The Disaster of the Whaling Ship Essex
http://www.columbia.edu/~glb55/EssexIntro.html
A complete overview of the voyage and sinking of the Essex, produced by Columbia University.

Whaleship Essex
http://www.pbs.org/odyssey/class/essex.html
A short section within the PBS "Voyage of the Odyssey" website. It includes photos of Nickerson and Chase, plus artefacts from the Essex.

The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A671492
This BBC site provides a fairly detailed account of the voyage, but in text-only form.

Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick
http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cfm?page=author&author
ID=415&view=Interview
This author wrote "In the Heart of the Sea", a best-selling account of the voyage of the Essex, which is a "must read" for anyone with an interest in the subject. In the interview Philbrick discusses several interesting aspects of the Essex saga.

What is a Whale?
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/
A richly illustrated site for children with lots of general information on whales and different whale species.

Greenpeace Whales Sites
http://whales.greenpeace.org/whales/index.html
A comprehensive site, with sections on whale behaviour, species, and environmental issues.

Hunting the Whale
http://www.historyshelf.org/secf/whale/index.php
On overview of the history of the Arctic whalers that sailed from Scotland during the 19th century. The site includes useful sections on whaleboats, flensing, etc.

Australian Whaling History
http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/human/whaling.htm
A brief but worthwhile account on Whaling from an Australian perspective.

Based on the book, You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th-Century Whaling Ship!
Copyright 2004 - the Salariya Book Company