We continue to study the preferences of readers of my blog using an example . Here is what it says there rivetina :

"Hooray, I've been waiting! I would like to know more about the history of maritime whaling. "

Well, of course you can, let's find out how it was.

Whale hunting rock paintings have been found in Norwegian settlements dating back 4,000 years, and whale remains have been found among the debris at 3,500-year-old Alaskan Eskimo sites. It is possible, of course, that in those days whales were not hunted so actively, but only finished off those who fell in shallow water. However, given the estimated abundance of whales in polar waters after the warming that followed the Pleistocene, it would be strange if ancient hunters did not use this resource.

Early evidence of regular whaling in Europe comes from Norsemen from Scandinavia around 800-1000 AD. Also among the first whalers were Basque sailors; in the 12th century whaling was carried out in the Bay of Biscay. It is likely that early whalers hunted mostly right whales and bowhead whales, as they are slow swimmers and do not drown after death due to their high blubber content. The gray whale population that previously existed in the North Atlantic was completely knocked out by the beginning of the 18th century.

Whaling barque "Charles F. Morgan"

First mass Whale fishing dates back to the beginning of the 17th century in southwestern Europe, in the Bay of Biscay region, where Basque whalers hunted the Biscay whale. It was a period of great geographical discoveries, the heyday of navigation and the initial accumulation of capital. For 120 years of the 17th and early 18th centuries, about * 200 thousand whales were taken in the Bay of Biscay. Biscay whale as a subspecies | smooth whale, was completely destroyed.

Second mass Whale fishing originated in the middle of the 17th century in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean in the area of ​​\u200b\u200babout. Svalbard. The object of the fishery was the bowhead whale. Industrialists were quick to appreciate the benefits of whaling. It was believed that it was economically justified to equip a whaling ship for fishing if three whales were caught in a season. The average yield of blubber (blubber) from a bowhead whale was 50 barrels (1 barrel - 160 kg). Whaling in the Arctic waters of the Atlantic continued until 1725 until the complete extermination of the bowhead whale.

Third mass Whale fishing began in the mid-40s of the 19th century on the bowhead whale in the Chukchi Sea area. Fishing was carried out mainly by American whalers. In a short time, this species of whales in the Chukchi Sea was completely exterminated. It is characteristic to note that in the American market 1 pound of whalebone (the main type of product of that time) was estimated at $4, and the average output of whalebone was l 1.5 thousand pounds and 50 barrels of fat, with a total value of 8.5 thousand dollars.

the fourth district whaling has become the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean. Here, over 300,000 southern right whales were taken by American and English whalers during the 15 years of the 19th century.

Until the middle of the 19th century, whalers hunted only right whales and sperm whales, i.e. for whales that do not drown after slaughter. In 1867, the Norwegian Svend Foyn invented the harpoon gun and used a compressor to inflate the carcasses of dead whales with air. This began a new era in whaling.

From the Bay of Biscay, whaling spread north along the coast of Europe and further into Greenland. In the next century, the Danes and then the British began to fish in the waters of the Arctic. In the 17th century, whaling also began on the east coast of North America.

All this time, whalers used small sailing ships and hit their prey with harpoons from rowboats. Then the whales were towed to the shore or ice edge, or butchered directly into the sea. At the same time, whaling in Japan, which began around 1600, was carried out with the help of nets and fleets of small boats.

As ship design improved, whalers began to hunt other species, especially sperm whales. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the whalers of New England (USA), Britain and Holland moved first to the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean, and then turned west and went to the Pacific Ocean around Cape Horn, or turned east and went to the Indian Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope . In the first half of the 19th century, whaling began in South Africa and the Seychelles. By this time, the Arctic whalers had penetrated far into the icy waters of Greenland, into the Davis Strait and to Svalbard, where they hunted bowhead and right whales and, later, humpback whales. Right whale fishing also began in the high latitudes of the South Pacific, around New Zealand and Australia, and since 1840 in the North Pacific, in the Bering and Chukchi Seas and the Beaufort Sea.

Overfishing led to the decline of whaling in the North Atlantic in the late 18th century, and in the North Pacific in the mid-19th century. The sperm whale fishery prospered until around 1850, but quickly declined after that. The situation worsened even more after 1868, when the Norwegian Svend Foyn invented the harpoon gun, and sailing ships were replaced by steamboats.

Both of these innovations signed the verdict on the remaining large whales, because even fast minke whales could now be pursued on steamers. By the end of the 19th century, the populations of bowhead and right whales were almost completely exterminated. British Arctic whaling ceased in 1912.

The pioneers of the new craft were the Norwegians. As early as 1841, navigator James Clark Ross established that whales abounded in Antarctic waters. But only in 1893 whalers began fishing there. Antarctica has become fifth fishing area whales. In 1904, in the Gritvinen Bay on about. South Georgia Norwegian Larsen organized the first coastal station in Antarctica for the processing of whales. Carl Anton Larsen inscribed his name in the history of whaling and Antarctic exploration. He made several voyages to Antarctica, including on the whaling ship "Antarctic" delivered the expedition of Otto Nordenskiöld to Antarctica.

In 1905, another Norwegian, H. Christensen, equipped the first floating factory "Admiralen" with two whaling ships to the south. The year 1905 must be considered the beginning of pelagic fishing in the Antarctic. It has been widely developed.

During the 1910-1911 season. in the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic, 14 floating factories and 6 coastal stations with 48 whaling ships have taken more than 10,000 whales, of which 8,000 are humpback whales. Tankers began to be used to transport whale oil from mother ships to the mainland.

In 1912, Norway alone had 37 floating factories and 27 coastal bases in Antarctica and received 500,000 barrels of fat, which was widely used in the production of nitroglycerin for military needs.

In 1924, a slip was invented for pulling dead whales onto the deck of floating bases. Whaling fleets were no longer tied to the shore, and whaling spread to all Antarctic waters and to all types of whales.

In 1925, the first modern floating base began operating in Antarctica, which eliminated the need to butcher whales on the shore. As a result, Antarctic whaling began to develop rapidly, and in 1937-38, about 46,000 whales were taken per season. This continued until these populations were also harvested to the point where the fishery became unprofitable. The largest and thus the most commercially valuable of the minke whales, the blue whale dominated the harvest in the 1930s, but its numbers plummeted by the early 1950s, and in 1965 its fishery was completely banned. As numbers declined, the attention of the whalers shifted to the next largest minke whale, and so on.

Preparing the sperm whale for cutting

After the Norwegians, the whalers of England rushed into the waters of the Antarctic, then the USA, Denmark, Germany and Japan. Predatory, unlimited extermination of whale herds began. Thus, in the 1930-1931 season, 40.2 thousand whales were caught in the Antarctic and over 3.6 million barrels of fat were produced.

There was an overproduction of whale oil, and the question of limiting the fishery was sharply raised. On September 24, 1931, representatives of 26 states signed the 1st International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in Antarctica in Geneva. Whaling quotas began to be set. So, for 1933, a quota of 17,074 conditional (blue) whales was established. Conditional (blue) whale = 2 fin whales = 2.5 humpback whales = 6 sei whales. Beginning in 1955, the fishing season in Antarctica was limited to 1 December to 15 March.

Sperm Whales were hunted after the decline in their numbers in the 1850s, but until 1948, about 5,000 animals were hunted annually. After that, the production volumes increased sharply to 20,000 per year, mainly in the North Pacific Ocean and in the Southern Hemisphere, until the species was taken under protection in 1985.

Until the middle of the 20th century, the leaders of the whaling industry were Norway and Great Britain, followed by the Netherlands and the United States, which also took an active part in the fishery. However, after World War II, these countries ceased pelagic fishing and were replaced by Japan and the Soviet Union, although inshore fishing continued in many other countries. The whaling data that the Soviet Union provided to the International Whaling Commission was completely falsified, and the actual data on Soviet whaling has only recently been officially published.

Russian whaling

In the waters of the Russian Far East, whaling for smooth and gray whales originated in ancient times among the population of Chukotka and Kamchatka, according to some studies, even earlier than in the waters of the Bay of Biscay.

The Russian-American company, founded in 1789, in addition to fishing for beaver and seal, was also engaged in whale hunting. For one killed whale, the company paid the local population 25 rubles, while the cost of products from a killed whale was about 15-20 thousand rubles. But gradually the management of the Company reduced the whaling to zero, concentrating all its attention on the fishing of beavers and fur seals. This was immediately taken advantage of by the Americans, who began mass whale hunting in the waters of the Russian Far East.

The house of the whaling flotilla "Glory" in the very center of Odessa, at the intersection of Deribasovskaya and Ekaterininskaya (Karl Marx). Built in the early 50s.

In the summer of 1848, the American captain Royce on the ship "Superior", after successfully fishing for whales in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bOkhotsk, caused "whale fever".
Russian naval officer Zbyshevsky, who served on a corvette cruising in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, indicates that American whalers in 14 years, from 1847 to 1861, received products from whales caught in Russian waters worth 800 million dollars. The price of blubber at that time was $30-40 a barrel and 70 cents a pound whalebone. At least 100 foreign vessels fished in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk annually, each of which received at least 1,000 barrels of blubber and at least 9,600 pounds of whalebone per season. The main market for whale production was the port of Honolulu.

The first domestic whaling ship "Suomi" owned by a Russian-American company, in the season of 1852-53. produced 1908 barrels of fat and 43.8 thousand pounds of whalebone, receiving a net profit of 13.6 thousand rubles plus a ship with all equipment.
A Russian citizen, a Finn by nationality, Captain Fridolf Huck found in the Far East the fame of a skilled captain and a successful whaler. In 1869 he successfully hunted whales in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

In the 70s of the 19th century, a Russian sailor, also a Finn by nationality, Lindholm organized at the mouth of the river. Tugur, which flows into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, a whale trading post. For 20 years, Lindholm has been a successful fisherman.

He was replaced by another compatriot - Lieutenant Dadymov, who sacrificed a successful career as a naval officer for the sake of whaling. With a capital of 130 thousand rubles, Dadymov began fishing for whales. Already in the first fishing year of 1889, Dadymov caught 23 whales on the whaling ship G. Nevelsky, of which he received 12 thousand barrels of fat and 5 tons of whalebone, and the profit amounted to over 20 thousand rubles. In 1890, Dadymov had already mined 50 whales, but on the way to Japan, he died along with his ship under mysterious circumstances. Attempts by skipper Huck to find traces of Dadymov's death were in vain.

In 1894 in b. Gaydamak, the Pacific whaling company of G. G. Kaiserling, also a former naval officer, was formed, which had two whaling ships and the Mikhail base. For 10 years, the company produced about 1 thousand whales (100 heads annually) and had a net income of 220 thousand rubles during this time, but during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904, the ships were captured by the Japanese, and the company was liquidated. Until 1929 there was no domestic whaling.

In 1929, the Kamchatka Joint-Stock Company (ACO) purchased the Glen Ridge transport ship from the USA and sent it to Norway for refitting. However, the Norwegians, not wanting to have competitors, asked for a fabulous price for re-equipment, and the contract had to be abandoned. The vessel, renamed "Aleut", came to Leningrad, where it was converted into a whale depot within two years, and in the summer of 1932, "Aleut" with three whaling ships: "Avangard", "Trudfront" and "Enthusiast", purchased in Norway, left to the Far East. Having caught 22 whales along the way, the Aleut arrived in Vladivostok in February 1933. From that time until 1967, the film "Aleut" worked in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean.

A whole galaxy of famous whalers grew up on this flotilla: these are the captain-directors: A.I. Dudnik, A.D. Polyakov, I.T. Lyulko, V.M. Oleinikov, harpooners: I.G. Konovalov, A.N. Purgin, F.D. Prokopenko and many others, who became the backbone of the crews of the subsequent whaling fleets that entered service. Most of the above whalers later became Heroes of Socialist Labor.

The second Far Eastern Whaling Flotilla was organized in 1947. It included 15 whaling ships, converted military minesweepers and 3 coastal whaling plants: "Podgorny" on about. Paramushir, "Rocky" on Simushir Island and "Kasatka" on Iturup Island. Whaling ships harvested whales along the Kuril Ridge and delivered them to coastal bases for processing. The flotilla did not have the ability to maneuver and limited its activities to the range of whaling ships.

The flotilla lasted until 1964, then the whaling plants were closed, and the whaling ships were decommissioned. A whole galaxy of experienced whalers also grew up on this flotilla, subsequently sent to new fleets. This is G.V. Weiner, N.N. Martynov, female captain of the whaling ship Orlik A.I., Borisov Yu.I. and many others.

The whaling flotilla "Glory", which we received as a reparation after the defeat of Nazi Germany, was organized in Odessa in 1946. The flotilla included 18 obsolete steam whaling ships. On the first fishing voyage, the flotilla was led by an experienced polar captain Voronin, and then until 1959 it was led by the famous captain, Hero of Socialist Labor Solyanik A.N.

In 1956, 20 modern diesel-electric whalers were transferred to the flotilla, which dramatically increased its efficiency. During the 1956-1957 season. flotilla "Slava" harvested 3282 whales and received 28.314 tons. fat, 1965 tons. fodder flour, 500 tons. meat, 506 tons. liver, total 31.285 tons. products. In 1966, the Slava whale base was transferred to the Far East and, after working for 6 seasons in the North Pacific, was decommissioned and sold for scrap.

In 1959, in the city of Nikolaev at the shipyard named after. Nosenko, the whaling base "Soviet Ukraine" was built, and at the plant named after. 61 Communards - 20 diesel-electric ships. The settlement of Odessa became the base of the flotilla. Until 1970, the flotilla was headed by A.N. Solyanik, transferred from the Slava flotilla.

In 1960, the whaling base "Yuri Dolgoruky" was put into operation, reequipped from the German passenger liner "Hamburg" that we got under the reparation. The flotilla had 15 diesel-electric whalers and fished for whales in Antarctic waters. The port of Kaliningrad became its base.

In 1961, in the city of Nikolaev, at the same factories, another whaling flotilla was built - "Soviet Russia" as part of a whale base and 21 whaling ships based on the port of Vladivostok, which became the capital of the whaling industry of the country.

The displacement of these whale bases is 45 thousand tons each. Bases were intended for work in any latitudes of the World Ocean. The production capacity of the whale base made it possible to process 75 whales per day with a total weight of over 4 thousand tons, to produce 1 thousand tons. fat and 200 tons of whale meal with 100% utilization of raw materials. These whale bases were the most powerful in the world.

In 1963, the Vladivostok and Dalniy Vostok medium-tonnage whale bases, built by West German firms, went into operation. The displacement of each whale base is 28 thousand tons. Whale bases were assigned 12 whaling ships each. They were intended to operate in the North Pacific. In the inter-fishing period, the whale bases were used for the acceptance and processing of fish raw materials, for which the appropriate equipment was installed on them.
Thus, by the mid-60s of the last century, an entire whaling industry was created in the USSR, and the entire World Ocean became the arena of its activity.
The USSR took the 1st place in the world in the production of whales, it accounted for 43% of their catch (Japan - 41%).

Whaling ships "Record" and "Leading" in the port of Vladivostok, 1979.

Antartic whaling flotilla "Soviet Russia"

As a participant in the first flights of this flotilla, I would like to dwell on its activities in more detail. The flotilla consisted of a whaler and 21 whaling ships. All whaling ships had a serial number and names starting with the letter "B": (except for No. 5 "Komsomolets Primorye"): Important, Inspirational, Leading, Magnanimous, Majestic, Loyal, Demanding, Prominent, Insinuating, Domineering, Influential, Impressive, Strong-willed, Free, Enthusiastic, Delightful, Intelligible, Counter, Hardy and Expressive.

20 fishing whaling vessels and 1 training and search vessel, which was engaged in the preparation of harpooners and reconnaissance of whale aggregations. Of course, the most difficult was the preparation and conduct of the first fishing run.

According to the staffing table approved by the USSR Ministry of Fisheries, the crew of the whaling base for the first voyage was determined in the amount of 640 people, and the crew of each whaling ship - 31 people. The total composition of the flotilla is almost 1300 people. In addition, there were 15 specialists from the construction plant at the whale depot.

From the flotilla "Aleut" was sent to "Soviet Russia" from above. 120 experienced whalers, about 100 people from the 2nd Far Eastern Flotilla, 15 people from the Soviet Ukraine flotilla, that is, about 250 people were experienced specialists.

Over a thousand people had to be taken in from outside. At the request of the USSR Ministry of Chemistry, the Government allowed early demobilization from the armed forces of persons who expressed a desire to work on a whaling flotilla. A number of specialists were accepted from the ship repair enterprises of Primorye. Several graduates of the Far Eastern Polytechnic Institute were sent to work on the flotilla, but since they did not have the necessary swimming qualifications, they were enlisted as minders on a floating base. Among them was the future deputy chairman of the State Committee for Fisheries VG Rudnikov.
After registration in the personnel department of the Whaling Flotilla Administration in Vladivostok, all newly accepted were immediately sent to the city of Nikolaev, where, in the process of building and accepting the whaler and whaling ships, they learned the basics of their future work. All whaling ships were manned by captains already experienced in whaling.

It was very difficult to equip whaling ships with harpooners and especially harpooners' assistants. Harpooners were picked up for all whaling ships in Vladivostok. Not all of them had sufficient experience, but they had some skills, but there were no assistant harpooners. We selected a group of future harpooners in the amount of 15 people from among the demobilized artillery officers.

The harpooner-instructor of the flotilla, Hero of Socialist Labor I.G., supervised the study of this group. Konovalov. It should be noted that only a few of them were able to become harpooners in the process of fishing. The best harpooners were obtained from former taiga hunters - fishermen who knew how to shoot "offhand".

The ministry demanded that the captain-director and political officer have a higher specialized education and relevant experience in the navy. There were no such people in the UKF (a large group of captains studied in absentia, but did not yet have diplomas of higher education).

Therefore, the experienced captain of the Far Eastern Shipping Company N.F. was appointed captain-director (he is also the captain of the whale base). Buyanov and political officer, also an employee of the Far Eastern Shipping Company A.E. Rukhlyad, who had sufficient experience of working on large-tonnage vessels, including on the largest ship in the country, the steamship "Soviet Union". An experienced whaler, who previously led the 2nd Far East Whaling Flotilla, G.V. Weiner. A technologist by education, head of the production department of the Whaling Flotilla Administration A.I. Samovtor, and also an experienced specialist, the former chief mechanic of the Aleut base was appointed the chief mechanic of the flotilla: G.P. Dorukhovsky. According to the staff list, these 5 people were in command of the flotilla.

I.M. was appointed senior assistant to the whale base. Kamenev, who previously worked as the captain of a whaling ship on the Aleut flotilla, the chief technologist responsible for the production of products, was appointed an employee of the whaling flotilla Orel I.N. and senior mechanic of the whale base - Golub G.M. Gradually, it was possible to equip all whaling ships and the whale depot with specialists.

In parallel with the completion of the construction of the whale base and whaling ships, the logistics and food support of the flotilla for the upcoming voyage went on. To speed up deliveries to various departments and supplying plants, officers of the flotilla were sent. "So I repeatedly had to visit the Minister of Fisheries A.A. diesel plant, in the Bryansk Regional Committee of the CPSU to solve the supply of potatoes and vegetables, etc.
When the whaler and part of the whaling ships were taken from the plant into operation, the flotilla moved to the settlement of Tuapse, where all the supplies for the flotilla were concentrated.

Having accepted all the supplies, food, fuel and water, the flotilla, consisting of a mother ship and 7 whaling ships, on October 10, 1961, went on its 1st fishing voyage. 3 whaling ships have previously been sent to Antarctica to survey whale aggregations. The remaining whaling ships, after leaving the factory, caught up with the flotilla already in Antarctica. The last whaler joined the flotilla only at the end of December.

For most of the flotilla workers, this was their first time at sea. For the crew of the whale base, radio broadcasts were organized about the places the ship passed by: the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, Istanbul, the sunny Mediterranean Sea, where Russian squadrons under the command of Admirals Ushakov and Senyavin fought heroically, Gibraltar, etc.

On the passage, the entire crew worked on mastering the ship's fishing and technological equipment, laying false decks for butchering whales and other work.

On October 27, the flotilla crossed the equator. On this occasion, a traditional celebration was organized with songs, dances, Neptune, bathing and other attributes according to a pre-designed scenario.

In order to gain practical skills in cutting and processing whale raw materials, whaling ships were instructed, when meeting with whales, to get a few heads and transfer them to the whale depot, which was done.

When two fin whales were raised on deck, the whole crew gathered for the first time in their lives to look at them. Under the guidance of experienced craftsmen, whale carcasses were butchered, fat boilers, flour lines, and a refrigerator department were put into operation. The first skills were obtained.

The flotilla passed the roaring forties and frantic fifties latitudes, and in November fishing weekdays began. At the field, the production staff of the whale base worked in two shifts: 12 hours after 12 without days off and holidays. Whaling ship crews worked almost around the clock with a break for a short nap. It should be noted that good conditions were also created at the whale base for recreation: single and double cabins, air-conditioned, a club, a good library, films were shown daily, a secondary school worked, consultations for correspondence students of universities, volleyball, chess, checkers were played at the crossings, fencing, amateur art activities were created, an orchestra was created.

After the first flight in Singapore, musical instruments were purchased, which, at that time, were not in Vladivostok.
By decision of the Government, excellent food was organized for the crews of the Antarctic whaling fleets. Fresh vegetables, fruits, meat products were always on the table.

Public organizations worked on the flotilla. A competition was organized for the high quality of products, the fastest cutting of whales, on whaling ships - for the discovery of whales.

All members of the whalers' crews, free from watch, went out to the upper bridge and, each in their own sector, watched the horizon with binoculars in order to find the fountain of the whale. This type of competition was also stimulated financially. Some members of the whaling crews discovered the fountains of whales even before the sailor in the "Crow's Nest" on the mast.

During the first voyage, the flotilla completely circumnavigated Antarctica.

The resource base had not yet been undermined, and whaling ships often caught both right whales and blue whales (individual vomits weighed over 100 tons), and several thousand humpback whales were taken. With the growth of the skill of harpooners, they began to produce high-speed fin whales and sei whales.
On some days, the whale depot brought on board 100 or more whales.

At the whale depot, all technological equipment for the production of fats, edible and fodder meat, fodder meal, both in bulk and in granules, was quickly mastered.
Vitamin "A" was produced from the liver and endocrine glands of whales, spermaceti and ambergris were harvested (over 150 kg of it were already obtained on the first voyage.)
The flotilla worked behind closed doors. Communication with the shore was only encrypted.

Whaling ships did not go on the air, and communication with the whale base was carried out by VHF codes, which changed twice a day. There was practically no information about the fishery and domestic and foreign fleets. Simultaneously with us, 3 more Soviet, 5 Japanese, 1 Norwegian and 2 English flotillas worked in Antarctica.
Twice whaling ships lost propeller blades.

It was necessary to divert another whaling ship from the fishery for towing to the nearest port to replace the propeller in the dock. As a result, 2 ships lost at least 20 days each. The chief mechanic of the flotilla G.P. Dorukhovsky proposed to replace the whaling ship's propeller directly in the fishery. The whaling ship approached the iceberg, fired at it twice with a harpoon gun, attached to it. Experienced diver Petukhov A.I. went overboard, unscrewed the lock nuts, planted an explosive cartridge, and with an explosion moved the propeller from its seat. They lifted it on board with a winch, lowered the spare propeller overboard with a winch. The diver fixed it, and the vessel was ready for fishing. The fishing time of two whaling ships and significant funds were saved.

By the end of the second voyage, the right propeller blade was lost at the whaleboat. By decision of the Ministry, the flotilla, after finishing work in Antarctica, was to continue fishing in the north in Bristol Bay. Due to the loss of the blade, in order to avoid vibration and deformation of the propeller shaft, the right diesel engine could only operate at low speeds, and the speed of the whaleboat was reduced to 10 knots, instead of 16.

It was decided to tow the whale base. To do this, 3 whaling ships "train" (one after the other) dragged the whaler along the entire Pacific Ocean from the Strait of Magellan to the Bristol Bay, and the flotilla moved at a given speed of 16 knots.

Not without tragic incidents. During the butchering of whales, the sailor-splitter Balandin, through negligence, was dragged along with the entrails of the whale into a fat-melting cauldron. He was quickly pulled out of there, but he received severe burns all over his body. Chief physician Shevchenko showed the highest professionalism in his treatment. At the suggestion of Shevchenko, a special device was made so that the scalded parts of the body did not come into contact with the sheet, a canopy was made over the bed with constant heating, the sailor's body was continuously lubricated with fresh spermaceti and the sailor was saved, and after a short time he set to work.

But the arrival of the flotilla after the 2nd voyage to Montevideo (Uruguay) was especially interesting. It is noteworthy that for almost 20 years there were no Russian ships in this port, and suddenly a huge armada entered. The interest of the residents in us was extraordinary. The whale base was put to the pier and from early morning there were huge queues to visit the ship. All newspapers on the front pages printed friendly articles about the entry of Soviet whalers into the port. A joint evening was organized in one of the large clubs. There were so many people who wanted to get into this club that all the nearest streets were crowded and welcome speeches were broadcast for them on the radio, as well as a flotilla amateur art concert, which was specially prepared for this occasion.

The meeting with Vladivostok after the 1st Antarctic voyage will forever remain in the memory of the whalers. The ships of the flotilla on the way were all painted and cleaned. In the middle of the day on July 5, 1962, the flotilla began to enter the Golden Horn Bay. Ahead were 3 whaling ships, which took 1st place in the fishery, followed by a whale depot and then in two columns all 18 ships. At the command of G.V. Weiner, all whaling ships simultaneously fired three shots from harpoon guns. Absolutely all the ships moored at the berths of the commercial and fishing ports, as well as in the roadstead, hooted the arrival of the whaling flotilla.

Tens of thousands of Vladivostok residents came out to meet the flotilla. All the leaders of the region and the city, relatives and friends, reporters of all newspapers and magazines, arrived to meet the whalers, a large brass band played. Newspapers noted that such a meeting took place only in 1937, when the rescued Chelyuskinites arrived in Vladivostok.
Despite all the difficulties, the task for the first fishing trip was overfulfilled. A large group of flotilla workers were awarded orders and
medals, and the captain of the whaling ship "Vkradchivy" Sergeev Yu.G. and harpooner Bereko V.I. was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.

Years passed. The intensity of whaling, both in the waters of the Antarctic and in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, was very high, especially from Japan and the USSR. The number of whales began to decline sharply. If on the first trips the flotilla "Soviet Russia" caught a lot of right whales, blue whales (blue whales) and thousands of humpback whales, then in subsequent years they were caught by a few, the fin whale became the main whale for fishing, and a few years later their number also sharply decreased and the main commercial the sei whale became the whale, and in subsequent years, the minke whale (minke).

The efficiency of the fishery began to drop sharply. Biologists from many countries sounded the alarm, and the "green" movement joined them. In 1982, a moratorium on whaling was announced, and in 1987, pelagic fishing, everywhere in all areas of the oceans, was stopped.
The last era of whaling is over.

Only for the small peoples of the Far North, traditionally hunting whales for food purposes, a small quota of food whales living near their coasts began to be allocated (we have 20 heads of gray whales for the inhabitants of Chukotka).

The whaling bases "Soviet Russia", "Vladivostok" and "Far East" were reequipped for the reception and processing of fish, but the whaling ships did not find practical use and were gradually written off and sent for scrap.

With the beginning of perestroika in the 90s, the former whale bases were gradually decommissioned and decommissioned. Whaling is a thing of the past, but in the hearts of whalers, many residents of Vladivostok and Odessa, where whaling fleets were based, the memory of this period will remain forever.

sources

Whales became the victims of hunting in the waters of the North American coast in the seventeenth century. Even then, these mammals began to interest people. The goal was to extract whale oil. For this, a variety of types of these creatures were suitable.

Application methods

Until the second half of the nineteenth century whale oil played the role of a product that was the only one able to satisfy any need for fatty fibers. It has been used for many processes. Whale oil was abundantly used for making soap and for producing manganese. Certain breeds could be suppliers of raw materials for the chemical industry.

In general, at that time there was a fairly wide range of what whale oil was used for. It was extracted from animals that were caught in the expanses of the Arctic and Antarctic. The most favorable time for this was considered spring and summer.

At this time, whale oil is especially concentrated in the well-fed bodies of animals. If we consider the blue representative of the species, it can supply miners with 19 thousand liters of fatty fibers. If you manage to catch a sperm whale, you will become the proud owner of 7.9 thousand liters.

The need to preserve the view

Whale oil was mined with great intensity, the use of which found new and interesting options. However, this did not have a positive effect on the population, because the number of blue, white and gray representatives of this species fell critically. They have almost completely disappeared. In view of the excitement that gave rise to whale oil, a special international commission was created to protect these animals.

Thus, it was possible to establish control over the population. Of course, there are many things for which whale oil is needed, but if you do not catch in moderation, then there will soon be no one to use.

The International Whaling Commission came into existence on December 2, 1946. At first, there was no effect, and the pace of hunting for mammals was just as deadly. The population of the blue, humpbacked species became ever smaller. The finned whale has almost completely ceased to exist.

Relevant today

In our time, to the question "why does a modern person need whale oil?" there are also many answers. It is still used in many industries today. The issue of limiting hunting is also acute. After all, over the centuries, animals became less and less. So that they do not die out, this issue needs to be regulated.

The importance is really difficult to overestimate. Many useful things can be learned from its products. If we take a closer look, we will see that many of the valuable substances that are obtained from the results of the whale catch really have great importance. For example, blubber (the so-called fat-containing subcutaneous tissue) is suitable for the extraction of excellent fat. It is used to make a lamp work or when making soap.

Other useful substances

In addition to valuable fat, whale families are suppliers of delicious meat products. The bone of this animal is suitable for the manufacture of substances fertilizing the earth. Sperm whales are useful spermaceti - fat, which is located in the head. This substance is good to use for the preparation of ointments, cosmetics and candle products.

The sperm whale is an excellent supplier of such a useful material as ambergris, which is produced in these animals inside the intestines. It is used in the manufacture of perfumes. The tusks and tooth that the narwhal possesses are a very valuable bone, which is not inferior to that of an elephant. The skin worn by the white whale is suitable for the manufacture of leather products.

An interesting fact is that any cetacean creature is a mammal. The predecessors of these animals were terrestrial. Even the fins look like hands with five fingers. For many centuries of underwater life, the environment has contributed to adaptation to such a way of life.

The fight against poaching

As part of the fight against excessive destruction of whales, it was forbidden to use their fat for cosmetic purposes.

The malls that fill the world market must cleanse themselves somewhat of cosmetics containing a powerful and rare ingredient called "spermaceti". It is very similar to the human sebaceous cover under the skin. His action is amazing. Wounds heal instantly along with any. The skin is rejuvenated and fundamentally moisturized. As far back as the eighteenth century, it was mined to make cosmetics.

Nowadays, a large number of animals are killed for the extraction of spermaceti. cooled and filtered, putting on the pressing. 1986 brought the adoption of a ban that did not allow the extraction of this substance. However, this did not stop the poachers, and they continued to hunt and illegally sell fat. Now there are organizations that are engaged in the fight against the criminal activities of hunters for a valuable substance.

criminal hunting

Russia can confidently be called the main exporter of illegally harvested fat. Most of the forbidden products come from the Primorsky region. Aroma Jazz is a domestic brand that produces cosmetics that include spermaceti.

Cream manufacturers do not want to abandon this substance, because synthetic analogues are not subject to such a striking effect. So say cosmetologists-dermatologists. The composition is so complex that scientists have not yet found a way to fully recreate it in the laboratory. Because of this, no one is in a hurry to exclude spermaceti from the composition of their beauty products. Of course, such an effective product is popular with the consumer.

Youth elixir

If you want to study spermaceti in its pure form, you will see frozen bars of fat. Regrettably, the poachers do not seek to hide their intentions and actively post sale ads on the websites of the cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk.

This business is profitable and not cheap. For 1 kilogram you need to pay at least one hundred dollars. More than one merchant may try to assure you that his actions are legal and legitimate, but in the vast majority of cases this is just a banal lie for profit. They may also claim that these products are from old batches. There is a very small percentage of the likelihood that this is not a lie, because spermaceti makes it possible to store it for many years.

In this case, damage does not occur. Consider, however, that with such abundant demand and good prices, old stock would have been sold out long ago and smeared on the faces of consumers who want to preserve their own youth.

Such products are purchased both by companies that do not want to be responsible for their actions, and beauticians who make creams at home for their own use or personal small business. Some may simply smear the skin with spermaceti without any treatment, believing that this is more effective, and they will certainly be forever young.

In any case, when buying this product, carefully study everything.

A friend and I were recently watching a documentary about blue whales when he suddenly said, “Did you know that the Japanese still hunt whales for their blubber. They use it as a lubricant for new cars. Also, whale oil is considered a better lubricant than gasoline-based lubricants.” Let's see, is that right?

Once upon a time, whale oil was indeed used as a lubricant for new cars in the US and Japan. However, it was banned from cars sold in the US in the early 1970s due to environmental concerns. Automatic transmissions immediately began to have problems, some even claim that their quality will never be the same as before. Therefore, you should hurry to buy magical whale oil as soon as possible, before it is too late and it does not disappear at all.

Do you take this statement at face value? Not that the promoters of commercial products ever lie, but there are certain nuances they keep quiet about nonetheless.

Let's start with whale oil. Surprisingly, although its use peaked in 1850 after the invention of kerosene, whale oil continued to be used commercially for a long time (once it was even used to make margarine). Particularly loved in the automotive industry is sperm whale oil, which is actually a liquid wax obtained from sperm whale oil, which, in combination with sulfur, makes an excellent automotive lubricant that does not lose its properties at high pressure and low temperature, and also protects from corrosion. When the need for reliable automatic transmissions arose, using sperm whale oil as a "friction modifier" became the obvious choice.

Unfortunately for the sperm whales, the resulting lubricant was of very high quality. Partly as a result of demand from the automotive industry, huge mammals are on the brink of extinction. In 1970, the US declared that sperm whales and seven other species of whales were protected by the state, which meant not only that the Americans could not hunt them, but also that products of whale origin could not be imported. Beginning in 1973, American automakers switched to new automatic transmission fluids that did not contain whale oil.

So what happened in the end? At least 5,500 automatic transmissions in cars manufactured between 1973 and 1975 broke beyond repair. Corrosion of the solder joints in the transmission cooling system allowed the antifreeze and transmission fluid to mix, with disastrous results. In the news of the time, General Motors, a manufacturer of cars with defective gearboxes, declared the lack of whale oil to be a problem. Implying that this was not the fault of the company itself, but rather of conservationists.

If you read the news carefully, you will notice that the transmissions made by General Motors were not automatic. These were two other specific types: the Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 and 400. Poor transmissions accounted for only one sixth of one percent of these units installed by General Motors at the time. Looking for confirmation of automatic transmission failures in the mid-1970s, we looked through the technical literature, as well as surveys on the frequency of repairs in the magazine Customer Reports, but found nothing.

It follows that the real problem was a defect in the design of the gearboxes produced by General Motors, and not the lack of whale oil, as claimed. Be that as it may, General Motors reissued the solder joints and changed the lubricating fluid, and the problem disappeared.

However, you can still find people who feel that automatic transmissions are not as reliable as those made during the whale blubber era. I think it's all nonsense. In the early 1960s, for example, a typical automatic transmission manufactured by General Motors could stall after 25,000 to 40,000 miles (40,233 to 64,374 km); by the 1980s, this had risen to 100,000 miles (161,000 km). Fortunately, the industry has found equal or even better substitutes for lubricants based on whale oil.

So far we've been talking about the US, but what about Japan? Since the Japanese are on their own, I wouldn't be surprised by their ingredients in lubricants. However, the International Whaling Commission claims that between 1993 and 2009, the Japanese killed 47 sperm whales. During this time, Japanese automakers built 178,000,000 Vehicle. Assuming that (a) half of the cars produced had automatic transmissions, (b) the average sperm whale produces 30 barrels of oil, and (c) all that fat goes into transmission fluid (although this is just an assumption), so less than half goes into each car. a teaspoon of fat.

For a long time, whale oil has been used in many areas of human life. Until the middle of the 19th century, it was used for lighting, as a lubricant, leather, etc. This widespread use was the main reason for the emergence of whaling. This fat is obtained from all kinds of whales.

It should be said that in ancient times whale oil was called differently. In Scandinavia, Denmark, Iceland and some other countries it was called a blubber, and in Ancient Rus' - a blubber.

Glycerol esters and fatty acids are the main components of whale oil.

This fat is rendered from raw lard, which is cut from a dead whale. Its characteristic feature is the presence of a smell, which is very unpleasant for the sense of smell. Whale oil is liquid at room temperature. It dissolves easily in many solvents of organic origin, oxidizes in air and polymerizes. If it is heated with free access of air, it will darken, and when it reaches 200 degrees it turns black.

Salomas from this type of fat can be used to make margarine. But since it takes a lot of time to extract it, it is more efficient and profitable to use vegetable fats for its production.

Salomas is also used to make toilet soap.

It should be said that from internal organs whale and its bones, you can get whale oil for technical purposes. It is obtained by digestion of organs in completely closed boilers.

The quality characteristics of whale oil are directly dependent on the conditions of its rendering and storage.

Whale oil has many health benefits. After hydrogenation, it is well absorbed, has excellent nutritional properties and qualities.

Scientists have proven that omega-3 fats contained in whale oil have a beneficial effect on diseases of the cardiovascular system and chronic heart failure. These substances contribute to an even heart rhythm.

Whale oil also contains polyunsaturated fats, which have anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. They also improve the condition of hair, skin and nails, increase immunity, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, are a preventive measure against the occurrence of cancer cells, remove toxins from the human body and speed up metabolism, help with depression and much more.

Also, whale oil contains many vitamins and minerals, which are practically not absorbed without fat.

It’s hard to believe, but the fact is that whale oil helps to lose weight. Weight loss is achieved through the correct and optimal combination of a healthy diet, exercise and the use of whale oil. After all, as already mentioned, whale oil helps to normalize metabolic processes in the body, improve metabolism and reduces the possibility of depression during the diet.

How to choose a good product containing whale oil?

Salomas (a derivative of whale oil) can be bought at the pharmacy in the form of vitamin A, in the store or on the market in the form of margarine.

To preserve all the beneficial properties of whale oil, it must be stored properly. Margarine can be kept in the freezer for more than six months, and in the refrigerator for no more than 2 months. Since it absorbs odors, it is best to keep it in an oil dish.

Whale oil is harmful to people who have an oversaturation of the body with calcium and vitamin D, have diseases of the thyroid gland and the gastrointestinal tract, and an ulcer.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that health requires an optimal balance in the consumption of polyunsaturated fats.

Whales almost disappeared in the last century due to the fact that people actively hunted these sea giants. In Asian countries, their meat was valued as a delicacy, and whalebone became the basis for the manufacture of various items. The main value of these mammals lies in their fat. It is considered almost an elixir of youth and a remedy for all ailments. Of course, the importance of whale oil in this regard is somewhat exaggerated, but still it is really useful for a number of diseases.

What helps whale oil?

The fat of this marine mammal can help with the following ailments:

1. Arrhythmia . Whale oil has a very high concentration of omega-3s. These fats will help with heart problems by balancing its rhythm. The heart muscle becomes healthier, the likelihood of a heart attack decreases. By the way, omega-3 is found not only in whale oil. This element is present in large quantities in the fat of many northern fish, including salmon and mackerel;
2. elevated cholesterol ;
3. Asthma ;
4. Depression . Surprisingly, whale oil copes not only with physical, but also with mental problems. This is also due to the presence of omega 3. According to the authoritative journal Translational Psychiatry, patients with depressive disorders cope significantly better when they are given omega-3s in addition to antidepressants. There is also evidence that fatty acids help prevent other mental disorders. It doesn't have to wait until you're depressed. It is enough to start consuming whale oil during a period of increased stress in order to prevent the development of neurosis or depression;
5. Alleviate the condition of the patient diabetes . In this case, fat is taken in small amounts as a maintenance agent, but it cannot replace insulin injections and other traditional treatment;
6. hypotension ;
7. Fatigue .

The harm of whale oil

Many components of the product are poorly absorbed if there are few foods with fatty acids in the human diet. The body simply does not accept such fat as normal food, digesting it poorly.

In some cases, it may even appear nausea, which indicates individual intolerance. Therefore, treatment with whale oil should be started with minimal doses.

For the body to cope with assimilation complex components of fat, a healthy digestive system is necessary. Therefore, whale oil should definitely be abandoned. ulcers and people diagnosed with gallbladder pathology.

Otherwise, fat will not only be poorly absorbed, but will also give an additional burden on diseased organs. With beriberi, whale fat should also be excluded from the diet.

What is whale oil used for?

Fat, in addition to the treatment of diseases, is used in the following cases:

• weight loss . Many are perplexed when they learn that such a high-calorie product as whale oil can reduce weight. In fact, it is only important to use it correctly, or rather, correctly measure the right amount and combine it with a diet. After drinking a little fat in the morning, a person will feel great. Even if during the day he limited himself to food. After all, he supplied the body with the right dose of nutrients. If you add sports loads to a moderate diet, then the speed of muscle pumping will increase. That is, whale fat smooths out the stress that the body experiences with food restrictions, and also normalizes metabolism, the beneficial substances that enter the stomach are absorbed more actively. It turns out that losing weight with fat should not be “passive”. That is, it is not enough just to use it little by little in the morning. You should go on a sparing diet and increase the load on the muscles;
• Cosmetology . Whale oil helps to moisturize the skin, it becomes fresher after just a few applications. True, it will not work to legally purchase products with such fat. Companies are prohibited from using any body parts of whales in the production of cosmetics;
• Strengthening immunity . Whale oil improves the functioning of organs, replenishes the lack of important elements and removes toxins;
• Warning oncology .

Exaggerated value of the remedy

Whale fat is certainly a useful product in all respects. But it cannot be considered a remedy that can replace pills for certain diseases.

Actually, whale blubber should act as maintenance therapy. And then only with the approval of a doctor. Some, for some reason, decide that this remedy can be fully treated.

The cost of fat is quite high. This is due to the fact that in many countries its production is prohibited. It is not a fact that the acquired yellow liquid in a jar will turn out to be a healing product, and not a base imitation.

In addition, the demand for whale blubber, which is still stable due to those who want to rejuvenate and improve their health, creates conditions for poaching.

What was whale oil used for in the past?

Not only the healing properties of fat attracted the attention of mankind to the sea giants. Before the advent of kerosene, it was used for home lighting, as it burned for a long time and did not smoke much.

With the development of mechanical engineering, whale oil found its application for lubrication of various mechanisms. True, it was soon replaced by more affordable and effective synthetic oils.

Until the middle of the last century, Europe bought tons of whale oil for the production of margarine. Then scientists learn how to extract from it a substance that is extremely in demand in medicine - glycerol.

Whale blubber is still valued by supporters of traditional medicine. In moderate doses, it can also be used in dietetics for easier transfer of the diet period.

But we should not forget that this is a very specific remedy that is not suitable for patients with certain diseases.

Video: whale fat from wrinkles

In this video, cosmetologist Tatyana Yusupova will tell you how whale oil is used to smooth out nasolabial folds: