In the heart of the sea...

Scott T-Bird · Dec 11, 2015

Didn't it just come out today?!?! Dang, you were anxious to see it! Sue and I have a date tomorrow night to see it. I've been waiting about half a year since I first heard of it. I read the book as well. I'm sure I'll read it again to compare notes after seeing the movie. I think I'm predispositioned to love it.

Kings Gambit · Dec 12, 2015

william24424 said:
*there are no spoilers in a True Story*
Read the book? Seen the movie?

Book- Owen Chase convinces Captain Pollard & crew to travel longer distance against wind & current, because fear of cannibals. Ironic...(Pollard originally was to set sail, well-provisioned to hit the Marquesas or Society islands.)
Film- They just head for South America...

Book--Owen Chase didn't harpoon Whale because it was lying next to Essex rudder. Film--the whale is eye balling him in the dinghy after chasing him around Pacific...

Other than that, loved the movie. Entertaining film... I look forward to your observations and comments.

The eyewitness account by Chase who was on Essex patching a stoved whale boat: "... after examining the hole, I found that I could, by nailing a piece of canvass over it, get her ready to join in a fresh pursuit, sooner than by lowering down the other remaining boat which belonged to the ship. I accordingly turned her over upon the quarter, and was in the act of nailing on the canvass, when I observed a very large spermaceti whale, as well as I could judge, about eighty-five feet in length; he broke water about twenty rods off our weather-bow, and was lying quietly with his head in a direction for the ship." The whale moments later attacked the Essex, and then again, stoving her on the weather-bow "...just forward of the fore-chains;..." and then "...directly under the cathead..." According to Chase, Essex was making 3 knots and the whale six knots toward it (= 9 knots combined at time of impact) on the second strike. As Essex was sinking Chase had the crew launch the ship's boat stating: "...from the time we were first attacked by the whale, to the period of the fall of the ship, and of our leaving her in the boat, more than ten minutes could not certainly have elapsed!"

We're going to a matinee tomorrow!

Brian D · Dec 12, 2015

Wow, no one writes like that anymore. So eloquent. On top of that, one needs a nautical dictionary to understand. I am sure a whale can do more that six knots. Guess the whale was just toying with the boat.

Kings Gambit · Dec 12, 2015

Brian D said:
Wow, no one writes like that anymore. So eloquent. On top of that, one needs a nautical dictionary to understand. I am sure a whale can do more that six knots. Guess the whale was just toying with the boat.

Twenty rods is evidently just over 100 meters, i.e., 100.6 meters.

Kings Gambit · Dec 13, 2015

william24424 said:
Other than that, loved the movie. Entertaining film... I look forward to your observations and comments.

Wife and I saw today. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too unreal to have the whale harrassing the crews in lifeboats a thousand miles from where the sinking occurred. The square rigger in that squall off New England was engaging to watch.

Justin_NSA · Dec 17, 2015

I will probably go see it. Makes me want to reread my Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin series. Great nautical historical reading.