Trapped in Ice!: An Amazing True Whaling Adventure (review)

A fleet of thirty-nine American whaling vessels left Honolulu in 1871 bound for the Arctic Ocean in pursuit of bowheads, certain that they would arrive in optimal annual weather conditions. Nature had other ideas, though, sending wintry gales and high seas to claim four ships (the crews escaped) and trap the remainder in treacherous ice floes that would almost certainly crush them into splinters—all but seven ships, that is, whose captains had heeded the Inuits' warnings of a stormy season and had withdrawn from the region early. Their prudence would be the salvation of 1,219 crew and family members aboard the twenty-eight remaining ships, which were forced to abandon their hard-earned cargo and set out in whale boats on an eighty-mile journey that, they trusted, would bring them to their compatriots' vessels and safety. Sandler spends considerable time explaining the whaling industry, and readers familiar with this background may find themselves wishing he'd cut right to the life-or-death bits. Those new to these waters, however, will better appreciate just why the captains ignored sound advice, braved the gales, and hesitated to the last possible second to make what seems to be the obvious decision to abandon ship. The story of the perilous but ultimately successful evacuation is told in gripping detail, and information on a subsequent salvage mission, the fate of Inuits who attempted to dismantle the abandoned vessels, and experience of a lone crew member who remained behind to claim the cargo are equally fascinating. Black-and-white illustrations, a glossary, index, and list for further reading are included. Fans of Philbrick's Revenge of the Whale (BCCB 11/02) will be relieved to learn that some maritime disasters came to more felicitous conclusions.