cabin boy thomas nickerson all of 15 years old was at the helm steering. when this huge 85-foot -- whale appeared to the to this on this their starboard on their port side, they didn't think much of it because never before in the history of american wailing had a whale attacked a ship. but this whale had a different intention i began to pick up speed slammed into the side of the ship knocked the men to their sides would come back at it again drive the ship backwards crush the bow like an eggshell the ship would not sink, but it would fill up with water the men would take to their whale boats they all gathered. and pollard captain pollard would eventually arrive and say to mr. chase because they were over the horizon. they hadn't seen all what happened. let's say to to chase mr. chase. what is the matter? these were men of few words chase. simply said we have been stove by a whale. now many of us have if you haven't don't know about the essex, you've probably familiar with moby -- this would inspire the climax of that great american novel. but where moby --

the cabin boy was thomas nickerson. they departed and headed for the pacific.normal whaling voyage, not a very successful one as they made their way around cape horn, around the west coast of south america. they decided to venture out farther into the pacific than the essex has ever been before to the offshore grounds. after a stop at the galapagos, they were 3000 miles from the coast of south america when they cited a huge sperm whale, 85 feet long. this is a huge whale. if you know the huge job here at the whaling museum, that reputedly came from an 85-foot whale, just massive. especially when you imagine the ship was 85 feet long. one of the whale boats was damaged. so first mate owen chase drag that boat up onto the sick and repairing it. the other two oil boats were off pursuing whales. cabin boy thomas nickerson, all of 15 years old was at the helm steering when this huge 85-foot sperm whale appeared on their port se. he did not think much of it. never before in the history of amican whaling had a whale attacked a ship. but this whale had a different inte