On Nov. 20, 1820, a sperm whale attacked and capsized a whaling vessel in an event that would inspire the novel Moby-Dick.
Whaling was a very, very big deal in the first half of the 1800s. The whaleship, titled the Essex, was one of many on the seas seeking to harvest bone and oil from the bodies of sperm whales. But on that day, one very irritated 80-ton sperm whale rammed the ship and capsized it, leaving it inoperable and sinking.
The 20-man crew made their escape on smaller boats but were 2,000 nautical miles from the nearest continent, South America. After a month, they made landfall on an uninhabited island. Three of the sailors stayed there and were rescued months later. The other 17 sailors decided to go for the mainland—a decision that turned out worse than they expected.
On the ocean they were subjected to dehydration, starvation and exposure to the sun and ocean water. They eventually engaged in cannibalism to stay alive. By the time the sailors were rescued—89 days after the ship was destroyed – only five remained.
You can read more about the sinking of the Essex and its legacy on the website of the Nantucket Historical Association.
