RV Belgica (1884)
Belgica trapped in the ice, 1898
| |
History | |
---|---|
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | |
Builder | Christian Brinch Jørgensen |
Launched | 1884 |
Out of service | 19 May 1940 |
Fate | Scuttled June 1940 |
General characteristics | |
Type |
|
Tonnage | 263 GRT |
Length | 35.97 m (118 ft 0 in) |
Beam | 7.62 m (25 ft 0 in) |
Draught | 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in) |
Propulsion | Sails, steam engine |
Sail plan | Barque (1884–1918) |
Complement | 23 (Belgian Antarctic Expedition) |
Belgica was a
In 1916, she was sold and converted to a passenger and cargo ship, serving Spitsbergen from the Norwegian mainland under the name Isfjord. In 1918, she was sold and renamed Belgica, being converted to a factory ship. Requisitioned by the British in April 1940, she was used as a depôt ship, being scuttled when the Franco-British Expeditionary Force evacuated Harstad in northern Norway. In 2007, plans to build a modern replica of Belgica were announced.
Description
The ship was 35.97 metres (118 ft 0 in) long, with a beam of 7.62 metres (25 ft 0 in) and a draught of 4.11 metres (13 ft 6 in). She was rigged as a barque.[1] As well as sails, the ship was propelled by a 35-horsepower (26 kW) steam engine built by Nylands Verksted, Oslo.[2] The engine drove a screw propeller that was arranged so that it could be raised out of the water if necessary.[3]
History
Early history
Patria was built by Christian Brinch Jørgensen at Svelvik, Norway,[2] as a whaler.[4] The ship was constructed of pine, American pine and oak ribs, with 110 millimetres (4.3 in) thick greenheart planks clad in oak and sheeted in iron. The ship had a strengthened bow to enable her to operate in ice.[3] Her designer and owner was Johan Christian Jakobsen.[1]
Antarctic expedition
In 1896, Patria was bought by
At one point, Belgica almost rammed the Belgian royal yacht.[7] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was reached on 6 October 1897. Frederick Cook joined the ship there.[5] On reaching Montevideo, Uruguay, the cook was fired and a Swedish replacement was hired. On the voyage between Montevideo and Punta Arenas, Chile, the engineer allowed the boiler to run dry. He was dismissed when the ship reached Punta Arenas,[7] which was on 1 December 1897.[5] Further disciplinary problems at Punta Arenas resulted in the Chilean Navy being asked to intervene. The Swedish cook and three Belgian sailors were dismissed, and Belgica departed for the Antarctic somewhat undermanned.[7]
Sailor Carl Wiencke was lost overboard en route to Antarctica,
By 22 July, command of the ship was taken by Amundsen and Cook, as de Gerlache and Lecointe were too ill. Cook insisted that the men ate the penguin and seal meat, following which the crew rapidly recovered from the scurvy. The prospect of a second winter in Antarctica spurred the crew on in their efforts to free Belgica. On 14 February 1899, Belgica was finally freed from the ice, although it was another month before she was able to set sail for Punta Arenas, where she arrived on 28 March.[7] Belgica was repaired in Punta Arenas, then sailed for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Leaving Buenos Aires on 14 August 1899, she sailed for home, arriving at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 30 October and Antwerp on 5 November, sparking national celebrations in Belgium.[5] Following her return to Belgium in 1901, Belgica was again used for whaling.[1]
Arctic expeditions
in 1901, Belgica was chartered as a supply vessel for the Baldwin-Ziegler Polar Expedition. Captain Johan Bryde was to lay supply caches in northeastern Greenland, where the expedition hoped to return from the pole. On Shannon Island and Bass Rock, Bryde erected prefabricated houses made by Swedish company F O Peterson and stocked them with coal, tins of food, kayaks, balloons and a hydrogen generator.[8]
In 1902, Belgica was sold to N C Halvorsen,
Later history
In 1916, Belgica was sold to the Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompagni, Spitsbergen and was renamed Isfjord.[9] She was rebuilt to include cabins for female staff. Isfjord was used to carry coal and passengers between Svalbard and northern Norway.[3]
In 1918, Isfjord was sold to Kristian Holst,
Replica
In 2006, the
It is planned to raise the wreck of Belgica and to put it on display at the Belgian National Maritime Museum, Antwerp. Before the wreck is raised, the Royal Norwegian Navy will remove the remaining ammunition.[14]
Tributes
A 425 km-long (264 mi) scarp on Mercury has been named Belgica Rupes by the International Astronomical Union based on a suggestion by the MESSENGER team.[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Belgica (ex-Patria) (+1940)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "Belgica" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Technische fiche" (in Dutch). Belgica Genootschap VZW. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "ANTARCTIC SHIPS". Antarctic Circle. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "BELGICA". Gia Nhien & Co. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0-9530458-1-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Adrien de Gerlache, Belgica, Belgian Antarctic Expedition 1897 – 1899". Cool Antarctica. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-8061-5222-6.
- ^ a b c d "Belgian Merchant A-G" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 5 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Expedities" (in Dutch). Belgica Genootschap VZW. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f "Sunken polar ship emerges from the depths". Views and News from Norway. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Kindell, Don. "Naval Events, June 1940, Part 1 of 4 Saturday 1st – Friday 7th". Naval-History.net. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ Kindell, Don. "Naval Events, June 1940, Part 2 of 4 Saturday 8th – Friday 14th". Naval-History.net. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ a b c "The New Belgica". Steenschuit. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ "Belgica Rupes". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved 2013-12-05.