Late yesterday afternoon I visited Kullaberg and shot this
image of the seaside resort Mölle and Öresund.
Thursday 31 October 2019
Tuesday 29 October 2019
Portrait of shipowner Gustaf Erikson (1872 - 1947)
Portrait of Gustaf Erikson (1872 - 1947), the owner of the last fleet of windjammers. My editing and colorization of a photo in the Maritime Museum archive in Stockholm (Fo220180). In 1935 Erikson´s fleet reached the peak in the number of vessels, among them these legendary deep-sea sailing vessels:
Moshulu
Passat
Lawhill
Olivebank
Herzogin Cecilie
Pamir
Pommern
Viking
Archibald Russel
L´Avenir
Ponape
Winterhude
Killoran
Grace Harwar
Passat
Lawhill
Olivebank
Herzogin Cecilie
Pamir
Pommern
Viking
Archibald Russel
L´Avenir
Ponape
Winterhude
Killoran
Grace Harwar
"Gustaf Adolf Mauritz Erikson (1872, Lemland – 1947) was a ship-owner from Mariehamn, in the Åland islands (Finland). He was famous for the fleet of windjammers he operated to the end of his life, mainly on the grain trade from Australia to Europe.
Erikson was involved in sailing for virtually his entire life. He went to sea at age 9, was commanding a sailing vessel in the North Sea trade by age 19, and was master of a number of square-rigged vessels prior to becoming an owner.[1]
His ships were bought cheaply as most shipping companies switched to steam ships about the turn of the century; Erikson would often acquire ships at shipbreakers prices.[1] In the early 1920s there was still some competition for the windjammers sold – the shipping company F. Laeisz even ordered new sailing ships in the 1920s – but in the 1930s Erikson owned a significant share of the operational windjammers of the world. In March 1935, he purchased Moshulu, "one of the finest steel barques afloat", for only $12,000.[2]
By the late 1930s, the South Australian grain trade was virtually the only profitable use for windjammers, and then only if the ship owner minimized costs as much as possible. Erikson supplied his ships adequately with crew and supplies as these were necessary for his ships to sail quickly and efficiently, but supplied neither more crew nor equipment than was necessary. Erikson's large four-masted barques would routinely sail on voyages of 30,000 nautical miles (56,000 km) with less than 30 crew.[3]
A young Eric Newby sailed to Australia on Moshulu in 1938–1939, as part of the South Australian grain trade. At the time she was owned by Erikson and part of the last "great fleet of sailing ships". Newby chronicled his trip in The Last Grain Race and Learning the Ropes, where he wrote that Erikson was both respected and reviled by the crew, who knew him only as "Ploddy Gustav". Of the 13 ships which took part in the 1939 grain race, 10 were Erikson ships." (Wikipedia)
Erikson was involved in sailing for virtually his entire life. He went to sea at age 9, was commanding a sailing vessel in the North Sea trade by age 19, and was master of a number of square-rigged vessels prior to becoming an owner.[1]
His ships were bought cheaply as most shipping companies switched to steam ships about the turn of the century; Erikson would often acquire ships at shipbreakers prices.[1] In the early 1920s there was still some competition for the windjammers sold – the shipping company F. Laeisz even ordered new sailing ships in the 1920s – but in the 1930s Erikson owned a significant share of the operational windjammers of the world. In March 1935, he purchased Moshulu, "one of the finest steel barques afloat", for only $12,000.[2]
By the late 1930s, the South Australian grain trade was virtually the only profitable use for windjammers, and then only if the ship owner minimized costs as much as possible. Erikson supplied his ships adequately with crew and supplies as these were necessary for his ships to sail quickly and efficiently, but supplied neither more crew nor equipment than was necessary. Erikson's large four-masted barques would routinely sail on voyages of 30,000 nautical miles (56,000 km) with less than 30 crew.[3]
A young Eric Newby sailed to Australia on Moshulu in 1938–1939, as part of the South Australian grain trade. At the time she was owned by Erikson and part of the last "great fleet of sailing ships". Newby chronicled his trip in The Last Grain Race and Learning the Ropes, where he wrote that Erikson was both respected and reviled by the crew, who knew him only as "Ploddy Gustav". Of the 13 ships which took part in the 1939 grain race, 10 were Erikson ships." (Wikipedia)
Sunday 27 October 2019
Four-masted barque Olivebank off New Zealand in 1926
The Åland Islands (Finland) shipowner Gustaf Erikson´s four-masted barque Olivebank photographed off Bluff Harbour (New Zealand) in 1926. The original picture by E. A. Phillips - here with my processing and colorization - is in the Maritime Museum archive in Stockholm (Fo33756). The Olivebank run into a mine in the North Sea and was destroyed on September 8, 1939. It was built by Mackie & Thompson, Glasgow, in 1892.
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