Whaleship Essex sunk by a sperm whale in the Pacific
- When
- 1820–1821
- Where
- Southern Pacific Ocean; Pacific Ocean; Henderson Island and South America
- Episodes
- 3
The Nantucket whaleship Essex sank in the Pacific Ocean on November 20, 1820, after being rammed by a sperm whale. The 20-man crew escaped in three whaleboats, facing a long journey to South America. Eight men survived, with some resorting to cannibalism during the ordeal.
Episodes
- Sinking of the Essex
On November 20, 1820, a sperm whale rammed the Essex twice, sinking the ship in the Pacific Ocean.
- Boat Journey
The crew set off in three whaleboats on November 22, 1820, aiming for South America.
- Survivors Rescued
Three men were rescued from Henderson Island in April 1821, while five others reached South America in February 1821.
Background and detail
Background. Essex departed Nantucket on August 12, 1819, for a whaling voyage. Captain George Pollard Jr. and first mate Owen Chase led the crew. The ship arrived in the Pacific in January 1820. On November 20, 1820, the ship was attacked by a sperm whale estimated at 85 feet long, sinking it 2,000 nautical miles west of South America.
Escape. After the sinking, the crew divided into three whaleboats under Pollard, Chase, and Joy. They set off for land on November 22, 1820. The crew voted to head for South America rather than the Marquesas Islands due to fears of cannibals. They had to sail south for 1,000 miles before turning east.
Survival. Three men stayed on Henderson Island and were rescued in April 1821. The remaining seventeen continued to South America. By February 1821, only five of these seventeen were alive. The survivors had resorted to cannibalism to remain alive. Chase returned to Nantucket on June 11, 1821.
People involved
- George Pollard Jr. · Captain
- Owen Chase · First Mate
- Thomas Nickerson · Cabin Boy
Sources
- Owen Chase Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-26
- Essex (whaleship) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
- George Pollard Jr. Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-11
- Thomas Nickerson Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-24
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.