whaleships
Blubber-seeking vessels
Whaleships were vessels specifically designed and equipped for hunting whales, most active during the 18th and 19th centuries when whale oil was a valuable commodity for lighting and lubrication.
These ships carried crews for months or years at sea, processing captured whales on board to extract oil and baleen.
The term appears almost exclusively in historical contexts, as commercial whaling has largely ceased.
Nantucket was once the world's busiest port for whaleships.
Massachusetts island resort
- New BedfordMassachusetts port city
- Moby-DickEpic whaling novel
- scrimshawEngraved whale ivory art
- logbooksOfficial activity records
Melville · harpoons · blubber · ambergris · flensing · sea shanties · Azores · Quakers
Barbed spear for whales
- Nantucket sleighrideHarpooned whale towing whaleboats
- chaseRapid following of quarry
- flensingRemoving whale fat
- blubberMarine mammal fat
spermaceti · ambergris · leviathan · pod · breach · spout · lookout · crow's nest
Multi-masted sailing vessel
- brigShipboard detention quarters
- schoonerMulti-masted sailing craft
- mastVessel's sail support
- riggingRopes controlling ship sails
foremast · mizzenmast · helm · bow · stern · keel · galley · forecastle
Traveling by ocean vessel
- navigationDetermining position and course
- oceanMassive saltwater body
- captainOne who commands
- crewWorking team aboard
deckhand · mariner · logbook · provisions · scurvy · circumnavigation · Pacific · Atlantic
At risk of extinction
- cetaceansAquatic mammals, fully marine
- marine biologyStudy of sea organisms
- overhuntingExcessive wildlife killing
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
humpback · sanctuary · protection · sustainable · recovery · heritage
Nantucket
Massachusetts island resort
- New BedfordMassachusetts port city
- Moby-DickEpic whaling novel
- scrimshawEngraved whale ivory art
Melville · logbooks · harpoons · blubber · ambergris · flensing · sea shanties · Azores · Quakers · spermaceti
harpoon
Barbed spear for whales
- Nantucket sleighrideHarpooned whale towing whaleboats
- chaseRapid following of quarry
- flensingRemoving whale fat
blubber · spermaceti · ambergris · leviathan · pod · breach · spout · lookout · crow's nest · lance
barque
Multi-masted sailing vessel
rigging · foremast · mizzenmast · helm · bow · stern · keel · galley · forecastle · hold
seafaring
Traveling by ocean vessel
- navigationDetermining position and course
- oceanMassive saltwater body
- captainOne who commands
crew · deckhand · mariner · logbook · provisions · scurvy · circumnavigation · Pacific · Atlantic · Arctic
endangered
At risk of extinction
- cetaceansAquatic mammals, fully marine
- marine biologyStudy of sea organisms
- overhuntingExcessive wildlife killing
extinction · humpback · sanctuary · protection · sustainable · recovery · heritage
whaleshipscargo ships
Vessels for transporting goods
passenger liners · merchant vessels · ferries · shrimp boats · crab boats
whaleshipsnuclear submarines
Reactor-driven underwater warships
aircraft carriers · cruise liners · container ships · hydrofoils · hovercraft
whaleshipscruise ships
Seagoing pleasure vessels
research vessels · container ships · supertankers · offshore platforms