Here you will find an example transcription of details
This is also a place to ask questions and request help with oddities in the log
You can bring the ship to life by sharing interesting finds from the log pages and other information about the ship
General help with marking and transcribing whaling logs
Weather and ice records from the whaling ships of the USA which contains the following 'must read' topics...
- START HERE. General outline, the project and how to help
- Transcribing: capturing the log details, and information resources
- Transcribing: managing your recording workbook
Treasure trove of information in the Library
Over the years this forum has accumulated a broad spectrum of detailed information which is kept in the Library
Please do take time to visit the Library because it will afford you a great deal of help. However, do feel welcome to ask questions at any time.
Help with images
- If you want to query some text please supply the page reference (the reference changes as you view the middle of a page), and an image of the text if you wish. Help for manipulating/posting images can be found in Posting Links and Images (A Guide). If you have any problems with imaging this is the board to post that question.
- Accessing pale images. The example page used below, opened through the 'Irfan' program, 'color correction' and adjust the brightness, saturation, and gamma correction. You may have your own program for adjusting brightness and contrast. Here are the before and after images using Irfan. Click to see them at full size.
To find the shipyard pages for other whalers
Link: Find your ship, & the full list of ships logbooks for OWW
Select 'view single page':
When the log book image opens you will see two pages. It is easier to read the details accessing one page at a time. Use the icons at the bottom of the screen:
You can walk through Beluga's log pages in chronological order. All you have to do is increment the number at the end of the link: page/2, page/3, page/4 etc.
The following example page covers the 13th thru 20th of November 1851
Right click the image and select 'open in new tab' to be able to enlarge the image.
Here is a transcription of the above log page.
| Simple transcription | Phrases of text bracketed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Nov the 13th A.D. 1851 At 11 A.M. Sailed from the mouth of the river with fair wind stowed the anchors cables +c at 5PM lost sight of the land and (home Sweet home) |
Thursday Nov the 13th A.D. 1851 [At 11 A.M. Sailed from the mouth of the river] [with fair wind] [stowed the anchors cables +c] [at 5PM lost sight of the land and (home Sweet home)] |
| Friday 14th Light winds + baffling course S.E. employed fitting boats +c Saw 2 sails and a shoal of black fish |
Friday 14th [Light winds + baffling] [course S.E.] [employed fitting boats +c Saw 2 sails and a shoal of black fish] |
| Saturday 16th First part light winds + baffling middle strong breeze took in the topgallantsails. at 9oclock AM set then again buisy fitting boats +c |
Saturday 16th [First part light winds + baffling] [middle strong breeze] [took in the topgallantsails.] [at 9oclock AM set then again buisy fitting boats +c] |
| Sunday 17th Blowing fresh took in sail to close reefed main topsail + hove the ship to wind from the westward at daylight moderate set all sail + kept of to E.S.E. |
Sunday 17th [Blowing fresh] [took in sail to close reefed main topsail + hove the ship to wind from the westward] [at daylight moderate] [set all sail + kept of to E.S.E.] |
| Monday 18th Fine breeze from the N.W. course EbyS buisy fitting boats + broke out for Corn Flour Molasses Peas Bread + Rice |
Monday 18th [Fine breeze from the N.W.] [course EbyS] [buisy fitting boats + broke out for Corn Flour Molasses Peas Bread + Rice] |
| Tuesday 19th Fresh breeze from the N.W. all sail set employed fitting boats at 7oclock P.M. passed a Ship steering to the westward course E by S. latter part wind from the S.W. Saw two sails |
Tuesday 19th [Fresh breeze from the N.W.] [all sail set] [employed fitting boats] [at 7oclock P.M. passed a Ship steering to the westward] [course E by S.] [latter part wind from the S.W.] [Saw two sails] |
| Wednesday 20th Light wind from the SW. all sail set buisy fitting Boats +c steering EbyS. middle strong wind + squally from the N.W. took in the light sails double reefed fore main topsails Latter part the same course SE by E |
Wednesday 20th [Light wind from the SW.] [all sail set] [buisy fitting Boats +c] [steering EbyS.] [middle strong wind + squally from the N.W.] [took in the light sails double reefed fore main topsails] [Latter part the same course SE by E] |
Start worksheet (top section)
If you discover any metadata in the logbook please enter it on this page. Metadata means 'data about data', barometer readings or temperature readings. See under 'Weather' at rows 32 and 33. For example, if you see that the temperature is in Celsius or Centigrade, that fact should be transcribed as metadata. This ship log works in Civil time (see notation on Start sheet of workbook): Sunday July 7th 1895:
[...]Started to steam at 8.20 AM steamed all day [...] at 5.30 PM so ends the day
Click on the worksheet images below to see them at full size.
Start worksheet
Primary worksheet
Weather worksheet
Remarks worksheet
The ship is working on civil time:
1895070 [...]Started to steam at 8.20 Am steamed all day [...] at 5.30 PM so ends the day
https://archive.org/details/logbookofbe ... 1/mode/1up
Here's a link back to the list of Beluga 1895-1896 logbook sections for transcribing Log Pages for Transcribing - apply here!
Warning: AUTOFILL function between worksheets.
Do not drag and drop the date or time on any of the worksheets because you may disrupt the autofill function.
If you are unsure that the autofill is in proper order you can check by pressing two keys on your keyboard.
You are certainly welcome to ask for help with this action.
The remainder of this topic is for you. Ask questions and share interesting discoveries with us to make these logs live.