Captain Frederick Stindt aboard Star of Finland, ex-Kaiulani i11 1918. In that y ear she was chartered to the Matson Na vigation Co. for a rnn to Hawaii, leaving November 25 and retuminR February 6. Captain Stindt 's son, Fred A . Stindt, re111e111bers him co111ing ho111e from the voyage laden with belated Christmas presents f ro111 the islands. Captain Stindt served in Star of Finland 1913-19. Photo courtesy: Anita M. Bird.
carpenters and other technicians worked on the ships all winter in the Packers shipyard at the foot of Paru Street in Alameda. The verdict along the waterfront was that the Alaska Packers were not insistent on polished brass, but kept their ships "in good working order." I have often heard the phrase. This was the icebox in which Star of Finland, ex-Kaiulani, was kept intact until the eve of World War II. She had gone north every year until 1927-one of five Stars that sailed that year. Most of the big fleet was in lay-up by then; the steamers were hounding this last sanctuary of sail. A steamer could make two voyages up to the canneries each year instead of one. It could carry more, it could keep a schedule. The Alaska Packers Association now owned three. As chance would have it, their newly purchased Chirikor was the former Lurline, which had helped nudge Kaiulani out of the Island trade. The last sailing ship to go north-Star of Alaska in 1930-was towed both ways. The fleet was gradually sold until in 1938 Star of Finland ex-Kaiulani was all by herself in Oakland Creek . .t
Aboard herfather Captain Stindt's old ship, Mrs. Anita Bird recalls her own voy age in Star o f Finl and to Alitak, Alaska, in 1924. When she visited, on June 2, 193 7, the old bark had just been outfitted for a role in the m o vie "Souls at Sea," which kept the vessel in life a lillle longr. Photo courtesy: Anita M. Bird.
Th e hands stand by, as Star of Finland, bound for Alaska, picks up her towinR hawser from a tug. Portholes in side are for tweendeck accommodations for the fishery workers. Photo: National Maritime Museum al San Francisco.
Mr. Kortum is Senior Curator of the Na-
tional Maritime Museum at San Francisco, and Vice President of NMHS. This account is abstracted from his forthcoming book, Kaiulani; the Last Yankee Square Rigger. SEA HISTORY, SUMMER 1979
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