THE MIGHTY MOSHULU: In Extremis in 1947 by Olaf T. Engvig
Olaf T. Engvig, a Norwegian mariner who is spending a year at the San F rancisco Maritime Historical Park, sends us these remarkable photographs ofthe bark Moshulu undergoing salvage after being blown ashore in a gale in Bogen, near Narvik, in 1947. Here is his account. Karl Kortum 's article on the Moshulu in Sea History 61 describes how the ship entered Norwegian waters on the heels of the German invasion on April 9, 1940. It is hard to establish information on the ship's history during and just after the next five devastating years of World War II. Bergen Sj¢fartsmuseum, however, has come up with information and unpublished pictures from the archives of Norsk Bjergningskompani (Norwegian Salvage Company), which provides the following:
It looks as ifthe Moshulu was back in the lumber business after the war, her owners being recorded as a Norwegian lumber company when she broke her moorings during a storm. One picture shows the Moshulu at Bogen after she is refloated, with the salvage ship Traust pumping her out. The other shows her in tow to Narvik by the salvage tug Uller, still with a great list to port. The big brackets that are attached to her starboard side for righting purposes remind one of the method used to refloat the celebrated Great Britain when ashore on the coast of Ireland in the 1840s.
Mr. Engvig , leader of several important restorations of historic steamers in Norway (to be reported in a future Sea Hi story), is one of a committee now being formed to help see to Moshulu' s
future. Another committee member, Hajo Knutt le (head of Save the Regina Maris , Ltd.) visited the Moshulu where she has been laid up these past three years in Camden, New Jersey. He reports: "l believe there is still a great deal of life in this majesticfour-posted bark." Her stout hide, made of mild steel, has stood up remarkably well , and her elegant shape, so evident in these pictures of her recovery at another turning-point in her long career, still shows why seamen of all nationalities acclaimed her in her heyday as the most beautiful and swiftfooted of the great ships that ended their days in the Australian grain trade. D SAVE THE MOSHULU : Queries, suggestion s, contributions may be sent to NMHS-MOSHULU, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566.
Moshulu Narvik Trelastkompani. Went ashore and capsized at Bogen in vicinity of Narvik. Contract with lumber company on raising , refloating and delivering Narvik for fixed price Kr . 50,000-No cure, no pay. The owners provide extra men and wood material needed. Traust from Trams¢ with arrival Bogen, 24 April at 15:30. Uller with pontoons from Aalesund, 17 April. Refloatedby Trau standUller 11 May and towed to Narvik. Agreed amount ofKr. 50 ,000 received 5 June. OB (initials of signator) 46
SIEA HISTORY 62, SUMMER 1992