--- Moby Knew Kracken --- Remember the Nautilus

"Moby knew Kracken"
Sea Monsters !
"You Owe Me"
Super Natural ?
"Big Rock and Black Hole"
Astro Surfing
"[0] "Rougue-0" {0}"
Bad ash Fighter Pilot
"Mother & Country"
B-17 saga
" 3 Lion Cream "
Rome 100 AD
Post Reply
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

--- Moby Knew Kracken --- Remember the Nautilus

Post by TheeTFD »

-
------ It took a month for the news about the Essex and it's survivors to reach Gloucester, Massachusetts.
After they were rescued adrift and nearly dead near Peru.
Of course the Essex was scuttled by a near mythical sized albino Sperm Whale.
There was no telegraph or phones just reliable couriers, horseback, coach and ships.
I'm sure they took land to the Atlantic side of the continent. Then a smooth sail to Gloucester.
Hopefully it wasn't hurricane season but even ancient mariners respected the weather of the sea.
Of course they pushed the envelope when trapped unexpectedly. Often they were lost forever.
----- Well, what were the merchant whalers to do ? Whale oil was still very precious.
The demand was wealth ! Of course the Merchant Class Mariners wanted to scuttle the truth
of the Essex. How or why would mariners risk life if there was a killer whale on the loose. Even
if the merchants would fund a ship. Thankfully the survivors wouldn't be intimated with loss of job or position.
This required a reckoning the young nation would need help to deal with.
----- Currently 1824, the U.S.A. wasn't at war with anyone. So the merchants rallied and took their issues to government.
It would just be a serious manner of the proper language when spoke to the war department. So it was quickly
decided to escort the whalers with warships to the heart of the sea. First one battleship was deemed enough
to condom the whalers. But soon the war department came to their senses and commissioned a second
vessel. The U.S. Constitution and the U.S.S. Trumbull respectively. 44 cannon and 18 cannon respectively.
-----The Constitution was considered a "ship of the line" as in a battleship line, or blockade.
But it was a frigate. At that time a large battleship.
p1
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

-
-----The Trumbull is a smaller faster craft called a sloop of war made especially for merchant escort.
Corvettes would normally do escort but the 2 mast sloop was a popular size that could be tasked
for many duties. I have found over the years the meaning and categorizing of ships have changed.
----- 3 whaling vessels rendezvous with the warships near Norfolk. Eager for a bounty of whale oil the ships set
out for the Pacific Ocean. Not a simple task. No Panama Canal. They would not go around the treacherous
Cape Horn. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope accomplished, convoy intact. Another 3 weeks of sailing and the convoy
would reach Pacific currents that would move them within 500 miles south of Hawaii, the hunting waters.
----- To the Americans surprise, 2 Spanish ships joined the flotilla, near the Ivory Coast, Africa. The 2 countries weren't at war
so no hostilities. The Spanish escort warship was the Aguila. A very small 10 cannon galleon.
The Americans were amazed at the pint sized warship. They loved it. To a man they said they
would sail it around the world. Spanish captain asked to come aboard the Constitution and it was granted.
He inspected the crew and ship and enjoyed a great meal with the officers.
-----The Spaniards heard first of the Essex doom, when the castaways
finally drifted into the shipping lines off the coast of Chile - they weren't taking any chances either.
As apparently their "Santa Marie" had been stowed-up by an albino whale.
The captains shared tales of mythical sized monsters at sea.
----- Eager for some relief the flotilla raced for a day. The sloop and
galleon neck and neck most of the way. A whale sighting stopped the race.
-
P 2
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

-
----- The captain of the Constitution called a meeting of all the captains.
A plan of rescue and signal would be needed if danger struck. Since they might
be firing at the water's surface, angling the cannon downward would be smart.
Two of the whalers were the Pequod and the Ann Alexander. Many of these ships
changed tasks throughout their life. The military was well funded so when
ships became outdated or captured they were often sold or retasked.
----- Ship captains have much respect for each other, regardless the task.
Of course, we are talking ships not boats or person crafts.
Captain Charles Stewart of the Constitution admired the harpoons of the whalers.
He was given 2. Then general bartering broke out as captains realized there
were many things they all needed. The Spaniards were satiated first because
they had gold. Remember the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs in the 1600s.
Rumors are they demanded a room full of gold. Got it, melted most of the art
down and most of the gold made it back to Spain.
----- It was pretty simple to understand, if one cannon is sounded return immediately
to your owners ship ! If sighted of the great whale wave black flags. And keep a look
out for all ships and boats perhaps in jeopardy. Whalers all wanted a cannon but Capt. Stewart
could not relent. They all had a 3' swivel-guns !
----- The Spanish headed off first as they commanded only one whaler-ship.
Soon ships were headed before the warships looking for whales. As the whalers
broke rank the warships drifted apart to maintain eye contact. Whale oil lust
was powering this sail ! The Trumbull, closest to the Spaniards saw the black flags
first. They fired the first warning shot. All the sighted whalers could see
was the puff of white smoke as they turned their heads to find the blast origin.
Much grumbling was heard as several attack boats were near their prize when
the blast was heard. The harpooner usually commanded the attack-boats but
the boat-crews where well seasoned and came-about quickly. Oarsmen and steerer
worked well together. Only the harpooner had a free gaze to see what the
commotion was about.
----- The next blast was from the Aguila. Eric the harpooner suddenly stands
up and says," I saw it" !
-
p3
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

----- " I saw a cannon ball bounce off the water" ! It came from the Aguila.
The attack boats { 8 man whale-boats} closed ranks, their order was to hold fast near their mother ship
harpoons ready. They were to protect the mother ship for all they were worth !
----- The Trumbull maneuvered closer the the Aguila. Those sitting higher
on deck had seen the cannonball dent the whales back and bounce off ! All the ships
were in stasis wondering if the hit a was kill shot. They would need to wait.
----- Moby was severely wounded, the ball broke the skin mid back. Sperm whales don't
truly have a dorsal fin, no wasted bone structure in these 80 foot leviathans.
His hemorrhage would attract sharks and killer whales. He had never felt such pain.
(harpoons didn't tickle though)
The pain of the swimming motion, forced the giant mammal to do something radical.
Which brings me to the question: How intelligent are sea creatures ? How do they think ?
They have been around for eons. I would think most of the intelligence they need
would be instinctive. We know whales have a very distinctive audio communication.
We know the male of any species is usually the protector. We've learned the female
of many species will fight to the death to protect their offspring. Even insects do.
Moby needed help and knew where to get it. He sank deep into the ocean where no
sunlight penetrated. He knew his hemorrhage gets the attention of the giant squids.
All he would need to do is get them to the surface. Instinctively it would know the
enemy of your food source is your enemy. The enemy of my enemy is not my friend !
If you dominate my enemy then you could dominate me too. Yes I would think smart
mammals and sea creatures have a good understanding of transitive logic.
Squids and whales are combatants both at the top of the food chain.
----- With a tight grouped flotilla the ships drifted with the whales. The Trumbull and the Aguila
acknowledged the hit was to a large white whale. And it was understood a wounded
beast will lash-out with it's pain driven instinct. If there were no more sightings
they could start out again in the morning.
- p4
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

----- The squids took the bait. 3 followed Moby to the surface. The squid uses a
water jet to propel it forward similar to a octopus but tail first. A forward canard some
might analogous. Sun was setting, visibility would be to sea-creatures liking.
Unseen Moby hit the Aquila with a straight up thrust. Not a very damaging hit
but enough to loose anything not secured, including men.
----- Moby sank away. The 2 smaller giant squids as if commanded by the mythical sized squid
threw their attack arms up to the rails of the Aguila. The seamen now on alert from
Moby's thrust set upon the 4 squid attack mitts. These arms about 25 feet in length
have suction cups on one side for holding prey, again, similar to octopi. These mitts are
oval shaped and encompass the last 5 ft of the arm. These squid use 5 much shorter
tentacles near it's mouth for examining and holding prey before devouring.
The squid is just plain odd.
----- The squids pulled on the rails of the Aguila causing it to list 30*. Men hacking
the mitts held on for dear life. The squids worked their arms together to get a better
grip on the ship. One arm held a mast the other arm swung wildly as it tried to
board the ship and see the enemy. The weight of the squids pulled the ship horizontal !
p5
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

----- Before the Aguila went horizontal it was able to get off a salvo of cannon
but with little effect. The squids shifted position and Aguila tried to upright itself.
Bouncing sailors around. The squids regripped and the Aguila went horizontal again.
The Trumbull, coming around saw little it could safely do, soldiers shot at the squids
with rifles with little effect. Then the Aguila exploded ! She righted herself, took
on water and quickly sank. Maybe a couple survivors. Those that were blown into the
water were unconscious and drowned almost immediately. The Trumbull looked amongst the
floating wreckage for bodies and found a few. They would be buried at sea. The blast
blew the mitts off the squids and slowly they bled out.
----- The consternation lasted a few minutes but what could they do ? The Spanish
whaler was asked to join ranks with the American whalers because no one knew what would
happen next. They would give condolences in the morning and start whaling again.
There was no turning back.
----- Captain David Jewett of the Trumbull gave a report to Captain Stewart.
All felt a horrific loss of the ancient yet handsome Aguila and it's crew.
----- The whales were found again and whaling was resumed. Until an attack boat (whaling boat)
(harpoon boat)disappeared. No one near saw what happened. But the boat was soon unaccounted for.
It was a simple meal for the Kracken! One mitt pulled it under. The Trumbull saw what happened
and a warning blast was given. The successful attack boats weren't about to give up their conquest.
And tried to drag dead whale back to the mother ship. One didn't make it. This time everyone saw why.
The Trumbull went to intercept. Seeing only a floating dead whale it sent a portside
salvo into the sea. Undaunted the Kracken swung it's mitts atop the Trumbull.
p6
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

--- Climbing like a man would scale a cliff face, it wrapped one arm around the main mast and used
the other to wipe the deck of sailors. Captain Jewett lead his men to charge the
mitt, fatally. He drew his sabre and went under the mitt for a uppercut, the sabre went
through the mitt and the suction cups attached to his face and body. The mitt used
him to knock over sailors until he was strewn on the deck. Axeboy, his cabin assistant
reached him before he died and was given his short sword. The Kracken used his short
tentacles to grip the rails but must've been too heavy to fully breach the deck. But his
eye and mouth did. The Trumbull was listing 20* the sailors had a difficult time not
crashing into others. The Kracken was about midship and the sailors made sure they
didn't get in front of the mouth. "Point blank with the Swivel Cannon" yelled the Trumbull's
new Captain. Several men ran to the command deck and lifted the swivel cannon off it's
mount. It was quickly loaded and directed at the Kracken. With 2 men holding the cannon
and 2 for support.
p7
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

----- As the ship was rocking back and forth the beast could see something.
With 40 foot arms only the extreme ends of the ship weren't accessible to it's mitt.
It looked like it has 3 eyes with a beaked mouth below them. The men got as close
to the beast as the short tentacles would allow. They fired. The 4 lb. ball bounced
off the beak and caught the corner of the eye. The Kracken slid back in the water.
A salvo of cannon greeted it on the way down. Surprising little damage was done to
the Trumbull. But 4 men were lost and 26 hurt.
----- It was decided by Captain Stewart that this creature had to be put down. The
seas weren't safe with a monster like that. They would sacrifice the Trumbull if
the monster could be attached to it and the Trumbull blown-up ! They knew it would attack
again, they just needed it to take the bait. They would need to tie a rope around both
arms then blow up the ship ! Several suggestions were waived in an effort to save the
Trumbull but loss of life trumped those plans. Though the whalers were exempt from
battling the monster they insisted on having 2 manned attack boats for rescue. As much
of the Trumbull's stores were transferred to other ships. Gunpower and oil would be
spread about the ship so it would burn and explode. The last man to jump ship would
be the torch.
----- The flotilla formed a tight group with the Constitution. The Trumbull was singled
out. Captain Stewart asked for a volunteer group of rope handlers. The ropes would be
weighted for throwing. They would have to loop the ropes over the arms and tie them
to a mast or a sturdy rail. At the last minute it was decided to cut a harpoon to fit the
swivel-cannon. If they could get a shot to the eye the hooks might help hold the beast.
The waiting began.
----- With all hands on deck of the Constitution, Axeboy could only watch
as these brave men battled a monster. Night came and as expected so did the Kracken.
Fairly well lit the Trumbull sailors could see all they needed. The horrific face
with 6, 20 foot tentacles.
p 8
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

-
---- The arm wrapped around the mast was easy to secure. The free arm took some trying.
Weaving behind the stores deck-hatches the sailors would get ropes over the free arm.
Retrieving the other end took some doing. No one was brave enough to go near the tentacles.
They had seen a man torn apart by them ! One attempt was made to lasso a tentacle.
But with 8 men working together a loop was achieved. Occasionally a sailor would find
himself flying over the rails. He could just swim away.
---- The Kracken was on to them. He had little movement of one arm and the other was getting
that way. You could see it trying to free the arm. This was the swivel cannons chance.
The ship still listing but not rocking that much they came from hiding and took their
shot. Above the middle eye it stuck. It was time to abandon ship. From a distance the crew of
the Constitution could see the success. "Blow-it", mumbled Captain Stewart.
---- It was the torch's job now. He threw it at the deck near the Kracken and the fire
started. He jumped ship. Captain Stewart asked for a salvo. Surprising accurate at this
distance. As the damage could be seen, seconds before the Trumbull exploded. Shrapnel
came close to the Constitution. The Kracken didn't survive. Moby surfaced days later and the
Constitution pummeled it. He gave up 98 barrels of oil. One sailor jumped in his blow-hole
and did a jig. Whale oil was plentiful.
---- Captain Stewart had a tough log to complete. He had to commend post mortem to the
men he lost. And promote the volunteers above the well commended remaining crew of the
U.S.S. Trumbull. And he had lost a ship. Axeboy was promoted to Cabin Mate First Class.
--- Fin ---
p9

_______________________________
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25430996
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
User avatar
TheeTFD
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:54 am
Location: ABQ, NM
Contact:

Re: --- REMEMBER the NAUTILUS ---

Post by TheeTFD »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS299VkXZxI
-
This lady is too much !
# :idea: Trump and Putin out of the picture !
Post Reply