HIGH HOPES, WILD MEN AND THE DEVIL’S JAW - Willem Barentsz Kolderstok 1:50

pingu57 said:
Yes, you should spoil her, the two of you have made the deadeyes beautifull on your Willem Barentsz. I can't wait to see your masts, ( and your new goodies )
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Thank you my friend. I will convey the message to Anna. Tomorrow I will take the Admiral out to a Japanese restaurant that she has always wanted to go to, so I hope she will enjoy it.
 
rtibbs said:
Are you two able to get out and about or pretty much confined? Best wishes for spoiling the Admiral.
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Ron we can move around provided that we do not leave Nantong. That is strictly prohibited, but seeing that Nantong has had a zero Covid-count for the last three weeks, we can move around freely in the city.
 
dockattner said:
I agree with our colleagues Heinrich, this is a really fine result. How rewarding it must be to accomplish what you envisioned! A rare thing in this hobby.
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Thank you very much Paul. I agree - things do not always materialize like we visualized them, so if that happens, we have to bank the experience. :D
 
RogerD said:
Beautiful work Heinrich, I too am looking forward to seeing the next step (no pun intended for the masts :) ).

Enjoy the Japanese restaurant tomorrow and the precious time with Anna.
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Thank you very much for the kind words Roger - it is much appreciated.
 
Heinrich said:
Dear Friends

After a long pause in the history of the Third Expedition, the time has come for the final instalment.

THE WILLEM BARENTSZ STORY: THE ENDING AND LEGACY

By January of 1597, the hatred of the men towards their surroundings had grown so strong, that even a glimpse of sunlight was enough to rekindle the hope of a possible departure from their godforsaken surroundings. In reality, their departure was still months away, but seeing the sun again, gave the men the energy to repair the boats and start their preparations for the arduous journey.

Five crew members though, including Willem Barentsz himself, would never see Amsterdam again. Just prior to his death and with his strength fast failing him, Barentsz still wrote the famous “Letter in the Chimney” which the men left behind in het Behouden Huys. In that he justified to his superiors the reasons for overwintering on Nova Zembla.

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The Death of Willem Barentsz - Christiaan Julius Lodewijk Portman / Public domain

The following June, nearly a year after making camp on Novaya Zemlya, the ragged and starving survivors set out on two small boats, bound for the Kola Peninsula. Barentsz never reached this destination. He died from his ailments on June 20, 1597, only a week after leaving Novaya Zemlya. Ironically, he still has no known grave – in fact, scholars are not even 100% sure whether he was buried on land or at sea.

Seven weeks later, a Dutch merchant vessel captained by none other than Barentsz’s former captain, rescued the 12 remaining crewmen. But it was not until November that the men finally returned to Amsterdam. In addition to Barentsz, five sailors and one cabin boy perished in this final harrowing expedition for the Northeast Passage to China. The first successful crossing would not occur until Swedish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld made the route between 1878 and 1879.

Aftermath and Excavations of the Barentsz Expedition

The Age of Exploration gave birth to near-countless tales of dangers faced, adversities overcome, and tragedies borne, but the final expedition of Willem Barentsz is among the most memorable. Barentsz’s lodge on Novaya Zemlya was discovered in 1871, and a number of other expeditions to collect remnants and information were conducted in the following years. Today many of these objects can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which supplied all of the unattributed images in this article.

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Two crewmen from the voyage also published their journals, and in 1853 the Murmean Sea was renamed the Barents Sea to commemorate the famed explorer. The Barents Region, Barents Island, and Svalbard’s second-largest town, Barentsburg, also honor him. Other Barentsz namesakes include the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz on his home island of Terschelling, a play written about his final voyage, a 2011 Dutch movie on the same topic, and even a Barentsz protein in the molecular makeup of the fruit fly.

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Statue in Terschelling.

I have also covered in detail the shipbuilding project by volunteers in the Dutch town of Harlingen to craft a replica of the vessel Barentsz sailed in his final expedition. This team is even using 16th-century shipbuilding methods and hopes to finish the vessel in 2022, after which they plan to retrace Barentsz’s voyage. Such endeavors testify to the enduring legend of Willem Barentsz and his expeditions. Though these voyages were motivated primarily by trade, they nevertheless provide us tales of adventure and exploration that thrill the imagination to this day.
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Hi Heinrich,

And there ends the lesson, I am now far more educated about Willem Barentsz someone I barely new anything about, along with his brave crew.

Cheers,
Stephen.
 
Stevedownunder said:
Hi Heinrich,

And there ends the lesson, I am now far more educated about Willem Barentsz someone I barely new anything about, along with his brave crew.

Cheers,
Stephen.
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Hi Stephen. I think it is always nice to have the story behind the ship - especially when it involves such a well known figure as Willem Barentsz. And the amazing thing is that there are so many other stories to tell - stories that are maybe not as well known, but even more fascinating. By just looking at the Dutch explorers, there are still the tales of Willem Bontekoe (which I find utterly fascinating because it is beautifully written), Hendrik Hamel who made Korea known to the Western World, and, of course, Henry Hudson (though not Dutch, he was employed by the Dutch and sailed in a Dutch ship).
 
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Great tale Heinrich, you are very much right, knowing the story behind a particular boat or ship makes the modelling project even more enjoyable. Letting you dream of other times and places as you build. I have just finished reading To rule the waves by Arthur Herman, a history of the evolution of the Royal Navy and it throws up dozens of ship led stories that will bear further investigation and perhaps a building project. Your Willem Barentsz is coming on great and I am looking forward to your next set of pictures. Thank you and keep safe. JJ.
 
Jack Jäger said:
Great tale Heinrich, you are very much right, knowing the story behind a particular boat or ship makes the modelling project even more enjoyable. Letting you dream of other times and places as you build. I have just finished reading To rule the waves by Arthur Herman, a history of the evolution of the Royal Navy and it throws up dozens of ship led stories that will bear further investigation and perhaps a building project. Your Willem Barentsz is coming on great and I am looking forward to your next set of pictures. Thank you and keep safe. JJ.
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Jack I agree totally. I love the part where you say we can dream about the voyages and in our mind's eye become a shipwright or crewmember for a while. That is why I love Speedy so much - she had such wonderful tales to tell - not only about her own adventures, but also about the men who sailed in her and captained her. I will be looking forward to your next build with bated breath!
 
GrantTyler said:
Good morning Heinrich. Interesting log as always ;) . I hoped your spoilt Anna- she certainly deserved it with how your dead eyes came out. Magic work all round on your WB Heinrich. Cheers Grant
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Thank you for the kind words Grant. Yes, I'm very happy with the deadeyes and I kept my promise. We went to a Japanese restaurant - the first time we have gone out since I moved to the new district.

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I was generally impressed with the quality of the food, but certain dishes (like sushi) were a no-go because of the Covid restrictions in Shanghai.
 
Heinrich said:
Thank you for the kind words Grant. Yes, I'm very happy with the deadeyes and I kept my promise. We went to a Japanese restaurant - the first time we have gone out since I moved to the new district.

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I was generally impressed with the quality of the food, but certain dishes (like sushi) were a no-go because of the Covid restrictions in Shanghai.
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Well done now making me hungry, looks great.
 
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