The Whaleship Essex presented by John Horrigan

Join five-time Boston/New England Emmy Award-winning folklorist John Horrigan as he recounts this gruesome tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. 

On November 20th, 1820, an American whaling ship, originally out of Nantucket, while far out to sea in the southern Pacific Ocean under the command of was attacked and sunk by a gigantic sperm whale. Stranded at sea and drifting thousands of miles off the coast of South America, the 20-man crew had no food or water. When they finally made land, the men were suffering from dehydration, starvation, and exposure. The survivors had resorted to eating the bodies of the crew members who had died.

This true story was one of Herman Melville's inspirations for his novel Moby Dick.

Registration is required. The zoom link will be emailed to you once registration is complete.

This program is supported by a grant from the Bridge Street Fund, a special initiative of Mass Humanities.