blueback

Owner	1949 Alvin Olsen, Kalfjord in Troms 1959 Sigfred Heggås, Tromsdalen 1960 AS Rieber & Co, Tromsø 1976 Blueback Company Ltd. St. Johns, Canada (Sigmund and Ulf Snarby)
Ship type	Seal hunters
Reg. brand	T-121-TD (1949) T-121-T (1960)
Home port	Tromsø
Construction site	Kvitnes slipway and boat building, Vesterålen - building no. 1
Year built	1949
Building materials	Three
Length, year of construction	61,4 feet
Dimensions in width, year of construction	21,3 feet
Dimensions in depth, year of construction	8,6 feet
Tonnage	74,83 GRT 1949
Machine, original	Union
Machine, new	1955 Union 150 hp - 1965 Wichmann 300 hp
Skippers	J. Larsen (1952) Magnar Fredriksen (1969-)
Anna	Total loss in fire 1976 and sank in Freshwater Bay
Additional information	"Blueback" was first used for seal hunting in the Vesterisen in 1949. In 1951, while sailing across the Vesterisen, the rudder stock broke and the ship lost control. There was a stiff gale in the area. "Ernest Holt", a British oceanographic research vessel, was about two quarters of a mile away, and with the help of a cannon shot they were notified that they wanted assistance. The radio on "Blueback" was out of order. "Ernest Holt" had tugs on board and towed the wreck to Tromsø. In August 1959, the "Blueback" ran aground at Honningsvåg on its way from Tromsø to Båtsfjord with a cargo of empty crates and ice. Several attempts were made to tow it away again, but only on the third tide were they successful with the help of the local ferry "Ingøy". At that time, they had lashed a lot of empty barrels under the ship to increase buoyancy. In the fall of 1976, "Blueback" was sold to Canada. Here it is mostly used for longline fishing for cod. In late fall, the ship was laid up in anticipation of the next sealing season. While it was lying in the harbor in St. John's, a fire broke out on board the ship. The fire department arrived quickly, but they were afraid that the fire would spread to the many wooden houses on the quay, and "Blueback" was therefore towed out of the harbor and into the side fjord of Freshwater Bay. Shortly after, there was a powerful explosion, probably from gas cylinders on board, and the ship sank quite quickly.