It is us

Rebuilt for seal hunting in 1917, first seal hunting in 1918. They returned home after two and a half months with 850 seals. Not a great trip, but then they had to interrupt due to lack of provisions.

In 1930, "Enos" received a somewhat unusual assignment. The American government wanted to try to reintroduce musk oxen to Alaska to replace the population that had been wiped out. Osvald Lillenes with "Sælbarden" and Ole Røtseth on "Enos" received the assignment. They caught musk oxen in Myggbukta and Claveringsfjorden in North-East Greenland, a total of 37 animals. Two animals died on the crossing, and one on the quay in Tjørvåg. The remaining 34 animals were put in crates and transported to Bergen on "Enos" and on to the USA on "Bergensfjord". After further transport by both rail and more boat, they were finally released at a research station in College, Alaska. Here, several of the musk oxen were killed by polar bears and the population was therefore moved to Nunivakøya in the Bering Strait. The musk ox thrived here, and by 1968 the population had grown to 750 animals.

Shipwreck

M/S "Enos" sank in the Vesterisen on April 21, 1931. The ship was based in Tjørvåg under Partsrederiet Enos.

The skipper was 40-year-old Ole Rasmus Andreas Røtseth from the same town. He was also a co-owner of the ship.

The maritime declaration was held in Ålesund on 21 May 1931 with deputy judge Einar Jacobsen as administrator. The maritime experts were Arthur Fr. Brevig and Jon O. Nordstrand.

The full maritime statement is given below, with the exception of two witnesses. These had largely the same statements as the others.

In addition to the sea declaration, it may be interesting to read the original, handwritten list of the crew, which was handed over to the skipper when they refused to return home with "Enos".

Printout of the Court Book for Ålesund City Court

In 1931, on May 21, the court was held in the town hall.

Judge: D.fm. Einar Jacobsen.

Court witnesses, marine experts: 1. Arthur Fr. Brevig, 2. Jon O. Nordstrand, both of whom have previously given insurance, and both of whom are competent.

Case no.36/31 – D.

The case concerns: Maritime declaration in connection with the sinking of the M/S "Enos" in the Vesterisen on 21/4 1931.

Present: The hull insurer of M/S "Enos", Søndmøre Gjensidige Assuranceforening for Ishavsfartøier by Director Meldahl, the ship inspector by Johansen Aspelund, and "Partrederiet Enos" by the master of "Enos" Ole Røtseth.

Ole Rasmus Andreas Røtseth, 40 years old, resident of Tjervaag, captain and co-owner of M/S "Enos", was admonished and held responsible for giving an incorrect statement. He presented extracts from the records, which were read out in court, and which he accepted as correct and as his explanation in the case.

The medical record extract is filed:

Journal excerpt.

 Monday 20th April. Calm wind, slight swell from the southwest, working westwards in loose ice, at 6 am the vessel received a violent hard jolt, the 2nd gunner who had been on watch in the top gun explained to me when I came on deck that it was because he had not noticed that another man had come to the helm and that it was due to a misunderstood command. The ship was going at great speed on a large ice floe. It

was called aft as soon as the misunderstanding was discovered and the engine was working aft before the ship hit the ice. The engineer warned a little later that he could not keep the ship afloat with just the pumps in the engine, and had to use the deck pump at short intervals. I then decided to go home, and therefore gave orders to work out of the ice to the south and southwest. Layed still for the night in company with the Seal. Today's catch 57 animals. The total catch is now 1648 animals. Tuesday, April 21. Wind calm, at 9 am we had come quite close to the edge of the ice, when I received a letter from all the crew as follows: "The undersigned crew on board the M/S Enos, firmly refuse to sail home with the Enos after the leak the ship has. Milliam Pedersen. Petter Jarnes, Karl Holthe. Erling Nilsen. Håkon Støylen. Johan Vidnes. Hans Sævik (assistant). Hilmar Løvlid. Sigmund Johansen. Joakim Fugledal. Ole J. Sandvik (engineer). Einar Kleppe (steward). «

We then hoisted the flag to call the Sælbarden which was further into the ice. When it had come to the side, I asked the driver of the Sælbarden if he would assist Enos home. He then went together with his gunner on duty in the boat to take a closer look at the damage, the damage was so great that it seemed impossible to get the ship ashore, despite assistance so he would not give any assistance. (Damage) The tack had been entered, and on each side of the tack a heavy leak, the starboard side had damage aft to the span. It is possible that the ship had suffered more damage than we considered when it got stuck in the ice on April 4th, in a big swell and fresh wind and had a hard time, the ship was after this a little loose, the leak is considered to be in the sleeve but no more than the machine bilge kept the ship afloat at a slow speed. At 030 we stopped pumping, and at 920 the vessel sank, after being hit at north latitude 73 degrees 18 minutes, 12 degrees west longitude.

I cannot blame my crew for their actions, as the ship had such a large leak in the bilge that sailing home would have been life-threatening.

When Enos sank, all men were aboard the Sælbarden.

Tjervåg on May 18, 1931. Skipper Ole Røtseth.

Presented in Aalesund City Court on May 21, 1931

1. Jacobsen, d.f.m.

The journal extract was compared with the ship's logbook, which he presented, and was found to be consistent with it.

He explains that the ship's name is "Enos" and belongs to Pertsrederiet Enos with its office in Tjervåg. The witness (i.e. skipper Røtseth, who is giving a statement) presented the ship's certificate for M/S "Enos", according to which the ship's size is 82 reg. tons gross, net 29. The ship's certificate is valid until February 1933. The ship's certificate shows that the ship was built in Halsenø in 1903, and has the call sign MP.SL

The witness (Røtseth) explains that the ship was in perfect condition until April 4th, when it became stuck in the ice. The ship left Ålesund on February 28th of this year, destined for the White Sea, but upon arrival in Tromsø, the course was set for the West Ice. The ship arrived there on March 15th. It was on the West Ice that the accident occurred. The witness was not on deck at the time of the impact and therefore cannot comment further on the reason why the ship went on the ice floe, beyond what is stated in the journal extract. The witness explains that 700-800 animals were probably saved and brought aboard the "Sælbarden", in addition, 2-3 guns and a pair of binoculars were probably brought there, including the top binoculars. The crew probably managed to bring most of their clothes there, but all the clothes were left on the deck of the "Sælbarden", where there was no room elsewhere on the ship, and the clothes were destroyed. The crew of M/S "Enos" were on board the "Sælbarden" for the rest of the time the ship remained in the Vesterisen to catch. From here the "Sælbarden" departed on Monday, May 11th last, as far as the witness remembers, and arrived in Ålesund on Tuesday, May 19th last.

Read and adopted.

The witnesses were summoned and admonished and held responsible for incorrect testimony, after which they temporarily recanted.

Appeared as the first witness: Petter Severin Jarnes, 21 years old, resident of Tjervåg, was the second gunner on M/S "Enos", with no financial interest in the case.

The witness explains that he was standing in the top barrel when the impact occurred. He commanded the left helmsman to take into account an ice floe, the latter repeated the order, but during the execution of it, he gave the left rudder too hard, which is why the witness commanded a steady course, the helmsman carried out this last order by giving the right rudder. The witness therefore commanded the left rudder again, but running into the ice floe was now unavoidable, as the ship had come too close. The witness therefore commanded the engine aft, and this order was immediately carried out. The witness believes that the accident was caused by the helmsman giving the right rudder at the witness's command for a steady course. The witness cannot remember whether the helmsman repeated his order for a steady course, but he assumed that the helmsman had heard it when he saw that the course was changed. The witness believes that the helmsman, who was standing on the bridge, must have had a full overview of the waters in front of the ship where the ice floe was. The helmsman was Sigmund Johansen. The witness explains that the weather was clear when the collision occurred. The witness otherwise explained himself in accordance with the journal extract, which was read out to the port, and which he accepted as correct. With regard to what was saved aboard the "Sælbarden", the witness states that a number of animals were saved, but he cannot even give an approximate number, as well as some of the crew's gear, 2 fishing boats, possibly some guns, but the witness cannot say whether any binoculars were saved. The saved gear was placed on the deck of the "Sælbarden" for lack of other space, where it was almost destroyed by moisture.

Read and adopted.

(The second and third witnesses are omitted here because there are many recordings of what was said earlier. Ed.)

The witnesses had nothing to say. The court adjourned.

Arthur Fr. Brevig. d.fm. Jon O. Nordstrand