Arctic ship Fangstmand.

Should we condemn or preserve the boat?

A conversation with fisherman Håkon Brandal

Fangstmand is so old in the Arctic Ocean industry that the name is spelled with a "d" at the end. But the ship has been good enough all these years. She has crossed in and out of the ice from the fields in Kvitesjøen, Vesterisen and Danskestret on more than 100 trips. She has gone after Håkjerringa and herring, and has also been out fishing for cod. Now that the story is coming to an end, she is to be laid up, we took the opportunity to talk to the shipowner and long-time skipper Håkon Brandal.

-I was in Grimstad and went to the ship's helmsman's school when Fangstmand was built there. That was in 1917. In 1918 she was on her first Arctic voyage. By then it was both a large and modern ship, and so it wasn't difficult to get people on the voyages.

-How long did they run Kvitesjøen?

-We were there as long as we were allowed. It was a difficult fishing area. The stream was like a river, flowing in and out after high tide. The sea was dirty. We were especially afraid of getting screwed up on the fast ice. It is this ice that goes all the way to the bottom, the sea here is quite shallow. One year, about 20 ships sank in this area, but Fangstmand came home with both catch and crew.

 -You weren't in any danger then?

 – Oh my, we were a millimeter away from sinking, bro. We had been driven down against such a fast ice, and then we put the screw in. The ice was over the wheelhouse. We put boats with equipment and provisions on the ice. Then it hit! The ship lifted straight up. The ice had pressed under. When we looked down at the sea again, we could get out of there. By that time, so many of the ships had gone down that there was hardly any room for the crew on board with us. So we had to share them with other ships in the area. It was strange to see how these black dots went over the ice floes towards ships that were still floating. It was a pity that Kvitesjøen was going to be closed, even though we have to say that it was a hard place to fight.

   -What other fields has Fangstmand been involved in?

   – When it comes to seal hunting, it's the Vesterisen and the Danish Strait. But otherwise, the ship has been fishing for Håkjerringa, been on herring, and even taken part in cod fishing.

   -Which fishing grounds do you think are the best?

   -Oh, every field has its dangers and its advantages. In the Vesterisen there are the least currents and swells, but the storms can be quite sharp. The currents and swells in the Strait are well known.

   -Tell me an exciting story.

   – Yes, then it must be from the Strait. There was a strong onshore gale, but the current was out to sea. The large icebergs therefore drifted outward while the pack ice was turned inward. We entered such pack ice and it broke right into a huge iceberg where the boat turned over. We were pushed up along the iceberg and so pressed by the drift ice that I had little hope of making it. We therefore got ready with boats and equipment with the aim of getting into Greenland somewhere. Then I saw a new chance. The turning became a little easier so that the ship could come down to the sea. The rudder was bent forward along the side, but the propeller was there, so we were able to rig up for manual steering and steer Fangstmand in lee of the large iceberg. And then it went well, because there was open water. We followed the iceberg out to sea. Then we rigged up with winches and steered the ship into Iceland by manual power to have her repaired. At that time, in my opinion, we were minutes – not to mention a shorter time – from the shipwreck.

   -Is this the cat they used to catch in the Strait?

   -Yes, and the conservation decisions here are, in my opinion, a big mistake. Science has got it wrong. The seal does not cast its young where it thinks it will. Conservation only makes the catch richer for the Newfoundland field, not for us as they thought. The search for tags on seal pups has proven that this must be the case. In all the searching they have done, they have not found a single tag where they thought it would be. And we who have seen the mile-long black stripes of shedding seal pups believe and know something different than what science believes and has established.

   -Why doesn't Fangstmand go out anymore?

   -It's not worth it. The maintenance of wooden boats is so great that it's only a matter of time before fishing with such boats ends. This is even though these boats have many advantages in the ice. Now steel and iron boats are coming to take over. Otherwise, the ships will be at least as good.

   -And what happens then?

   -Yes, the one that just showed it. We have a brand new engine inside, which could well be used elsewhere. Other equipment is also intact. But the hull itself is probably no longer used.

   -Will there be condemnation then?

   -I don't think I want to comment on that matter. But perhaps we could wish that the ship wouldn't disappear. It's like the last remnant of a period in the industry that might be worth preserving. In Fangstmand's best days, we also find the best time for the seal hunting industry.

   -Wouldn't it be an idea to put it in a museum then? Sunnmøre Museum is known for having a good selection of historic boats, wouldn't it be natural for them to continue the line to the present day?

   -I'm not the right person to comment on that either. But I can at least say that it would be illegal to have the barrel lying around for a long time in Hareid. The boys are so keen to climb. One day several of them had climbed all the way up into the barrel. I can't be there to watch, so I've spoken to the sheriff about these problems. One way or another, we have to put an end to this. Imagine what could happen if someone fell down!

   -Yes, but we also climb into the rigging of the Arctic ships?

   -True, true, but back then there were always people who were responsible nearby and they made sure that people didn't get involved in things that weren't their business. It's not like that now.

   - Is it with sadness that you let Fangstmand lie still for good?

   -Yes, of course. On the other hand, we always have to accept that time passes. And the ship is 55 years old. Besides, she has had a rather hard day's work. I'm not thinking about all the knocks she has received from the ice, but rather about the marks the war left. She was the only one that survived the bombings at Hjørungavåg, and when we had repaired her, the Germans took her with them. Then she caught fire and sank north. We were able to salvage her, but by then the entire superstructure and a whole part of the ship were in ruins. It took a lot of effort and money to get her back into usable condition. And here I would like to finally say that when Fangstmand, despite all the problems, has returned from her trips in the ice, the foundation for that will be laid at home.

   -How is that then?

   -Yes, it is crucial that whoever is responsible for both material and human life up in the harsh ice fields ensures that the ship is in tip-top condition when it sets sail. We have felt that responsibility heavily on us. And as far as we have been able to do so, we have always ensured that nothing was wrong when the ship left the quay.

   We sat for a long time talking about our experiences in the ice. The wife brought coffee, pictures came down from the walls, "Ice Sparrow" - painted by the men on board - and a large photo of "Fangstmand" as it headed towards Kvitneset with a full load.

   "He probably should have gotten rid of the boat a long time ago," said his wife. "But he's always had such a desire to do what he does well. That's why he's worked himself up like this until now."

   -Oh, I've enjoyed it now, Håkon interjects between coffees. It's been an exciting life that could fill many books. Glad I didn't take the risks again.