Page 11 - Willem Barentsz

Passing the "Roaring Forties", who usually lived up to their name than to the "Screaming Fifties".
Between 55 and 60 degrees south, the season watch was taken in, twelve on twelve off, from 08:00
to 20:00 and from 20:00 to 08:00. For the deck and factory team, the watch was changed halfway
through the season, but officers just kept going. The contractual working time was 10 hours, all hours
above that and all Sunday hours were overtime. The chief officers, including the chief R/O, were given
an extra month of pay instead of overtime. The contract was the same as the Norwegian British
whaling contract and thus deviated from the merchant shipping contract. The bonus was averaged
over the production of the last three years and was approximately equal to seven months' salary. A
total of 15 months of wages over a season, home and away, of 6 to 7 months. That sounds attractive,
but you also had to do something for it. As chief R/O I worked about 90 hours a week continuously
for about 4.5 months. When the watch was taken, the chief R/O went into the day watch with one of
the third R/O’s. The second R/O and the other third R/O were on the other watch. The task of the
chief was in the plotting room. The plot of the shot fish was kept as accurately as possible with the
resources available and the necessary feeling. When dropping the fish, a bearing of the catcher was
taken and the distance measured.

nd
Gerard Boonstra 2 from left
All data was noted, such as course and the distance from the penultimate flag, made by the catcher.
Furthermore, information about the number of the flag, the lamp, the radar reflector and, only in
recent years, the number of the radio beacon. (Not known on which frequency the beacon worked.
LV). The flag was put in the plot and the fish was picked up as soon as possible. This could take twelve
hours or more when it was very busy, or the fish dispersed. In the meantime, the position could have
changed enormously due to drift or seas. Especially due to sea state that causes the tail of the fish to
scul. The plot was relative to the factory ship. The sailing of the factory ship was also not always
accurate. It would take too long to explain it all exactly, but it was a very exciting affair that required
all attention. Not in the least following the conversations between the catchers, which varied from
High Katwijks (A Dutch fishing town on the west coast) to flat Norwegian. Of course, it was important
for everyone that the fish shot came into production. In the 1959-1960 season, ten fish were lost. I
can't tell how many of them were LIF (Lost in Flag). In any case, it was less than and half percent of
the total.

Everyone blasts their game.