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SOUTHERN LOTUS

Skipstype

Rederi

Chr. Salvesen & Co,

Byggeår

1942

Leveringsmåned

Mai

Nasjonalitet

Skottland

Hjemmehavn

Leith

Mønstringsdistrikt

Leith

Byggedata

Verft

Offisielt nummer

181197

Tonnasje og dimensjoner

Bruttotonnasje

851

Nettotonnasje

255

Dødvekt

–

Drektighet

–

Skrog LOA

208,0'

Skrog LBP

193,0

Bredde

33,2'

Dybde (i riss)

16,0'.

Dypgående

–

Funksjon (norsk)

Fartøy for hvalfangst

Ombygd

–

Fremdrift og maskineri

Maskin/motor

Fremdrift

Dampmaskin

Tekniske data

Lastehåndtering

Chr. Salvesen & Co., Leith Scotland

Fangststøtte

90 m/m Kongsberg Harpunkanon

Identifikasjon

Land / nasjonalitet

Skottland

Kjøpt

1947

1941 Kjølen strukket 26/05-1941.
1942 Bygget som Flower klasse korvett HMS PHLOX for Royal Navy (RN) ved Henry Robb Ltd., Leith, Sjøsatt 16/01-1942, ferdigstilt 25/03-42 som HMS LOTUS (K 93). Alle britiskbygde Flower Class korvetter for RN fikk blomsternavn. Satt i tjeneste for Royal Navy (RN) 09/05-1942.
Overført til Free French Navy (FFN) 23/05-1942, omdøpt COMMANDANTE d’ESTIENNE d’ORVES
Deltok som eskorteskip ved en rekke konvoier i Nord Atlanteren og Middelhavet med en besetning på 85 mann. Aktivt med på senkingen av tyske U 660 utenfor Oran 12/11-1942.
1947 Tilbakelevert Royal Navy 31/05-1947, omdøpt HMS LOTUS. Tatt ut av tjeneste, lagt opp og lagt ut for salg.
Kjøpt av Chr. Salvesen & Co., Leith i oktober for ombygging til hvalfangst (bøyebåt).
1948 Overlevert rederiet The South Georgia Co. Ltd (Chr. Salvesen & Co.), Leith i januar, omdøpt SOUTHERN LOTUS.
Sesongen 1948/49 i fangst som bøyebåt for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Skytter var Alv Andersen, Tjøme
Opererte sesongene 1948/49 til 1952/53 som bøyebåt for Fl/k SOUTHERN
1949 Sesongen 1949/50 i fangst som bøyebåt for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Skytter var Alv Andersen, Tjøme
1950 Sesongen 1950/51 i fangst som bøyebåt for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Ukjent skytter.
1951 Sesongen 1951/52 i fangst som bøyebåt for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Ukjent skytter
1952 Sesongen 1952/53 i fangst som bøyebåt for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Skytter var Lauritz Bartho, Tønsberg
1953 Ferdig ombygget som hvalbåt ved Smith’s Dock Co. Middlesbrough. Sesongen 1953/54 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand.
1954 Sesongen 1954/55 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1955 Sesongen 1955/56 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1956 Sesongen 1956/57 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy. Deltok under sesongen 1956/57, i samarbeid med The National Institute of Oceanography, i et hvalmerkingsprogram i Bellinghausensjøen. SOUTHERN LOTUS og SOUTHERN BRIAR tjenestegjorde som merkingsbåter og merket 47 hval.
1957 Sesongen 1957/58 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1958 Sesongen 1958/59 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1959 Sesongen 1959/60 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter ukjent..
1960 Sesongen 1960/61 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1961 Sesongen 1961/62 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1962 Sesongen 1962/63 i fangst for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Skytter var Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1963 Den siste fangssesongen er over og SOUTHERN LOTUS forlater Syd-Georgia for godt. Under slep av ”mor”, Fl/k SOUTHERN HARVESTER fra Leith Harbour til Melsomvik pga. maskinskade. Ankom opplagsbøyene ved Gåsøkalven, Melsomvik 06/06-1963.
Senere denne sommer besluttet selskapet Salvesen avvikling av all hvalfangst, og sommeropplaget endres til ubestemt tid
1966 Solgt for hugging i Brügge, Belgia og hentet i desember av den hollandske slepebåten TEMI III. Tatt under felles slep med SOUTHERN BRIAR.
Underveis til Belgia brakk slepet 17/12-1966 rundt kl.16.00, i en orkanaktig storm fra SV, i Vesterhavet utenfor Jyllands nordvestkyst ca 12 nautiske mil ut for Hvide Sande. Med livet som innsats forsøkte slepebåtens mannskap forgjeves å få kontroll på situasjonen. Begge fartøyene drev tilslutt på land neste dag, og endte som vrak på stranden. SOUTHERN LOTUS strandet 6,6 nautiske mil nord for Thorsminde, like nord for munningen av elven Dybå i Fjaltring-Trans kommune. mens SOUTHERN BRIAR gikk på grunn 4,7 nautiske mil lenger nord, syd for nabobyen Thyborøn.
1967 Begge vrakene ble i januar solgt av Lloyd’s of London til to entreprenører fra Fyn gjennom skipsmeglerfirmaet C. Breinholt i Esjbjerg.
Etter å ha vært vinterens turistattraksjon på Jyllandkysten, ble SOUTHERN LOTUS hugget på stranden ved Dybå, nord for Thorsminde.

MERK: Strandingsmuseum St. George i Thorsminde, (www.strandmus.dk) har en del av skipets utstyr innlemmet i sine samlinger, samt full dokumentasjon om strandingen. Southern Lotus har sin selvfølgelige plass i museets meget omfattende Vrakregister database.
(Stor takk til museets medarbeidere for detaljer vedr. strandingen, og takk til Lemvig bibliotek for uvurdelig tilleggs dokumentasjon).

1941 Keel laid on 26/05-1941.
1942 Built as Flower Class Corvette HMS PHLOX for Royal Navy (RN) by Henry Robb Ltd., Leith. Launched on 16/01-1942, renamed HMS LOTUS (K 93) before completion on 25/03-1942. All British built Flower Class corvettes for Royal Navy were named with flower names (see: Flower Class ). Under the Royal Navy (RN) command from 09/05-1942.
Command transferred to Free French Navy (FFN) on 23/05-1942, renamed COMMANDANTE d’ESTIENNE d’ORVES.
Participated as escort vessel during convoying across the North Atlantic and in the Mediterranean Sea with a crew of 85 men. Active in sinking of the German submarine U 660 off Oran, Alger on 12/11-1942
1947 Returned to Royal Navy (RN) on 31/05-1947, renamed HMS LOTUS. De-commissioned, laid up and ready for sale.
Purchased by Chr. Salvesen & Co., Leith in October for conversion to towing vessel (buoy boat) in the whaling business.
1948 Delivered to her owner the South Georgia Co. Ltd (Chr. Salvesen & Co.), Leith in January, renamed SOUTHERN LOTUS. Operated the seasons of 1948/49 as buoy boat for floating factory SOUTHERN VENTURER. Shooter was Alv Andersen, Tjøme
1949 Season of 1949/50 catching as buoy boat for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Shooter was Alv Andersen, Tjøme
1950 Season of 1950/51 catching as buoy boat for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Shooter not known.
1951 Season of 1951/52 catching as buoy boat for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Shooter not known
1952 Season of 1952/53 catching as buoy boat for SOUTHERN VENTURER. Shooter was Lauritz Bartho, Tønsberg
1953 Completed conversion to whale catcher by Smith’s Dock, Middlesbrough. Shooter was Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand.
1954 Season of 1954/55 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1955 Season of 1955/56 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1956 Season of 1956/57 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy. During the 1956/57-season, on request by the National Institute of Oceanography, engaged in whale marking in the Bellinghausen Sea. SOUTHERN LOTUS and the whale catcher SOUTHERN BRIAR tagged total number of 47 whales.
1957 Season of 1957/58 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1958 Season of 1958/59 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Hans M. Abrahamsen, Nøtterøy.
1959 Season of 1959/60 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter not known.
1960 Season of 1960/61 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1961 Season of 1961/62 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1962 Season of 1962/63 catching as catcher for SOUTHERN HARVESTER. Shooter was Johan Chr Olsen, Cape Town /Åsgårdstrand
1963 Last season as whale catcher has ended. Under tow by her “mother”, the factory ship Fl/F SOUTHERN HARVESTER, she left Leith Harbour, South Georgia for good because of engine damage.
Arrived the layup buoys at Gåsøkalven, Melsomvik, Norway on 06/06-1963.
Later same year the company Salvesen decided to lay down the whaling for good.
1966 Sold to breaker in Bruges, Belgium. Left by tow in December. SOUTHERN LOTUS and SOUTHERN BRIAR picked up by the Dutch tugboat TEMI III.
Whilst in tow from Melsomvik to Bruges, the connection between the tug and the catchers broke around 4 p.m on 17/12-1966 on a hurricane like gale from SW, on the north-westly coast of Jutland, about 12 nautical miles off the Hvide Sande. The tugboat crew, at the risk of one’s life, fighting to get hold on the situation with no luck. Both vessels stranded at the beach of Jutland, Denmark. Both became a total loss. SOUTHERN LOTUS stranded near the outlet of river Dybå, 6.6 nautical miles north of Thorsminde.
SOUTHERN BRIAR stranded about 4,7 nautical miles further north, south of the neighbouring city of Thyborøn.
1967 Both wreck sold “where is” by the Lloyd’s of London to two contractors from Funen, Denmark through the ship broker C. Breinholt of Esbjerg, Denmark.
After being the first hand tourist attraction in the area on the coast of Jutland, the SOUTHERN LOTUS was broken up on the beach by the Dypå River, north of Thorsminde.

NOTE: The maritime disaster museum, Strandingsmuseum St. George at Thorsminde, (www.strandmus.dk) has in their collections various items salvaged from the SOUTHERN LOTUS. The museum also having a complete record of the 1966 wreckage, including the SOUTHERN LOTUS and SOUTHERN BRIAR in their large Wreck Registry Database.
(With Compliments to the museum for great support, and the Lemvik Libarary for helping out with additional documentation).