Ron Howard’s 2015 movie In the Heart of the Sea depicts the final voyage of the Essex whaleship and the horrifying events that occurred after the ship sank. The movie boasts an impressive cast led by Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Tom Holland, and Cillian Murphy, who each portray real people who sailed on the Essex. The movie details the events leading to the ship’s sinking, including its attack by a whale, as well as the drastic measures the men had to take to stay alive.
Despite its gripping subject matter and great cast, the movie was unsuccessful when it was first released. The movie does provide some context for what happened after the Essex sank and the survivors were rescued, but their stories continued for a long time after that. Only eight of the Essex’s crew survived out of the 20 who were aboard the ship when it sank.
After the Essex sank, Captain George Pollard Jr. captained one of the small whaleboats that he and Charles Ramsdell survived on. He was rescued on February 23, 1821, and later reunited with the other survivors, but he was too weak to travel and only returned to Nantucket several months after the other survivors. When he finally arrived home, he was greeted by 1,500 Nantucket residents.
Pollard’s ships sank twice in a row, and he was considered cursed and unfit to captain a whaling ship, making it difficult for sailors to want to sail under him. He then sailed on a merchant vessel and eventually retired from the sea. For the remainder of his life, he served as a constable in Nantucket and fasted every year on the anniversary of the Essex sinking. Pollard passed away in 1870 at the age of 78.
Owen Chase, the first mate of the Essex, also survived the sinking and was rescued on February 18, 1821. He went on to write a memoir of his experience and even became a part-owner of the whaling ship Charles Carroll. Chase continued his whaling career for several decades and later married the widow of his second mate, Matthew Joy.
Thomas Nickerson, the youngest crew member of the Essex, was only 14 years old when the ship set sail. He went on to continue sailing, first with George Pollard and later on cargo ships. After retiring from sailing, he became the owner of a boarding house with his wife.
Benjamin Lawrence captained two whaleboats after surviving the Essex sinking, while Seth Weeks, a 16-year-old seaman, chose to stay on Henderson Island rather than return to sea. He later became the oldest and final survivor of the Essex, living to 84 years old.
The story of the Essex and its crew has lived on since then, with the ship’s legacy continuing to captivate people to this day. The movie does a good job of sharing the story of the men who survived and furthering their legacy.