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Did Slocum have a fridge?

Created by sailorsilas sailorsilas  > 9 months ago, 17 Apr 2020
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sailorsilas
sailorsilas

91 posts

17 Apr 2020 4:01pm
"On August 25th the Spray sailed from Gibraltar".
Sept 6th "the bill of fare consisted mostly of flying fish, hot biscuits and butter, potatoes, coffee and cream..."
Im wondering how he managed the butter and cream - maybe it was in powdered form! In any case it's the second time around for me with this book and enjoying it immensely. It must be an inspiration to many towards getting onto the water.
garymalmgren
garymalmgren

1365 posts

17 Apr 2020 4:41pm
Im wondering how he managed the butter and cream

www.lowcarbluxury.com/carnationcream2.jpg' />


Any one from Shepparton would know the answer to that.

Gary
sailorsilas
sailorsilas

91 posts

17 Apr 2020 5:24pm
In 1800 and something, and from Gibraltar?
Subsonic
Subsonic

WA

3384 posts

17 Apr 2020 5:58pm
Select to expand quote
sailorsilas said..
In 1800 and something, and from Gibraltar?


Possibly


Franklins' expedition to find the north west passage had tinned food aboard, and that was around 50yrs before. Quite possible they were tinning a variety of food by Slocums departure date.
FabulousPhill
FabulousPhill

VIC

321 posts

17 Apr 2020 8:04pm
Maybe he made it fresh every day from the goat which ate his chart.

But more realistically, I have read that butter or cheese can be kept under (olive) oil in a jar, so long as the air doesn't get to it.
On my boat, I use vegetable oil for "buttering" sandwiches, toast and for general frying or cooking. That way I don't need a fridge, and it will be on board for months.
If I have powdered milk, then I could live without cream for a voyage. The canning process was available in his day, and beforehand. In the Australian gold rush days we had beef cans imported from France called (forgive the spelling guess) boulli-boeuf, which was later mangled to "billy". Sailors have managed for a few thousand years without canned products or fresh milk and cream.

Slocum's voyage began in 1895 according to Wikipedia.
Stockie
Stockie

NSW

343 posts

17 Apr 2020 9:11pm
It's a great read, might time for a second read!
richard
garymalmgren
garymalmgren

1365 posts

17 Apr 2020 8:07pm
Sculling up the Yarrow river in Melbourne Australi.

nswsailor
nswsailor

NSW

1458 posts

17 Apr 2020 10:32pm
Today I have margarine on board and as its absolutely full of preservatives it just sits in the food cupboard. NO FRIG!

Longest I've had a container was over 6 months
cisco
cisco

QLD

12364 posts

17 Apr 2020 11:59pm
In answer to your question.................No. Slocum predated fridges.
Mike367
Mike367

VIC

150 posts

18 Apr 2020 2:58am
I'll put it on my "To read" list, I'm halfway through "Simple Sailor" which is an interesting read.
All@Sea
All@Sea

TAS

233 posts

18 Apr 2020 6:38am
Select to expand quote
nswsailor said..
Today I have margarine on board and as its absolutely full of preservatives it just sits in the food cupboard. NO FRIG!

Longest I've had a container was over 6 months


AN interesting experiment with margarine, leave it outside with the lid off and no animal will go near it - not even the ants or bugs!
All@Sea
All@Sea

TAS

233 posts

18 Apr 2020 6:46am
Select to expand quote
Subsonic said..

sailorsilas said..
In 1800 and something, and from Gibraltar?



Possibly


Franklins' expedition to find the north west passage had tinned food aboard, and that was around 50yrs before. Quite possible they were tinning a variety of food by Slocums departure date.


I read or saw somewhere that it may've been the tinned food that killed the crew as a result of lead poisoning (not lack of food), I think the last of the ships logs described madness among the crew that can be attributed to lead.
Subsonic
Subsonic

WA

3384 posts

18 Apr 2020 6:30am
Select to expand quote
All@Sea said..


Subsonic said..



sailorsilas said..
In 1800 and something, and from Gibraltar?





Possibly


Franklins' expedition to find the north west passage had tinned food aboard, and that was around 50yrs before. Quite possible they were tinning a variety of food by Slocums departure date.




I read or saw somewhere that it may've been the tinned food that killed the crew as a result of lead poisoning (not lack of food), I think the last of the ships logs described madness among the crew that can be attributed to lead.



Yep. They did autopsies on the very well preserved bodies of the crewmen and found they had lead poisoning. (most likely) from the lead they used to seal the cans with.

"Frozen in time" is another interesting read. Its not the story of the Franklin expedition though. More about what they think happened, and the autopsy of the bodies.
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