We went to Martha’s Vineyard for our 40th anniversary trip. Saw the old harbor at Edgartown and some of the places that claimed to be where “Melville wrote part of Moby Dick”.
Did not make it to Nantucket but I thought that it was funny to hear the locals complain about Nantucket as being the place “that only the really rich can afford”.
And don’t forget James Bartley, who was swallowed by a whale (although that probably didn’t really happen).
Oddly, earlier last evening my daughter and I watched the Star Trek TOS episode “Space Seed”, which then lead to the movie “Wrath of Kahn”, and you just naturally get to Khan quoting Melville...
Later I actually re-read that same Wikipedia account of the Essex’ destruction and the horrors the surviving crewmen went through (cannibalism) trying to make it to civilization. But, thanks, maybe someone unfamiliar with the story will click that link - it’s pretty incredible.
Then I saw this story!