Sign-In
Cart
Wrecked on the Reef: Maritime Archaeology of American Whaleships in the Pacific Ocean
Paperback
Series: Maritime Currents: History and Archaeology
Technology & EngineeringArchaeologyBoating
ISBN13: 9780817362317
Publisher: University Alabama Press
Published: Dec 15 2025
Pages: 284
Weight: 0.99
Height: 0.85 Width: 6.13 Depth: 8.94
Language: English
Take to the sea on this maritime archaeological exploration of nineteenth-century American whaling ships
American whaleships of the early nineteenth century were more than ocean-going vessels--they were complex workplaces, designed for long-term voyages, round-the-clock labor, and the large-scale extraction of marine resources. In Wrecked on the Reef, maritime archaeologist Jason T. Raupp presents a pioneering study of these ships as mobile production platforms, rooted in the logic of industrial capitalism operating far from land.
Drawing on shipwreck sites from the central Pacific region, Raupp offers a rare archaeological look at everyday life aboard nineteenth-century whaling vessels during the so-called Golden Age of whaling. He examines the tools used to hunt and process whales, the strict labor hierarchies onboard, and the physical evidence of diverse, often vulnerable crews who lived and worked under demanding conditions. By combining maritime and industrial archaeology, Raupp reveals how these ships functioned not just as transportation, but as full-scale factories at sea.
Chapters trace the rise of Pacific whaling, the importance of Hawaii as a supply and repair hub, the design and mechanics of whaleships, and the dangerous work crews performed in extreme isolation. Raupp shows how these ships were not only technological marvels of their time, but also part of a much larger system of labor, risk, and ocean-based resource extraction that fueled American expansion into the Pacific.
By exploring whaleships as floating work sites, Raupp offers readers a deeper understanding of maritime labor, capitalism, and imperialism in the nineteenth century. Wrecked on the Reef charts a new course in the study of labor and landscape at sea, providing significant contributions to maritime archaeology, industrial history, and environmental humanities.
Also from
Raupp, Jason T.
Also in
Boating
Titanic: The Ship Magnificent - Volume Two: Interior Design and Fitting Out
Hall, Steve
Beveridge, Bruce
Braunschweiger, Art
Hardcover
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (National Book Award Winner)
Philbrick, Nathaniel
Paperback
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Sobel, Dava
Paperback
The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism
Bacon, John U.
Paperback
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
Sides, Hampton
Paperback
Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World
Druett, Joan
Paperback
Ashley Book of Knots: Every Practical Knot--What It Looks Like, Who Uses It, Where It Comes From, and How to Tie It
Ashley, Clifford
Hardcover
Modern Marine Weather: From Time-honored Traditional Knowledge to the Latest Technology
Burch, David
Paperback
The Band That Played on: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic
Turner, Steve
Paperback
Long Term Almanac 2000-2050: For the Sun and Selected Stars With Concise Sight Reduction Tables, 2nd Edition
Kolbe, Geoffrey
Paperback
On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic
Wormstedt, Bill
Layton, Kent
Fitch, Tad
Paperback
Ghost Ship: The Mysterious True Story of the Mary Celeste and Her Missing Crew
Hicks, Brian
Paperback
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures: Great Lakes: Legends And Lore, Pirates And More!
Varhola, Michael
Paperback
The Lost Boys of Montauk: The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind
Fairbanks, Amanda M.
Paperback
Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro
Slade, Rachel
Paperback
Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook
Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
Hardcover
Shipwrecks of the Pacific Northwest: Tragedies and Legacies of a Perilous Coast
Maritime Archaeological Society
Hardcover
Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History
Thompson, Kalee
Paperback
The Captain, The Missionary, and the Bell: The Wreck of the Steamship Atlantic
Larsson, Eric
Paperback
The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale: First-Person Accounts
Chase, Owen
Nickerson, Thomas
Paperback
American Small Sailing Craft: Their Design, Development and Construction
Chapelle, Howard I.
Hardcover
Secrets of the Viking Navigators: How the Vikings Used Their Amazing Sunstones and Other Techniques to Cross the Open Ocean
Karlsen, Leif K.
Paperback
We, the Navigators: The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific (Second Edition)
Lewis, David
Paperback
Inland and Coastal Navigation: For Power-driven and Sailing Vessels, 2nd Edition
Burch, David
Paperback
Fifty Ships That Changed the Course of History: A Nautical History of the World
Graham, Ian
Paperback
Navigation Rules And Regulations Handbook (Color Print): Containing International & Inland Rules
Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
Paperback
The Great Lakes Ships of Frank E. Kirby: America's Greatest Naval Architect
Gebhart, Richard
Paperback
The Death Ship: Recovering the Bodies of Titanic's Dead
Victoria Brown, Victoria
Brown, Victoria
Hardcover
Fatal Treasure: Greed and Death, Emeralds and Gold, and the Obsessive Search for the Legendary Ghost Galleon Atocha
Smith, Jedwin
Paperback
Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction (Revised)
Chapelle, Howard I.
Hardcover
The Star Finder Book: A Complete Guide to the Many Uses of the 2102-D Star Finder
Burch, David
Paperback
The Complete Yachtmaster 11th Edition: Sailing, Seamanship and Navigation for the Modern Yacht Skipper
Cunliffe, Tom
Hardcover
Too Much Sea for Their Decks: Shipwrecks of Minnesota's North Shore and Isle Royale
Schumacher, Michael
Paperback
Navigation Workbook 1210 Tr: For Power-Driven and Sailing Vessels
Brandt, Larry
Burch, David
Paperback
Submarine Aircraft Carriers: From World War I to the Age of Drones
Gunnarson, Jacob
Polmar, Norman
Hardcover
The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II
Watson, Robert P.
Paperback
Starpath Celestial Navigation Work Forms: For All Sights and Tables, with Complete Instructions and Examples
Burch, David
Paperback
Long Term Almanac 2000-2050: For the Sun and Selected Stars With Concise Sight Reduction Tables, 2nd Edition (Hardcover)
Kolbe, Geoffrey
Hardcover
Sailing a Serious Ocean: Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea
Kretschmer, John
Hardcover
Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea
Tougias, Michael J.
Paperback
101 Things You Thought You Knew about the Titanic . . . but Didn't!
Maltin, Tim
Aston, Eloise
Paperback
Guardians of the North: Canadian Warships and Maritime Aircraft, 1910-2025
Gimblett, Richard H.
Gagnon, Karl
Hardcover
Shipwreck Rescues of the Outer Banks: Sensational Wrecks and Heroic Rescues by the United States Life-Saving Service
Charlet, James D.
Hardcover
Nagato-Class Battleships 1920-46: The Imperial Japanese Navy's Super-Dreadnoughts
Draminski, Stefan
Paperback
From Novembers to Sierras: Soviet Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines
Vilches Alarcón, Alejandro A.
Paperback
The Wreck of the Portland: A Doomed Ship, a Violent Storm, and New England's Worst Maritime Disaster
Conway, J. North
Paperback
The Troller Yacht Book: How to Cross Oceans Without Getting Wet or Going Broke - 2nd Edition
Buehler, George
Hardcover
Advanced Marine Electrics and Electronics Troubleshooting: A Manual for Boatowners and Marine Technicians
Sherman, Ed
Hardcover
Modern Marine Weather: From Time-honored Traditional Knowledge to the Latest Technology
Burch, David
Hardcover
Ten Hours Until Dawn: The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do
Tougias, Michael J.
Paperback
Blackbeard's Sunken Prize: The 300-Year Voyage of Queen Anne's Revenge
Carnes-McNaughton, Linda F.
Wilde-Ramsing, Mark U.
Paperback
Wreck of the Carl D.: A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea
Schumacher, Michael
Paperback
Navigation Workbook 18465 Tr: For Power-Driven and Sailing Vessels
Burch, David
Brandt, Larry
Paperback
Instant Boatbuilding with Dynamite Payson: 15 Instant Boats for Power, Sail, Oar, and Paddle
Payson, Harold H.
Paperback
Inland and Coastal Navigation: For Power-driven and Sailing Vessels, 2nd Edition
Burch, David
Hardcover
From the Center of America: Steamboats and Shipyards Along the Lower Ohio River
Swenson, Robert H.
Paperback
Hawaii by Sextant: An In-Depth Exercise in Celestial Navigation Using Real Sextant Sights and Logbook Entries
Miller, Stephen
Burch, David
Paperback
The HERO Way: The Untamed Life and Enduring Legacy of an Iconic Antarctic Research Vessel
Lagerbom, Charles H.
Hardcover
Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters
Jessop, Violet
Paperback
Barons of the Sea: And Their Race to Build the World's Fastest Clipper Ship
Ujifusa, Steven
Paperback
Boat Crew Seamanship Manual (COMDTINST M16114.5C)
United States Coast Guard
U. S. Department of Homeland Security
Paperback
The Shipwright and the Schooner: Building a Windjammer in the New England Tradition
Burnham, Harold
Paperback
Ships, Swindlers, and Scalded Hogs: The Rise and Fall of the Crooker Shipyard in Bath, Maine
Hill, Frederic B.
Paperback
Introduction to Electronic Chart Navigation: With an Annotated ECDIS Chart No. 1
Burch, David
Paperback