ERIKSSON ERIK, ISIDOR

 

Eriksson Erik, Isidor, Albatros, was born in Vestansunda, Åland, on 10.4.1877 and died in Mariehamn on 20.8.1963.

He went to sea at the age of 17, when he signed on the barque DUFVA as cook in 1894, sailing in Baltic and North Sea trade. The following year he became cook-steward, and in 1896 he was employed as deck hand. In 1897 he signed on the barque ILOS as O.S., but was given the job of cook steward. He became her 2nd Mate in 1898. In the ILOS he made two voyages to America.

In 1900 he became Mate of the barque BARDEN sailing in North Sea trade.

In 1903 Isidor Eriksson passed the merchant skipper's examination and became Chief Mate of the barque WOLFE, sailing to S.Africa, USA and S.America.

He obtained his Master's ticket in 1906 and was immediately given command of the barque ESMERALDA, sailing in Atlantic trade.

Isidor Eriksson commanded the ESMERALDA from 1906 to 1908, barque HELMI 1909, BARDEN 1910, barque DIAZ 1911-12, iron ship IMBERHORNE 1913-16 ( making his first voyage to Australia in 1913), 4-masted barque MALBOROUGH HILL 1919-23, 4-m barque CARRADALE 1923, 4-m barque ARCHIBALD RUSSELL 1924-25, 3 m barque LALLA ROOKH 1926-28.

He then went into steam, commanding the s s NAXOS 1929-31 and s s KASTELHOLM from 1932 until she was torpedoed in the Atlantic in 1941.

He commanded the s s TRANVIK 1947-49 and the s s VASA on a voyage to the East Indies at the age of 75.Isidor Eriksson's last post as Master was in one of the ships of an Åland company running between Mariehamn and Äbo/Turku. He was then the oldest active sea -captain in Finland, and had been a Master for over 40 years.

Isidor Eriksson was one of the earliest members of the Åland Islands Section of A.I.C.H.. He rounded Cape Horn 13 times as Master, including in IMBERHORNE 1914, MALBOROUGH HILL 1921 and 1922, ARCHIBALD RUSSELL 1925.

He was a good story-teller and often appeared in radio interviews.

He was also skilled at making ship models in bottles, and made a rya rug depicting the ARCHIBALD RUSSELL.

From Pamela Eriksson 's aticle Captain Isidor : < Here he was, amost as spry as ever, clear in the eye, baby pink in the cheek,nimbler than many half his age, and yet it was twenty five years since Sven had introduced him to me as the grand old man of Åland. By Åland he meant the hierarchy of Åland sea captains who then and now, largely in fact and entirely in their own opinion were Åland >.

An anecdote related by Isidor Eriksson, from the same article : < I won't say when it was because it was a long time ago. I was Master of the IMBERHORNE,full rigged ship, iron and we lay at a little place on Vancouver Island loading pitch pine. We were lying there some time, what with one thing and another, and as the weeks went by, the usual happened, what was quite the custom in those days in an American port, I found myself almost without a crew. One two three after the other they bunked. In that little place it was impossible to scratch together a crew fit to sail her, but after a time, I managed to get a crew of Scandinavians, and luckily several Älännings among them, from another place. They all arrived together by train. The Mate and I went to meet them.

The boys had had a long journey and they asked if they couldn't go round the town a bit before going on board. Certainly, I said, but you have had a long journey and must be hungry and cold too. Wouldn't it be best to come aboard first and have a good dinner. I have told the cook to get busy and have a real fill -out for them. They agreed willingly, were very pleased, in fact and it wasn ' t long before were all aboard and tucking in to what was really a first class dinner.

While they were eating the tug came alongside - you know, a tug can be pretty silent if she is given the order - and we were away down the sound before they had scoped their plates > What could I do ?, asked Captain Isidor, slightly shrugging his shoulders and looking innocently round the table, If I had let them ashore, I had have had all the trouble of getting a third crew. >