Aurora (1782 ship)

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Aurora (1782 ship) was a British merchantman built in Kingston upon Hull and launched in 1782. She began life trading with the Baltic, sailing Hull–Riga and later serving as a London transport.

In 1803 she switched from Baltic trade to Greenland whaling. She remained based in Hull and was owned by Hall & Co., with various masters over the years (notably Sadler). As a whaler she carried about 360–500 tons burthen and was armed at times (her armament increased from four small guns in 1782 to heavier guns by 1806).

Greenland whaling career
- 1803–1812: Aurora logged numerous Greenland voyages. Her catch and oil production varied by season, with notable hauls in several years. For example, 1803 saw about 182 tuns of whale oil; 1804 about 214 tuns; 1805 included 26 whales and 244 tuns of oil plus baleen; 1808 yielded a large haul (38 whales and about 263–700 butts of oil). In 1810 she was described as the most successful Greenland whaler from Hull that season, and 1811 she again had a strong year (39 whales and around 250–630 butts of oil).
- 1813–1819: The ship continued whaling with varying results. She faced ice in 1813 (beset from April to July) and again encountered ice and delays in other years.
- 1820–1821: In 1820 she faced heavy ice and had to deal with ice hazards, including nearly docking in 12-foot-thick ice. In 1821 she undertook her first voyage to Davis Strait.

Fate
Aurora, of Hull, was lost on 27 August 1821 in Davis Strait during her first voyage there. At the time of her loss she had taken 10 fish. She was one of 11 ships sunk in the 1821 Davis Strait season.

Legacy
Aurora’s long Greenland whaling career made her one of Hull’s prominent whalers, with a record of substantial oil production on several voyages. An example of the Greenland whaler Aurora is preserved at the Hull Maritime Museum.