ON THE HUNT WITH THE BASQUE WHALERS

After the wreck of a Basque galleon—thought to be the San Juan—was discovered off the coast of Canada, National Geographic wrote about its exploration in 1985. Now, we revisit the 16th-century ship’s history to illustrate what we’ve learned about the risks and rewards faced by the Basques in the new lands they called Terranova. Their quarry: baleen whales and the oil from their blubber, worth millions in today’s dollars.

PORT OF PASAJES, SPAIN

PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

Casks loaded with beans, dried peas, bacon, and ship’s biscuits (flour-and-water crackers) sustained the crew. Hearty meals were washed down with wine and hard cider and supplemented with berries, fish, and whale meat, when available.