Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...
owned a 38-foot (12 m) fishing boat named ''Pilar''. It was acquired in April 1934 from Wheeler Shipbuilding in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York, for $7,495. "Pilar" was a nickname for Hemingway's second wife, Pauline, and also the name of the woman leader of the partisan band in his 1940 novel The Spanish Civil War, ''
For Whom the Bell Tolls
''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...
''. Hemingway regularly fished off the boat in
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it con ...
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...
off the Cuban coast. He made three trips by boat to the Bimini Islands, wherein his fishing, drinking, and fighting exploits drew much attention and remain part of the island's history. In addition to fishing trips on ''Pilar'', Hemingway contributed to scientific research, including collaboration with the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
. Several of Hemingway's books were influenced by time spent on the boat, most notably ''
The Old Man and the Sea
''The Old Man and the Sea'' is a 1952 novella by the American author Ernest Hemingway. Written between December 1950 and February 1951, it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his lifetime. It tells the story of Santiag ...
'' (1953) and ''Islands in the Stream'' (1970). The yacht also inspired the name of Playa Pilar (Pilar Beach) on Cayo Guillermo. The opening and other scenes in the 2012 film ''
Hemingway & Gellhorn
''Hemingway & Gellhorn'' is a 2012 American biographical drama television film directed by Philip Kaufman and written by Jerry Stahl and Barbara Turner, about the lives of journalist Martha Gellhorn (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, writer Er ...
'' depict a miniature boat replica.
Acquisition
After returning from a safari in Africa, Hemingway acquired the boat on April 18, 1934. The boat was a modified version of the Wheeler Playmate line. The final price for the boat was $7,495, including modifications such as a livewell to contain fish, dual-engine set-up, lowering the boat's transom by twelve inches, and adding a full-width roller on the stern to aid in hauling large fish onto the boat. A flying bridge was added later, but not by Wheeler. In addition, the boat's hull was painted black instead of the stock white color.
The boat was constructed in the Coney Island yard of the Wheeler company, now of Chapel Hill, NC (which also built
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
's "Granma"), and delivered to Hemingway at Miami, attached to a wooden cradle which was part of the purchase price. With a friend and Wheeler representative, Hemingway sailed the boat under its power from Miami to Key West through Hawk Channel, a semi-protected waterway between the Key islands and the barrier reefs from Biscayne National Park to Key West.
Science on the boat
In addition to hunting, Hemingway was an avid fisherman and a great contributor to the development of the sport. He also contributed to the knowledge of
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
ichthyologist
Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 35,800 species of fish had been described as of March 2 ...
. These two scientists were in Cuba trying to determine the taxonomy of
marlin
Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes between 9 and 11 species, depending on the taxonomic authority.
Name
The family's common name is thought to derive from their resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike.
Taxonomy
T ...
species. They attempted to determine if white, blue, black, or striped marlins were different species or just color variants of the same species. As a result of their efforts on the boat, they reclassified the North Atlantic marlin variants.
U-boat patrols
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Hemingway used his boat to search for German
U-boats
U-boats are naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the First and Second World Wars. The term is an anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the German term refers to any submarine. Austro-Hungarian Na ...
in the Caribbean waters. ''Pilar'' was outfitted with communications gear, including HF/DF or "Huff-Duff" direction-finding equipment. His minimal armament included a
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson submachine gun (also known as the "Tommy gun", "Chicago typewriter", or "trench broom") is a blowback-operated, selective-fire submachine gun, invented and developed by Brigadier General John T. Thompson, a United States Arm ...
and
grenade
A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...
s. Most accounts state that any effort to attack a submarine would have been futile. Hemingway wrote about his intent to attack if he spotted a sub. Other accounts of these patrols imply that they were a farce and that he did them in return for extra gas rations and immunity from Cuban police for driving drunk. His hunting for U-Boats inspired the third act, "At Sea," in his novel '' Islands in the Stream''.
Bimini trips
Hemingway spent three summers in Bimini, starting with the first voyage in April 1935. During the initial attempt at the crossing, he accidentally shot himself in the leg while attempting to boat a shark he caught. On a subsequent trip, he fished with
Bror von Blixen-Finecke
Baron Bror Fredrik von Blixen-Finecke (25 July 1886 – 4 March 1946) was a Swedish nobleman, writer, professional hunter and guide on African big-game hunts. He was married to Karen Blixen (née Dinesen) from 1914 to 1925.
Personal life ...
, with whom he had been on a safari and whose former wife was
Karen Blixen
Baroness Karen Christentze von Blixen-Finecke (born Dinesen; 17 April 1885 – 7 September 1962) was a Danish author who wrote in Danish and English. She is also known under her pen names Isak Dinesen, used in English-speaking countries; Ta ...
, author of ''
Out of Africa
''Out of Africa'' is a memoir by the Danish people, Danish author Karen Blixen. The book, first published in 1937, recounts events of the eighteen years when Blixen made her home in Kenya, then called East Africa Protectorate, British East Africa ...
''. In addition, there are ties to him and Hemingway through Hemingway's books '' Green Hills of Africa'' and '' Under Kilimanjaro''.
During the Bimini trips, Hemingway perfected
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
techniques for
tuna
A tuna (: tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bul ...
. He was the first person to land a giant tuna unmutilated. Known as "apple-coring," it had been expected for sharks to attack fish as they tired and were near the boat. His technique involved applying constant pressure to the fish. Where previous methods allowed the fish to run to tire it, he would attempt to boat the fish as soon as possible. He experimented with using a skiff, which he would transfer to, and had the fish pull the boat to weaken it. He also discovered
marlin
Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes between 9 and 11 species, depending on the taxonomic authority.
Name
The family's common name is thought to derive from their resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike.
Taxonomy
T ...
s had a defense mechanism in their swords and noses that made them unattractive to sharks but that tuna lacked such a defense. He found that a tuna's primary defense against sharks was speed, and as the fish tire, they became easy targets. He used a Thompson sub-machine gun to shoot at sharks that would appear as the tuna tired and neared the boat.
The photo labelled "Hemingway and Strater with the remaining 500 lb of marlin" shows Hemingway and Henry "Mike" Strater with a half-eaten ("apple-cored") marlin. This fish weighed more than 500 pounds in its half-eaten state. It was projected to be more than 1,000 lb when whole. During the fish landing, Hemingway used a Thompson machine gun to shoot at the sharks and ward them off. Unfortunately, the effect of the shark blood in the water attracted more sharks, which damaged the marlin. Ultimately, the marlin's state somewhat recalls the monster marlin in Hemingway's later masterpiece, ''
The Old Man and the Sea
''The Old Man and the Sea'' is a 1952 novella by the American author Ernest Hemingway. Written between December 1950 and February 1951, it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his lifetime. It tells the story of Santiag ...
''. The incident significantly damaged his relationship with Strater, who believed the use of Hemingway's machine gun against the sharks was the primary reason he lost the most significant fish he had ever caught.
While on Bimini, Hemingway wrote magazine articles for ''Esquire'' and worked on his novel, ''To Have And Have Not''. His reputation as a big game angler began to grow. He landed many giant tuna and marlin. He also staged boxing matches with the locals, offering $100 (which ranged upward to $250 based on various accounts) to anyone who could last a few rounds with him. His fighting was not contained to the ring. During a dockside brawl, he punched and knocked out Joe Knapp, a wealthy magazine publisher. Hemingway at first lived in ''Pilar''. He later moved to a cottage near Brown's Dock and eventually, a room at the Compleat Angler Hotel, staying in Room Number 1.
Fishing
Hemingway caught numerous record-breaking fish from ''Pilar''. In 1935, he won every tournament in the Key West-Havana-Bimini triangle, competing against notable sportsmen Michael Lerner and S. Kip Farrington. In 1938, he established a world record by catching seven marlins in one day. He was the first person to boat a giant tuna in an undamaged state. This effort was attributed to him pulling the fish into the boat before it had tired, thereby preventing sharks from eating it. Hemingway kept meticulous fishing logs, including guests, weather, current conditions, fish caught, and other information. During the first summer of owning the boat, an aspiring writer, Arnold Samuelson, served as a deckhand and recorded the dictated logs on paper. He subsequently typed out the logs on display at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Samuelson later wrote an account of the summer in book form, published posthumously by his daughter.
Named after him, The Hemingway Fishing Tournament has been held in Cuba since 1950. It is a four-day tournament where contestants go for marlin, tuna,
wahoo
The wahoo (''Acanthocybium solandri'') is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. In Hawaii, the wahoo is known as ono. The species is sometimes called hoo in the United States. It is best known to sports fishermen, a ...
, and other fish using a 50-pound fishing line. Hemingway won the first three years it was held.
Notable guests
*
Archibald MacLeish
Archibald MacLeish (May 7, 1892 – April 20, 1982) was an American poet and writer, who was associated with the modernist school of poetry. MacLeish studied English at Yale University and law at Harvard University. He enlisted in and saw action ...
*
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...
*
Bror von Blixen-Finecke
Baron Bror Fredrik von Blixen-Finecke (25 July 1886 – 4 March 1946) was a Swedish nobleman, writer, professional hunter and guide on African big-game hunts. He was married to Karen Blixen (née Dinesen) from 1914 to 1925.
Personal life ...
*
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
*
John Dos Passos
John Roderigo Dos Passos (; January 14, 1896 – September 28, 1970) was an American novelist, most notable for his U.S.A. (trilogy), ''U.S.A.'' trilogy.
Born in Chicago, Dos Passos graduated from Harvard College in 1916. He traveled widely as a ...
*
Martha Gellhorn
Martha Ellis Gellhorn (8 November 1908 – 15 February 1998) was an American novelist, travel writer and journalist who is considered one of the great war correspondents of the 20th century. She reported on virtually every major world confli ...
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Gregorio Fuentes. Fuentes, one of the hired captains of the boat, is said to have been the basis for the character Santiago from ''The Old Man and the Sea'' and Eddy from ''Islands in the Stream''. The Cuban government now owns the boat after Fuentes donated it to the people of Cuba. The sister ship of ''Pilar'' is on display in the
Bass Pro Shops
BPS Direct, LLC, trade name, doing business as Bass Pro Shops, is an American privately held sporting goods retailer that offers hunting, fishing, camping, and other related outdoor recreation equipment, marine manufacturing and sales, and outd ...
store in
Islamorada, Florida
Islamorada (also sometimes Isla Morada) is an Incorporation (municipal government), incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located directly between Miami and Key West on five islands—Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe ...
. Hemingway fished from the sister ship, which made him have Pilar commissioned.