Early Life
Carl Anton Larsen was born in Østre Halsen, Tjolling, the son of a Norwegian Sea Captain Ole Christian Larsen and his wife Ellen Andrea Larsen (née Thorsen). His family subsequently relocated to nearby Sandefjord, the home of the Norwegian whaling industry, where, at the young age of 9 he went to sea in a small barque with his father chasing seals and trading across the North Atlantic with Britain, only returning to go to school during the fall and winter. He would continue this for a number of years, until his curiosity for the sea was so strong he enrolled himself in navigation school where he passed the exam for foreign-going mate at the age of 18. Having been to Britain a few times in the previous years he realized the importance of having a second language and soon taught himself English and Spanish.
Larsen was eager to get work as an officer on a ship, but due to economic difficulties in Norway at the time, he could not. This was a huge setback, but he decided to swallow his pride and went to work at sea as a cook, learning the importance food played in keeping men happy. A valuable lesson that would serve him well as a captain.
He finally got a position aboard the barque Hoppet out of Larvik, as second mate, then first mate and senior officer below the captain. He was now 21 and knew he had to study again so he came ashore and soon became a Shipmaster, which means he could now sail any ship on any ocean in the world.
Having just become a shipmaster, what Larsen most wanted now was a ship of his own. This was more than he could afford so instead, he bought a share of an old barque called the Freden. Sadly, it was not to be smooth sailing for Larsen as the barque Freden was all but wrecked after his first voyage. Undeterred he soon got her fixed, only to be faced with another setback. Nobody had any freight he could carry. This would turn out to be a stroke of luck for the young Larsen as he soon decided to go on his first whaling experience, hunting bottlenose whales just off the coast of Norway. Fortunately Larsen was a born whaler and soon filled the Freden with whales and went on filling her until 1885 when he realized that he could not use the Svend Foyn gun with little chaser-steamers like the modern whalers. It was time for a newer ship.
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