The Ann Alexander was an American ship known for being attacked by a sperm whale, an incident that inspired Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick." Built in 1809, the ship primarily engaged in the whaling industry. In 1851, under the command of Captain Pollard, the vessel was pursuing sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean when a particularly large and aggressive whale attacked the ship, causing severe damage. The crew managed to repair the ship and continue with their voyage, but they faced further challenges including a lack of provisions and harsh weather conditions. Eventually, they were rescued by another ship after drifting for several weeks. The story of the Ann Alexander's encounter with the whale became legendary and was later immortalized in literature, contributing to the enduring fascination with whaling and maritime history.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.