http://www.lardex.net/larvikmelsom/skipstekst/1926polII.htm

Actually just clicking on those highlighted web sites takes you straight there.
Phillip

Sorry Denis for the double n ;)

Hey Dennis are you still around?This is for you & all those who are interested in Poll II early days as a whale chaser.Check these two sites out.http://catalogue.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/item/?q=whaling+ships&format=Images+%5c+Photograph&i=1&id=PH30-1-6415 & http://issuu.com/ptait/docs/whaling Copy & paste the web site & search to enter. The photos in both these sites are 86ish years old & are still great shots so long ago. See what the Artemis used to be like as a whaler. Incredible really. Enjoy all
Phillip

I remember seeing her in Öresund as Danish freighter ARTEMIS in the 1980's. She had a sister named Bent Flint, or something like that.

Thanks for all those infos, Phillip! Unimaginable she had so many "plastic surgeries" in her life! Any other ship would have been already scraped after few rebuilts without bothering of another. :O

Regards,
Denis

Hi Denis, this will shed some light on Artemis early history.
HMS Levanter- History
Built in 1926 Poll II started life as a Norwegian whaling ship and hunted whales around the world until the end of the 1940’s. She was later converted into a freighter sailing mainly between Asia and South America.
Hired by the Admiralty- Royal Navy in April-1941 for use as a minesweeper. Renamed HMS Jeløy with Norwegian crew, in 1942. Renamed HMS Levanter, with British RN crew, in Aug.-1944.
History 1926 Built as whaling catcher POL II by Nyland Mek.Verksted, Oslo for Hvalfangerselskapet Globus A/S (Melsom & Melsom, Nanset pr. Larvik).
1941 April, requisitioned by Royal Navy. 30th, July officially taken over by KNM in Cape Town, conversation to minesweeper begun, renamed KNM JELØY.
1942 12th June, returned to Royal Navy.
1942 October, conversion completed, Fitted with LL sweeps,renamed HMS LEVANTER. Joined British Fleet, 177 Minesweeping Group, Eastern Fleet, Station: Cochin.
1946 August, returned to Norway owners, renamed POL II.
1948 Sold to A/B Rivø (Gustav Bartley) Gothenburg, converted to a freighter- cargo vessel , the rebuilding done at Fredrikshavn, Solvesborg shipyard, new engine 250 BHP fitted, two auxilary masts.
1950 Sold to Adolf Hedberg m f Djupekås Sweden, renamed LISTER.
1951 lengthened in Wilhelm shaven by 2 metre to 40,93 metre.
1962 the wooden rudder house was replaced by a steel construction & the ship was fitted with double grounds & side walls to enable the transport of scrap metal.
1967 Sold to I/S Artemis (H Hermansen) Marstal, Denmark, renamed ARTEMIS.
1971 New Engine installed. 4-stroke/4 cylinders, cyl.dim.: 270x400mm, 300 BHP built by Aabenraa Motor Fabrik, Denmark
Used until 1998 in the tramp navigation between Asia, South America & Scandinavia, homeport Marstal, Denmark
2000 Sold to Frisian Sailing, Netherlands, rebuilt to sailing passenger vessel. Same name.
2006 Owner Tallship Artemis Netherlands- Homeport Franeker
IMO 5209699

My information came from National Archives of Norway, Warsailers.com on Pol whalers, Melsom & Melsom,Larvik, Navy History-British Royal Navy ships, War Diaries Day by day, Norwegian & South Africa war Diaries, Pioneer Whalers in the Ross Sea by P.C Watt & my Father- in- Law Lieutenant Commander R B Watson RN Retired who returned her to the Norway Government in 1946.
I also have my Father-in-Laws day by day written diary on what it was like to live on board that funny tiny little ship as he called it. Well worth the read.
Hope this helps Denis.
regards Phillip

Wrong IMO or was she then rebuilt to http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1517912 & then to tall ship?

Hi Phillip Edwards here.This photo is the only photo I have of this Norwegian Whaler. Mr father-in-Law was Commander of this minesweeper in 1946. Check out what the tall sailing ship Artemis used to look like so long ago. Amazing transformation over the years don't you think. Hope someone out there appreciates this hidden treasure found.